This last week, I received 10″ of snow at my house. Mother Nature has not quite finished with us as she is back again. This time around, she is planning on dropping upwards of 15″ more! There are things you really need to do to make sure you stay safe and are prepared before the flakes begin to fly.
Fuel Up.
This is something a lot of people don’t think about. You always want to have a full tank of gasoline in your vehicle. The reason for this is actually two-fold. First of all you need to be fueled up so that if you get stuck behind an accident, you won’t run out of fuel while you wait. The second reason is for weight. All of that fuel adds weight to your vehicle which can in turn help with traction.
Stock the car.
While it is best to stay home when the roads are treacherous, that is just not possible for everyone. For those who do need to get out and drive, make sure your vehicle is well stocked. Include the following:
- Snowshovel
- Kitty Litter (to get traction if needed)
- Stocking Cap
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Snow boots (if you are not wearing them)
- Overalls (if you own them)
- Candle
- Water
- Non-perishable food
- Blankets
Should you happen to get stuck or slide off of the road, you may need these items to dig out or to stay warm until help arrives.
Park properly.
If you at all possible, do not park on the street. If you don’t have a driveway (or room in your driveway), ask a neighbor if you can park there. Make sure you also note if you live on an Emergency Snow route as you can not park at all on these paths as they will be the roads which snow plows will start clearing first and they need access to the entire road.
If you must park on the street, call your local city department to find out which side of the road on which you need to park, so that the plows can do their job.
Watch snow levels.
If the snow is up to your bumper, do not try to drive down the road — as you will more than likely get stuck. If you do get stuck, use your shovel to try to dig out so that you are not stuck for hours upon end.
Check your pantry.
Make sure you have the foods you need to last a couple of days. This doesn’t mean you need to panic and clear store shelves, but you just need to be ready. Be prepared for stores to be out of items such as bread and milk. If you find this is the case at your store, you might have to drink water instead and look at making your own bread. Just try to think outside of the box when it comes to determining the foods you need to purchase.
Don’t overdo it.
It is so easy to want to head out and try to shovel the snow as soon as the last flakes fall. Make sure to pace yourself. When you are outside, the cold can affect your body differently and you could easily hurt yourself or possibly even suffer a heart attack if you do too much at once. Take frequent breaks and don’t try to do too much at once.