Plan Ahead and Prepare for Winter
The best way to keep your family and yourself safe is to prepare before a storm hits. Plan ahead: prepare your house and car; stock up on emergency supplies.
House Checklist
- Insulate walls and attic.
- Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows.
- Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside.
- Insulate any water lines that run along outer walls (water will be less likely to freeze).
- Service snow-removal equipment.
- Have chimney and flue inspected.
- Install easy-to-read outdoor thermometer.
Car Checklist
- Keep your car fueled and in good working order.
Check:
- Antifreeze
- Windshield wiper fluid (wintertime mixture)
- Heater
- Brakes
- Ignition
- Emergency flashers
- Exhaust
- Tires (air pressure and wear)
- Fuel
- Oil
- Brake fluid
- Defroster
- Battery
- Radiator
Car and Emergency Supplies
- Cell phone; portable charger and extra batteries
- Shovel
- Windshield scraper
- Battery-powered radio (and extra batteries)
- Flashlight (and extra batteries)
- Water
- Snack food
- Extra hats, coats, mittens
- Blankets
- Chains or rope
- Tire chains
- Canned compressed air with sealant (emergency tire repair)
- Road salt and sand
- Booster cables
- Emergency flares
- Bright colored flag; help signs
- First aid kit
- Tool kit
- Road maps
- Compass
- Waterproof matches and a can (to melt snow for water)
- Paper towels
If you are Trapped in your Car in a Winter Storm
- Stay in the car.
- Do not leave the car to look for help unless help is visible within 100 yards.
- Display a “call for help” sign.
- Raise the car hood or hang a brightly colored cloth on the antenna to signal for help.
- To keep warm, turn on the car’s engine for about 10 minutes each hour.
- Run the heater only when the car is running. (Avoid running the car battery down.)
- Turn on car lights only when the car is running. (Avoid running the car battery down.)
- Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow. (Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.)
- Open a window slightly for fresh air.
- Do light exercise to stay warm.
- If you’re alone, stay awake as much as possible.
- If more than one person is in the car, take turns sleeping.
- For warmth, huddle close together.
- Wrap your body and head with extra clothes, blankets, newspapers, maps, or removable car mats.
- Do not eat snow (lowers your body temperature). If no other water is available, snow can be melted for water using a
can and a lit match. (Please note: Water must come to a rolling boil for one minute to kill most germs, but boiling
water won’t get rid of chemicals sometimes found in snow.)