Change of seasons, time to get your home and car ready for emergencies. Assume you are without power for a week, no deliveries, and freezing temperatures and use this list to make sure you and your family are prepared for that “unforeseen event” that will catch others offguard.
Home:
- Plant bulbs outside so you’ll have spring flowers
- Clean out your gutters AFTER the leaves fall
- Do furnace maintenance / have your chimney swept
- Shut of outside water
- Drain the gas out of your lawn mower and let it run until it quits
- Check batteries on smoke alarm, CO2 alarm, flashlights, camp lights.
- Check emergency water supply
- Plan a “warming center” for your house (tent, blankets, pillows, reflective blanket, sleeping bags, etc
- Check your stash of hygiene products (TP, etc)
- Battery operated radio
- Warm clothing readily accessible – wool
- Throughout winter, make sure all medications, pet food needs, etc have at least one full week supply. Don’t run low!
- Cooking?
Car Kit:
- Blanket, reflective blankets
- Extra clothing (wool)
- Fire starting materials
- Water purification materials
- Container (I store all items in a tin which can be used for boiling water/cooking)
- Signaling materials
- Flashlight (check batteries)