Create a Winter Emergency Kit For Your Car

IF YOU LIVE in a cold climate, you should keep a complete emergency kit in your car.

The National Weather Service suggests including:

A mobile phone, charger and batteries.

Blankets.

A flashlight with extra batteries.

A first-aid kit.

A knife.

High-calorie, non-perishable foods.

Extra clothing to keep dry.

A large empty can to use as emergency toilet, tissues and paper towels.

A small can and waterproof matches to melt snow for drinking water.

A container of sand or cat litter for traction.

A shovel.

A windshield scraper/brush.

A tool kit.

Battery booster cables.

A container of water.

Candles and matches.

Compass and road maps.

If You’re Stuck Inside During a Winter Storm

Winter storms are a fact of life in many cold climates. And if conditions are bad enough, the safest place is probably your home.

The National Weather Service suggests what to do if you’re stuck inside:

If using a fireplace or wood stove, make sure these devices are properly vented.

If you have a gas furnace, make sure its exhaust pipe isn’t blocked by a snowdrift, as soon as it’s safe to go out.

If you have an upstairs gas furnace that vents out the roof, you may need to turn off the upstairs unit until the snow melts off your roof.