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Whenever there is a natural disaster or emergency, it’s natural to reevaluate our emergency prep evacuation plan and take stock of emergency prep supplies. Regardless of the season or where you live, it’s important to have a winter emergency survival kit for home and car (and a general emergency preparedness kit while you’re at it) if a natural disaster, power blackout, floods, or other safety crises should occur.
According to the CDC, it’s best to stay inside and avoid the roads during a winter storm, but it’s important to have your car equipped with cold-weather essentials if you ever need to vacate or shelter in place (whether that be in your home or your vehicle.) It’s essential to have vehicle safety accessories and tools on hand, including tire chains, rope, windshield scrapers, and cat litter or sand to help assist with traction. That said, it’s equally important to arm your home with emergency survival essentials—some of which should be portable for evacuations—to help you and your family withstand the elements when essential survival resources like food, water, heat, and power may be scarce or unavailable.
According to Ready.gov, there are a few non-negotiables every emergency preparedness kit must include. Backup water (one gallon per person, per day for drinking and sanitation is suggested), food (three-day supply of non-perishable foods), a battery-powered radio to listen for updates when the internet is no longer accessible, a flashlight, and a backup battery for your cellphone. You can check out the full list here.
Once you have your bases covered with the essential survival kit items, you may want to consider investing in a few additional products that will help you get through it comfortably and safely. From a heated coat to protect you against frostbite in below-zero temperatures to a portable campfire for cooking and added warmth, and a portable water filter that cleans filthy water for drinking, below are some winter emergency survival kit items to stock up on now.
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