I live in a mountain town, where snowstorms, frozen pipes and icy roads are the norm. However, I admit that I haven’t given enough thought to whether I have the right supplies to ride out longer whiteouts worry-free. I’m not alone, as studies show that although many US households have some emergency supplies, overall winter storm preparedness is lacking.
While winter emergency kit checklists are widely available, they’re often lengthy and overwhelming. I spoke to two emergency preparedness experts to help focus on the essentials, because smart prep doesn’t require superfluous stockpiling or spending.
Why Are Winter Emergency Kits Important?
A thoughtful home and car winter emergency kit provides peace of mind when blackout-causing blizzards blow in. Being prepared is increasingly important as extreme weather events become more severe and unpredictable.
Emergency management expert Josh Shanley calls winter storms cascading disasters. “We’ll get an ice storm or a blizzard that knocks out the power, and one thing leads to another, and that’s where issues get complicated.” You could be without access to usual sources of heat, food, water, communication and transport for several days in freezing temperatures.
What Makes a Winter Emergency Kit Different?
Emergency preparedness expert Daniel Kilburn explains that basic emergency survival kit checklists cover shelter, water, food and sanitation. The extra focus for home and car winter emergency kits is protection against the cold. You’re not just prepping for convenience—you’re prepping to prevent hypothermia and other harsh-weather hazards.
What To Keep in Your Home Winter Emergency Kit
Your home winter emergency kit should include essential supplies and ensure that you have the means to stay warm for at least three days.
Warm items
If you rely on electric heat rather than a wood-burning stove or an outside-operated emergency generator, Kilburn recommends that the whole family gather in one room. “That way, your body heat helps keep the space warm naturally,” he says. Layer clothing—thermal underwear, wool socks, pants, gloves, hats, coats—tape off door drafts, and bring mattresses, sleeping bags and blankets to stay cozy together.
Never use charcoal or kerosene stoves, or gas or diesel generators indoors. Shanley warns these can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Lighting
“If you’re looking to get through that 72- to 96-hour blackout, a couple of LED lanterns, flashlights or headlamps with spare batteries should be fine,” Shanley says. They’re bright, affordable and safe indoors. Avoid open-flame candles to reduce fire risk.
Communication
A portable power bank keeps you connected if communication lines are still open. Otherwise, a battery or hand-cranked weather radio keeps you informed.
Food
Shanley doesn’t believe prepper-style pantry stockpiling is necessary. A three- to five-day supply of nonperishable food is plenty—think canned soups, beans, pasta and high-calorie snacks like nuts, protein bars and peanut butter.
Remember pet food and, as Kilburn notes, a manual can opener if you normally use an electric one.
Water
Guidelines suggest at least one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation, plus extra for pets. However, during a water outage, Shanley suggests that, “if you can fill a bathtub for utility water and have a case of bottled water, that should be fine.”
Sanitation and health products
Kilburn emphasizes that feeling clean helps mental well-being when you’re cooped up. Wet wipes and hand sanitizer make a big difference. When pipes freeze, he also recommends using a two-bucket system (lined with heavy trash bags) for urine and solid waste.
Keep a week’s supply of prescription meds and a first-aid kit.
What To Keep in Your Car Winter Emergency Kit
Ideally, you won’t drive in a snowstorm, but if you get stranded, a car winter emergency kit helps you stay warm and safe. “The good news,” Shanley says, “is that car kits are simpler and cheaper than home setups.”
Flashlight
Shanley says the number-one item is a small, bright flashlight. “Keep one in the glove compartment and check batteries regularly,” he says.
High viz items
While it’s always best to stay in your vehicle and call for help if you’re stranded, if you have to get out, Shanley says a high-visibility vest is a must-have.
Kilburn recommends using a red flag on your driver’s side mirror or emergency warning triangles for visibility rather than using blinkers. In whiteouts, flashing lights can attract other drivers and cause collisions.
Go kit
Pack a bag with comfortable shoes, a fleece-lined jacket, gloves and, importantly, a warm hat. “Forty percent of your body heat escapes through your head,” Kilburn says.
Kilburn also suggests carrying a bivvy bag or blankets in your trunk. You and passengers can crawl into or under them to share body heat.
Jumper cables
“Have jumper cables or, even better, a portable battery-powered jump starter,” Shanley says. He recommends learning how to use jumper cables and maintain them before you’re stuck in a freezing parking lot at night.
Glass breaker/seat belt cutter
Both Shanley and Kilburn recommend this inexpensive rescue tool. “It’s a spring-loaded window breaker for a rapid escape,” Kilburn says. “It’s especially helpful if you skid off a bridge into water and your car is sinking.”
Other helpful items
- Ice scraper and snow brush
- Temperature-appropriate windscreen washer fluid
- Nonperishable, high-energy snacks (nuts, fruit, beef jerky)
- Sand or kitty litter and a shovel for traction if you’re stuck in snow
About the Experts
- Daniel Kilburn, owner of Emergency Action Planning, is an urban disaster planning expert with over 30 years of experience.
- Josh Shanley is an Emergency Management Professor at Purdue Global who also has over 30 years of experience in emergency services.
Sources
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JAMA Network: “Association of US Households’ Disaster Preparedness With Socioeconomic Characteristics, Composition, and Region” (2020)
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