Emergency ABC - White Out - Seven Things to Keep in Your Vehicle During Blizzard Season

White Out - Seven Things to Keep in Your Vehicle During Blizzard Season

Be sure to carry these basics in your vehicle when driving during the winter storm season and especially if "warnings" or "watches" have been issued by the weather bureau.

A cell phone or other emergency communication device

Thermal blankets and extra winter clothes

A basic tool kit, including a good knife, jumper cables and an ice scraper and flashlights or battery-powered lanterns with extra batteries

High calorie, non-perishable food

A metal pot to collect snow for drinking water

A can and waterproof matches to melt the snow for drinking water

A shovel and sand or cat litter for traction

Also, keep your vehicle's gas tank full in case you get stranded -- that also keeps the fuel lines from freezing.

Watches, Warnings and

Whatnot

Know your weather forecaster's language so you know what to expect. The weather bureau broadcasts watches and warnings without too much explanation of what they mean; it's to your benefit to understand them so you know what to expect.

Basically; an "advisory" is just a 'heads-up' notice that tells you that conditions are right for an event; a "watch" is a little bit stronger than an advisory, it tells you that some event is likely; a "warning" means that the weather event has started near you and is highly likely to be right where you are very soon. If you live in a snow-prone area, pay close attention to weather forecasts and listen for watches and warnings like these:

Frost/Freeze Warning: Below-freezing temperatures are expected and you should take all necessary precautions.

Winter Weather Advisory: Winter weather conditions, possibly hazardous conditions for motorists, are expected.

Winter Storm Watch: This means that severe winter weather, i.e., heavy snow or ice, is possible within the next day or two.

Winter Storm Warning: This means that the severe weather has already begun and, if you aren't experiencing it right now you will be very soon. If you're driving and are more than a half-hour from home, it's best to get off the road and stop at a safe place.

Blizzard Warning: Blizzards are the most dangerous winter storms. A blizzard produces high winds and heavy snow and can be expected, in different locations, anytime from December to early March. It's not uncommon, after a blizzard, hearing about people found in their cars dead or dying of hypothermia. These are the people who were not properly prepared to be out driving in a storm or did not understand exactly what was coming. A blizzard is lots of snow and strong winds combined to produce blinding snow (near zero visibility), deep drifts, and a life-threatening wind chill.

What To Do if Your Stuck

If you can't continue driving, pull off the road and turn on your emergency flashers. Stay inside your vehicle. It's easy to become disoriented in the wind and snow so don't even try walking unless you can actually see a building close by where you know you can take shelter or you know exactly where you are and exactly where you are going.

If you are staying in your vehicle and you have been stopped for a while, clear the snow away from your tail pipe before starting the engine and running your heater to warm up. Keep the windows open just a bit to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

Don't allow yourself to go into a stupor. Keep your limbs moving to keep the blood flowing to keep your brain functioning properly. Use your emergency supplies to keep warm and eat something for energy.

To make yourself visible to rescuers, turn on your dome light at night, but only while the engine is running so you don't drain your battery. Tie a red cloth to your antenna or hang it from a closed window. After it stops snowing, you can raise your engine hood -- that's an international sign of car trouble.

Once the blizzard is over, you may want to try walking to where you are going. If you can see a road, stay on it; if you need to walk across open country, use distant points as landmarks to help maintain your sense of direction.

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