Prepare For Cold Weather

The headlines in recent days tell about the unusual cold weather in the Midwest and South.

Drivers were forced to pull over and hunker down in their vehicles, because driving was impossible or just too dangerous. The Georgia State Patrol responded to nearly a thousand traffic accidents, with more than a hundred injuries, and some fatalities.

Babies were delivered in cars that were stranded on the highway.

One person reported that some of his relatives were stranded in their vehicle on I-20 and were in need of blankets, food, water and a cell phone charger. And there were a lot of people in that same condition.

School children were trapped overnight on busses that skidded off the roads. Other children were forced to spend the night in classrooms because it was too dangerous to try to send them home.

All of this proves how dangerous a winter weather system can be to those who are not prepared to handle it.

So I have a few recommendations that can help you be prepared.

• Every person should have an emergency blanket in a pocket or purse during the winter months. These things are compact and inexpensive, but they can save a life. Those school children trapped on a disabled bus, that before long is going to feel like the inside of a freezer, need to be able to wrap up in an emergency blanket so conserve their own body heat. The same goes for the children trapped overnight in their school classroom. Buy a good one that is durable and can be used over and over again. My favorite survival blanket costs only $7, is large enough to wrap up two people at once, and yet weighs only 3.2 ounces and fits in my pocket. Look for this in the "shop survival" section at www.adventuremedicalkits.com. 

• Prepare your vehicle with basic winter survival supplies — the emergency blanket I just mentioned for each person who normally rides with you — some bottles of drinking water — some high-energy power bars or trail mix — your cell phone and a charger that can plug into the cigarette lighter — a flashlight and spare batteries — a small folding shovel that can help you dig out of the snow — and some winter clothing, like galoshes, mittens, a hooded coat; so you can go outside if you need to without risking your life.

You never know when the weather is going to take a turn for the worse, so even though you may think your region is safe from winter storms, this recent bout of extreme cold should convince everyone that it’s better to be prepared.