The extremes of winter weather can vary wildly as you traverse the different regions of America, and it is therefore always important to have a winter urban survival kit and plan handy for emergencies. Depending on where you live, the variations can range from moderate snow for a few short hours to very intense blizzards that leave you completely isolated for days on end.
These kinds of storms along with other types of natural phenomenon can result in strong winds, ice, sleet and freezing rain, leading to a drastic drop in temperatures to very low levels. A winter urban survival kit could save your life. At times like these, the harsh winter climate can easily disrupt essential services of heat, power and basic communications services of phone lines and internet. Entire regions can become cut off from the rest of the world for a very long time.
The National Weather Service rightly names these kinds of storms “Deceptive Killers”. The storms themselves are not the leading cause of the ensuing death and destruction of property. It is the aftermath of the resulting effects of the storms that are so dangerous, such as hypothermia and traffic accidents due to sleet and slippery roads. It is critically important to be prepared for such times with a nicely detailed winter urban survival kit in your home and automobile.
How to Prepare for a Winter Storm and the Extreme Cold
- Prepare your urban survival kit by including basic supplies of rock salt, sand and other products to melt ice and improve traction.
- Make sure you have snow shovels, ice scrapers for car windows and other needed forms of snow removal equipment, depending on the area and terrain of the region in which you live.
- Have an abundance of extra heating fuel on hand, perhaps in the form of firewood or propane heaters. Remember, your regional power source may be immobilized for long periods.
- Essential to your winter urban survival guide is to have a Family Emergency Plan in place, making sure that everyone has a method of contacting one another in case disaster strikes.
- When Winter Storm Warnings are issued, avoid traveling on the roads and keep informed by listening to National Weather Service broadcasts. Change your plans according to weather updates.
- Move your pets and livestock to warm, indoor areas and make sure that they have adequate food and water.
- Check your vehicles for antifreeze, heating controls, brake fluids, and battery maintenance. Always keep a full tank of gas.
- Prepare in advance by including enough warm clothing, gloves, hats and blankets in your winter urban survival kit. Keep a couple of wool blankets in the trunk of your car as well.
If you take the necessary precautions of creating a detailed plan in the form of a written urban survival plan and emergency kit, weathering these deadly cold fronts can be significantly less challenging. Always be aware of your surroundings and provide adequate ventilation for all heating units in your home as well as in your car, should you get stranded in your vehicle. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is one of the more common killers in these deadly winter storms.