With the crazy weather we have been having lately you can never be too prepared for weather emergencies. Even living in the west, I carry certain items with me in the car in case something happens. It is very important to have a winter weather emergency car kit in your car at all times when you travel. This goes without saying for those of you living in the snow belt, but think about hurricane weather and tornado weather too. Everyone needs to be prepared.
Here are some things you need to add to your emergency kit for your car:
* Always take a fully charged cell phone with you in the car and a car adapter for charging your cell phone (cigarette lighter adapter) so you can make emergency calls. An small inverter is handy to keep as well, in case you just have a house phone plug or need to plug in a laptop/ipad for calling for assistance.
* A GPS is helpful in helping you to get from point A to point B but it can also help you to pin point exactly where you are at to help guide emergency officials to your exact location should you break down, get stuck or get in an accident.
Your Winter and Bad Weather Kit Should Contain:
* 2 Warm Throw Blankets – more if there are extra passengers
* 1 Complete Change of Warm Clothes + Extra Hat, Gloves and Scarf per person
* 6 Single Bottles of Water
* 6 Packages of Shelf-Stable Snacks & Foods (protein bars, granola, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, crackers, beef jerky, etc.)
* 2 Days of Necessary Medications in a Ziploc Plastic Bag
* Emergency ID Card with Emergency Contact List
* Emergency Medical Alert Card w/Current Medications List & Doctor’s Phone Number
* 1 Flashlight + 2 Packs Extra Batteries
* 1 Mini Lantern + 2 Packs Extra Batteries
* 3 Sets of LED Emergency Flares
* 1 Extra Can of Motor Oil
* A bottle of AntiFreeze
* Several Packs of Matches (in case you need to start a fire)
* Battery Powered Weather Alert Radio + extra batteries
* Jumper Cables
* 1 Bag of Kitty Litter or Sand (to help provide traction under tires if you get stuck in snow or on ice)
You can never be too prepared when venturing out in bad weather. Take precautions and put together your kit today. What other items can you think of that you have added to your kit?
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Yes, we are in bad weather season. The cold is awful, and roads are slick. Make sure your car is in proper condition. Check the windshield wipers and lights to make sure all of them work. I like to keep my gas tank filled up. You never know when you will get stuck in snow or be stuck in a traffic jam. Someone once suggested to me bringing fruit cups. The liquid in them will hydrate you and the sugar will give you a boost. Besides kitty litter, my husband and I also bring a jug of bleach. Pour it over tires that are spinning in the snow to help them gain traction and break through. Another thing to think about is leaving the kit in the car – when you do your water or food may freeze.
Wow this post is really good timing. I live in Michigan and even though we get snow and it gets cold in winter, it was much deeper snow and more often and much colder when I was a kid in the 70s and these days we end up with a handful of snowstorms and then a lot of the winter there is little to no snow and it can even be in the 40s!
HOWEVER today it is crazy bad weather (hear it’s in a lot of states too) and we are expecting a foot of snow at least overnight (already got about 4 to 6 inches yesterday) and some weather sources are saying with wind chill it could get as cold as 25 to 40 degrees BELOW zero! YIKES!
If someone has to be in their car they hopefully for sure have an emergency kit like you blogged about!
I have just heard before to carry kitty litter incase you get stuck on the road.This idea and the others are extremely helpful to us.
People must realize that you need to be prepare no matter what the weather is. We got stuck in the sand,mud, snow, and water, so we know the precarious to take so that everyone will be okay. The only thing I can think of, is to pack a shovel and your Growing Sons. They will all do the trick if you get stuck!! 🙂
Great post. I make a copy of the list so I can check my kit.
Thanks for all of the added ideas! What a great list!
Now this is a great post and one that I will follow. I need batteries for my flashlight in the car never thought of that also the kitty litter great tip. I have a lot of these items but still have a lot of work left to do thanks so much for this one and have a great day.
I would add a safety vest so you can be seen when you get out of your car. Too many people are hit and killed when trying to service their car on the road. Also I keep a sign that came with my car cones that says Help, that you put in the back window. I used to keep a ton of things in my trunk, including a shovel, when I lived in Denver. What I used last year (living in California) was a (battery) auto jumper, which jumps even a dead battery, which is what I had. It was the first time I used it and it worked. You just have to charge it now and then. I pack this instead of jumper cables. Saved me a towing charge and glad I got to use it after having it 2 years (just in case!) Better safe than sorry I always say.
I have most of those in my car. A weather radio for the car would be good for me to add.
I’m staying home today: light snow and predicted wind chills of -25 to -40 .
These are great tips , including the ones in the comments section. I shall have to make my own list and start placing all these items in the car. You also have to remember to check/change the batteries if you already have some in the car. I have to see where to buy the Mylar thermal balnkets
And always always 1) a few pillar candles – indispensable for keeping warm and 2) a windshield hammer. Also I’d make the blankets those astronaut thermal ones.
This is so important to have an emergency kit in my car because I have heard of stories of people getting stranded and not having enough stuff in their car. I am going to put together this emergency kit!
Thanks for the list. I find I am more dependent on lists lately. Too much to remember I guess.
Great list! I would just add a couple of things: the emergency Mylar thermal “blankets” – they are like tin foil, but you wear them, and they direct your body heat back at you, and a few of the heat packs they sell in the drugstore. The kind where you squish the packet together and it stays warm for a while.
My son got a solar charger for his phone that came with all kinds of adapters! It works in about 15 minutes and will charge your phone enough to make emergency calls. Amazing and could be a life saver!