Winter Weather To Do List

This is a re-post from 2011 but the ideas are still relevant.  Keep warm and safe in the cold weather.  It was -22 this morning where I live.  Be prepared before the storm!

I think winter may be on its way!!  It snowed today and my kids thought it was really fun, but as adults we know how long winter can be.  When it gets colder I always think about how we would cope if the power went out.  I personally don't enjoy being cold and having no heat would sure make life uncomfortable.  There are many ways of preparing for a cold weather emergency and I want to give you some ideas of what you could do before hand so you are well prepared.


Winter Preparation To Do List:

• Have a portable heater, such as a Mr. Buddy heater, kerosene heater and lamps with oil, or wood for a wood burning stove.
• Emergency radio:  crank or battery operated.  Store it in a location that is easy to access and always have extra batteries.
• If possible have a generator.  A 5000 watt generator will run almost any appliance.  It has a 6 gallon gas tank that will run for 14 hours.
• During the winter if it is cold enough outside you can put food in coolers and leave them by your back door.  Store coolers that will fit the food you typically have in your freezer and fridge.
• A great way to stay warm is to pitch a tent in your living room or other room with a heat source.  The kids will probably enjoy this, but it is to keep the most heat in the area you are all sleeping.  
• Sleeping bags and warm weather clothing.  I recently stood in line for 2 hours (by choice) in a snow storm and wore long underwear to keep warm.  I thought I was going to be cold but I didn't feel cold and I know it was the long underwear. Have a pair for everyone in your family.  Wool socks also kept my toes from freezing!  Hats, gloves, coats, scarves, socks, and warm sleeping bags are all important for every member of your family.  
• A To Do Box of non-electric games, toys, coloring books, cards, jump ropes, paper, pens, pencils, etc to keep everyone occupied during a power outage.  I know that my kids nagging me with "I'm bored" would literally drive me insane if I had to hear it all day long.  Keep a box ready for power outages or emergencies to save everyone from boredom.
• A great idea that I got from somewhere (I can't remember, sorry) is to have a menu written out, BEFORE the emergency, with the meals you could make if the power was out.  Have at least a weeks worth ready to go.  If you have a small butane stove you would probably have meals like soups, stews, or rice dishes.  Or if you have a Volcano Stove you could grill, or bake a dish.  Knowing what your menu will be will alleviate the stress of making food when it is cold, dark, and miserable!!
• Have a corded land line phone in your home.  When the power goes out so do your cordless phones.  Cell phones may or may not work in an emergency.   
• Snow shovels are also an item that will be gone from stores when a storm hits.  Have 1 or 2 shovels ready in your garage.

Before the Storm:
If you know a storm is approaching there are a few things you can do to prepare your family.  I am assuming you already will have food and water.

• Put gas in your car.
• Do the laundry and dishes and put away.  Folding laundry in the dark is never fun :)
• Charge all phones, DS games, computers, dvd players, ipods, etc.
• If you have a wood burning stove or fireplace, have all the wood cut and placed in an area that is easy to access.
• Get out all flashlights, batteries, candles, and matches so you aren't searching in the dark for light.
• Bathe and shower the kids and yourself.  Starting off clean will make life more pleasant for everyone.  :)
• Make sandwiches, gather some soup cans, or cook some food if the power is expected to go out.  I would pull out some snacks and keep them out so we don't have to search in the dark for food. 

IF you aren't prepared for any emergency I would then tell you to get yourself to the store and buy food, water, flashlights, and batteries.  Although so will most of the general population, so go early to get any kind of a selection.

If you travel frequently during the winter months it is important to have a car kit in your vehicle.  Click HERE to view a previous post on winter weather preparation and car kits.


"Have faith, unemcomber your life, lay up in store"-Keith B. McMullen

Your Car As A Shelter

There are many stories of people who have been stranded in their cars and had to survive with only the supplies they had in their vehicles.  How well could you survive right now with what is in your car??  I have suggested making a car kit before (check it out HERE), so get those car kits assembled and placed in all of your vehicles.  If you have college students that travel back and forth on weekends and holidays, they especially need to have a car kit with them.  


If you do get stranded and have to use your car as a shelter there are a few things that you can do that will help you stay warm until you are rescued.

• First and foremost, stay where you are!!  Don't start wandering off!!  You will most likely get lost and make a rescue even harder.

• Only run your car heater every 10 minutes out of every hour and only do this if your exhaust pipe is clear.  Crack a window open as well.
• Don't place your head right against the window.  Use a blanket or other item to block the cold.
• You can use the stuffing from the seats of your car to keep warm.  Stuff them in your socks, sleeves, and pants to stay warm.
• If you have enough blankets, use one to make a partition between you and the back seat to keep the most heat around you.
• If you can't access the trunk from inside your car, you will need to get out quickly and get everything you'll need from your trunk.

• If you travel in rural areas you may consider carrying a common flare so aerial searchers will be able to see you. 

• Tie something to your antenna so searchers will see you.
• Staying warm is important, move your arms and legs to keep the circulation going. 
• This one is for the ladies:  keep a pair of hiking or running shoes in your car.  Your cute heels will only get you so far :)
• Always be driving on the top half of a tank of gas.  This is great advice not only for winter driving, but for all year driving.  If there was an earthquake or other disaster you would want to have a full tank to be able to drive to safety.

One way to stay warm is to make a heater out of a #10 can or a new paint can.  They are cheap and simple to make.  They also make great gifts.  Follow the instructions HERE or HERE to make one for your car. The second link even has a great printout label to use if you are making your heater as a gift.  

If you need blankets for your car kits, IKEA sells some inexpensive fleece blankets for around $2.30. They aren't fancy but will work great for a car kit.  Keep one for every person that normally travels in your car.  Click HERE to see where I heard of them.


Planning ahead will save your life!!  I can't imagine I will ever be driving in the middle of nowhere during a snowstorm and get stranded, but stranger things have happened!!  I have used my car kits for first aid (kids go through so many band aids),blankets for cold kids in the back seat, water bottles for my kids after soccer, a diaper for the baby (totally an emergency when I realized I didn't have one in my purse!!) and even food for a snack when I have forgotten the kid's snacks.  I have needed my kit for everyday "emergencies"  and have been grateful for it every time I have used it!!

Cold Weather Preparedness

As we head into winter weather, I thought that we should all take inventory of our winter necessities.


Living in Utah means living in cold weather territory and with that comes snow, ice, and sometimes power outages. We need to be prepared for many situations in our homes, cars, and even our workplace for an emergency situation. Think of how many hours of the day you are not home. I know that I run errands almost everyday and am gone from my home for several hours at a time. An emergency is not going to happen conveniently when we are all in our homes so I found some ideas to help us all be ready.

CARS~

• Everyone needs to have a car kit of some kind
• Click HERE to view a great list of items for a kit
• Keep water and granola bars if nothing else
• Keep an extra blanket in winter along with gloves
• Always travel with your coat and proper winter shoes
• (I personally have been stuck at the bottom of Hilltop Rd and had to walk with 3 little children in the snow and none of us were wearing snow shoes and I didn't have a coat. I never leave home without a coat now)
• Keep your car at least half filled with gas at all times. (No electricity means no gas pumps)

WORK PLACE~

• Have a kit like your car kit at your place of work
• Emergencies can happen anywhere, anytime

HOME~

• 72-HOUR KITS- We all must have them!
• Flashlights in every bedroom and have them accessible with batteries
• Keep your cell phone charged
• Have disposable plates, utensils, baby wipes on hand in case of a power outage
• Have menus/meals that are simple and require little cooking for a power outage-crackers, peanut butter, canned chili, soup, etc.
• Fire places cleaned out and usable. Have firewood available
• Dutch ovens cook wonderfully on a wood stove or in a fire place, know how to cook with one.
• Have a heat source: fireplace, kerosene heater, wood stove, generator, etc.
• Click HERE to learn how to cook in a fireplace.
• Click HERE to learn how to roast a chicken on a string.
• Click HERE to cook rotissere style in your fireplace.
• Click HERE to cook with a fireplace grill.
• Click HERE to review Dutch Oven cooking in your fireplace.

I read several accounts from families that were affected by the ice storms in the Midwest last winter and had no power for over a week. Their biggest advice was to be prepared with a generator, batteries, flashlights, candles and meals ready to eat. Many of them tried to go to the store only to find empty shelves. They had to rely on family to help them out. We need to figure out how to react in situations like this and be prepared before they happen.

If you are feeling adventurous plan out 2 weeks worth of easy meals with crackers, canned goods and simple to prepare items like soup or chili. Keep these items along with flashlights and batteries in a Rubbermaid container for power outage situations. Click HERE to view some ideas on meals that won't need to be cooked before eating.  To help plan even further, see how long you could go without using any electricity. It is amazing how much we depend on it. Especially for heating our homes!

Hopefully we will never have to go through a major power outage, but being prepared for one is all the more important as we head into winter. As you get out your winter coats, make sure everyone has coats, hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, long underwear, and boots that fit and are great at keeping them warm. This Christmas I am asking for sleeping bags (good ones) that would keep my family warm if we had no heat. 

For your next family home evening have everyone think of situations and emergency's and try to make a plan of how to get the family reunited. If the children were at school and mom and dad are at work, where and how would you all get back together? Being prepared temporally will allow us to grow spiritually.