Getting your home winterized and ready to survive the snow is an essential step once the cold winter months begin to approach. One of the most important aspects of being prepared for those winter snowstorms is the creation and maintenance of a set of emergency supplies for your home. The supplies needed for a snowstorm will vary depending on where you live and the intensity of your weather, but there is a set of basic common items that everyone should keep ready in case of a heavy snowstorm emergency situation.
Being ready for snowstorms means being prepared to live for several days stuck inside your home without power. It can sometimes take days for power companies and snowplows to respond, especially if you are in a remote area, so you need to be ready to survive the wait. Your most pressing concerns will be staying well-fed and warm without any power. To this end, a gas powered camping stove or barbecue grill is a must to be able to cook without electricity. Be sure to keep plenty of fuel for it as well. To keep yourself and your family warm, have an ample supply of extra blankets and winter clothing. Keep at least one snow shovel so that you can dig yourself or your car out when you need to. You should also keep a supply of rock salt and sand to melt ice and improve traction. Other emergency supplies that are not winter-specific but still essential to have around are: flashlights, matches, a first aid kit, a battery operated radio, and a pocket knife.
Stocking up on food and water is a key part of snowstorm preparedness as well. That gas stove won’t do you any good if you don’t have anything to cook on it. You should try to have enough non-perishable food and clean water to last you and your family at least a week. Make sure that you have a manual can opener on hand for any canned goods. Your food supply should be purchased in advance; don’t be one of those people who wait until the night before the big storm to rush out to the grocery store and try to fight the mob for the last can of beans.
Once you have the basics, you should check out this guide put out by the CDC. They include some other things that are smart to have in your home, as well as some extra ideas/practices to consider during a snowstorm. If you’re snowed in and need help getting out, give TalkLocal a try. This completely free service will connect you to multiple snow removal companies in your area within minutes.
