Emergency Survival Kits | Survival Kits

Winter Car Survival Kits

By admin on August 23rd, 2011

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Winter Storm

A major winter storm can be lethal. A major winter storm can last for several days and be accompanied by high winds, freezing rain or sleet, heavy snowfall, and cold temperatures. People can become trapped at home, without utilities or other services. Heavy snowfall and blizzards can trap motorists in their cars. Attempting to walk for help in a blizzard can be a deadly decision.

Winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. The leading cause of death during winter storms is from automobile or other transportation accidents. Exhaustion and heart attacks caused by overexertion are the two most likely causes of winter storm-related deaths.

House fires occur more frequently in the winter due to lack of proper safety precautions when using alternate heating sources. Fire during winter storms presents a great danger because water supplies may freeze and it may be difficult for firefighting equipment to get to the fire.

Preparing for all types of cold weather conditions and disasters, and responding to them effectively can reduce the dangers caused by winter storms.

BEFORE

Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify a winter storm hazard:

Freezing Rain

Rain that freezes when it hits the ground, creating a coating of ice on roads, walkways, trees, and power lines.

Sleet

Rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet also causes moisture on roads to freeze and become slippery.

Winter Storm Watch

A winter storm is possible in your area. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for more information.

Winter Storm Warning

A winter storm is occurring or will soon occur in your area.

Blizzard Warning

Sustained winds or frequent gusts to 35 miles per hour or greater and considerable amounts of falling or blowing snow (reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile) are expected to prevail for a period of three hours or longer.

Frost/Freeze Warning

Below freezing temperatures are expected.

Have survival kits and emergency supplies on hand at home:

• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Portable battery-operated radio and extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual
• Emergency food and water - at least a three day supply of water and non-perishable food for each person in your household
• Manual can opener
• Essential medicines
• Cash and credit cards
• Important family documents and veterinary records
• At least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person. (Include sturdy shoes and work boots, warm coat and hat, gloves or mittens, rain gear, thermal underwear, blankets or sleeping bag)
• Extra blankets and warm clothing
• Non-clumping kitty litter to generate traction on icy surfaces
• Rock salt to melt ice on walkways
• Sand to improve traction
• Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment
• Pet Survival Kit

Suggestions and Reminders: Store your supplies in a convenient place known to all family members. Keep a smaller version of the emergency supplies in the trunk of your car. At least once a year replace batteries, update clothes, etc. Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications, and your veterinarian about veterinary medications.

Learn about winter storm risk in your area.

Contact your local emergency management office, National Weather Service office, or American Red Cross chapter for information.

Familiarize yourself with winter storm and blizzard WATCHES and WARNINGS.

A National Weather Service (NWS) winter storm watch means a winter storm is possible in your area.

A NWS winter storm warning means a winter storm is occurring, or will soon occur, in your area.

Freezing Rain is rain that freezes when it hits the ground, creating a coating of ice on roads, walkways, trees, and power lines.

Sleet is rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet also causes moisture on roads to freeze and become slippery.

A NWS Blizzard Warning occurs when there are sustained winds or frequent gusts to 35 miles per hour or greater and considerable amounts of falling or blowing snow (reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile) are expected to prevail for a period of three hours or longer.

Frost/Freeze Warnings occur when below freezing temperatures are expected.

Understand the hazards of wind chill, which combines the cooling effect of wind and cold temperatures on exposed skin.

As the wind increases, heat is carried away from a person's body at an accelerated rate, driving down the body temperature. aWind chilla is a calculation of how cold it feels when the effects of wind speed and temperature are combined. A strong wind combined with a temperature of just below freezing can have the same effect as a still air temperature about 35 degrees colder.

• Service snow removal equipment before winter storm season.
• Make sure you have sufficient heating fuel; regular fuel sources may be cut off. For example, store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.
• Dress for the weather.
• Wear several layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent.
• Wear mittens, which are warmer than gloves.
• Wear a hat.
• Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.

7 Responses to “Winter Car Survival Kits”

1. Miss L says:

   August 29, 2011 at 2:40 am

   Helpful items to have in a winter-car emergency kit?
   I live in MN, and it gets COLD! What are some things I should pick up that you wouldn’t normally think of for my winter-survival kit to keep in my car…”just in case”…thank you!
2. Eric S says:

   August 29, 2011 at 1:22 pm

   Would Canadians watch this American movie?
   The movie will be called “It’s not that cold here, really.” and it will be an American comedy produced by ME!

   The movie will be about a dumb American gangster from New Jersey who decides to leave his gang town and visit a more peaceful place called….Canada.

   He decides to travel to Toronto in mid-July and his family talks him out of it telling him “it’s VERY COLD in Canada, it’s a freezing cold country!” So he rebelliously drives to New York/Ontario border with 16 North Face jackets, a survival kit, a battery generator to heat the car, a 4-week supply of emergency food, a portable stove, 16 containers of mosquito repellent, a hunting knife. And a guide to survivng Polar attacks in the arctic wilderness. And emergency bottles of water, emergency toilet paper, for his summer trip to Toronto, Ontario. He’s an idiot.

   He gets to the Canada border and they ask him where he’s going!!!! He says “Toronto for the July weekend.”

   Customs official: What have you brought here???? 16 jackets, emergency supplies, bear repellant????

   Guy: Because my friend said it’s FREEZING COLD in Canada.

   Customs official gets skeptical because he thinks perhaps this guy is planning to stay the winter, either that or hide out. And overstay his welcome and not plan on leaving the country. They keep him at the border for a few days.

   The guy starts USING his survival kit food and water to feed himself while sitting in the immigration customs office. Just to give him what he asked for, they purposely put the AC on 10 degrees celsius so he can freeze inside the immigration and customs building.

   He ends up being held over in the border office until the weekend is over, so they tell him to make a U-turn and USA customs will take it from there.

   They say “I hope you enjoyed your stay. Next time, do some research before you plan a trip to Toronto.”

   It would be pretty funny.
   Or you can make it where they do let him into Toronto and then it just so happens the city experiences a black-out like a few summers ago, and the guy thinks it’s ALWAYS like that
   You know? I’ve been in MANY Canadian cities. Intentionally, the last place I want to visit in Canada, after I see all the other provinces including the maritimes, is TORONTO.
   Isn’t this fascinating? See everything except Toronto, and then Finally…..Toronto.
   Edit Dangerma: Definitely would put you in the credits. The thing though is going straight north by road, you can’t go much farther than Kapuskasing. Or the road to James Bay. The only opportunity to drive FAR north is to go west of Edmonton. Unless of course you fly
3. UCANTCME says:

   August 30, 2011 at 5:21 am

   You never know what you might need in case of an emergency. Make sure you keep the following items in your vehicle.

   Fully charged cell phone

   Pen or pencil and a pad of paper
   Vehicle operating manual

   Emergency service information

   Signal flares

   Instant plug for flat tires

   Flashlight with extra batteries

   Bottled drinking water

   Preserved snacks

   Blanket

   Paper towels

   Jumper cables

   Warning triangles or reflectors

   Engine coolant

   Windshield wiper fluid

   Tire pressure gauge

   Ice scraper

   Vehicle jack with flat board for soft surfaces

   Tool kit including duct tape and heavy gloves

   Umbrella
4. mango says:

   August 30, 2011 at 11:53 pm

   do they actually keep people there for a whole weekend??! if he doesn’t even make it into Canada, that would be kindof anti climactic wouldn’t it.
   the idea is funny, I’ve seen people in August with skiis strapped to their roof looking for mountains.

   If he were to make it in though, which they probably would let him in, they’d be laughing that’s for sure. But it would be funny if he just kept his mindset that toronto is some sort of wilderness after seeing it and just took everything the wrong way. Like a beavertail stand or something. Blackout’s like the one several years ago are extreemly uncommon.

   I’m just wondering, are you canadian and have you been to toronto?
5. Average Geek says:

   August 31, 2011 at 6:49 am

   If your car were stuck in the snow in the middle of nowhere what would you need to survive?
   I want to put together a kit this coming winter of things to keep in the trunk of my car in case of an emergency, or in case I get stuck in the snow in the middle of nowhere. What do you think I should put in the kit? Are there any ready-made kits like this available to purchase? How much do you think a survival kit would cost?

   I am thinking about this past winter where people were stranded on the highways with no help available for a day or two and they had to abandon their cars and walk for it because they weren’t prepared for an emergency.
6. Joker 1 says:

   August 31, 2011 at 11:14 pm

   Purchase the water pouches put out by Datrex or Mainstay.

   Their made for extreme storage conditions and would survive life in your trunk. They come in 4.6 ounce pouches so they pack easy.

   Their life span is 5 years and approved by the coast guard. I would not go the full 5 years in the trunk, I’d probably go 2-3 years tops to play it safe.
7. macpts says:

   August 31, 2011 at 11:27 pm

   You could get crazy about this and load 100 pounds of stuff in your trunk, but there are some things that would be wise to do. First, keep the fuel tank mostly full. If you are stuck in a snow drift and you can’t get out. If you have sufficient gas, you can leave the car running which will give you heat, safety from the weather and power to keep your cell phone charged, plus the radio to listen to weather reports and updated storm news. Secondly, a small shovel in the trunk and a bag of sand would be useful for digging out of simple situations, the sand giving you added traction if you are on ice. Third, snow boots to wear if you have to walk out (not always the best answer) and fourth, a couple of bottles of water (make sure you don’t let them freeze!) and a few snack foods to tide you over if you get hungry. Last, possibly a set of snow chains, but by the time you are stuck, its too hard to put them on.