Do you live in regions that experience extreme winters? Have you ever thought it necessary to prepare a winter survival kit? If you haven’t, perhaps it’s time you did so. Some of the preparations you should make in time for winter include: purchasing winter emergency car kits, winter-proofing your home, getting proper winter clothes, and winter-proofing your bug out bag.
Climate Change
Winter storms have worsened in recent years as a result of our climate changing and winters are becoming more frequent, severe and unpredictable in many winter prone areas. Extreme winter weather can occur from as early as September in some regions in the US. Normally, however, winter begins in December. If you live in winter prone areas, you want to start your annual winter preparedness review when the leaves start falling. A proper emergency preparedness plan covers a vast range of situations across the year. However, there are certain steps and gear that are specially designed to handle extreme winter conditions.What you need to Prepare
Your main objective should be to survive in your home comfortably for approximately two weeks without running out of essentials. Remember, a polar vortex or a blizzard often doesn’t last for more than a few days. However, the aftermath can be life-disrupting and this can last for days - or even weeks. Here are some items you’ll need to buy in preparation for severe winter weather.- Groceries to last two weeks
- 15 gallons of water per person to last two weeks
- Survival food which in this case can either be dried or dehydrated foodstuffs
- Essential medication to last two weeks
- Baby supplies and pet supplies enough to last two weeks
- Full tan for your car and spare fuel
- Lighting and heating options
- A snow shovel
What to do During Winter
- Collect enough warm blankets and wear warm clothing. Have your space heaters ready
- Use good quality products specially designed for indoor use especially when you’re using propane space heaters to keep your home warm. Remember to have carbon monoxide detectors in place. You may also need proper tools to help you crack a window to facilitate ventilation
- Check whether your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in good working condition. Remember, home fires are highly likely to happen during winter as would be the case during the other seasons. This is often attributed to the heating equipment that homeowners use to heat their homes. You also need to ensure that your home is well ventilated to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Check your generator to ensure it’s in good working condition. You’ll also need to keep it in a well-protected and ventilated place such as an enclosed patio. Check whether it has sufficient fuel too
- Collect enough flashlights and extra batteries and store them in an easy to access location
- Close all unused rooms
- Gather enough fuel for use in heating the home and store the same in a dry and accessible location inside the house
