Winter Survival kit. Are you prepared?

It's 7:40am and I am watching my first snowfall of the winter. It's really pretty. I love snow but I haven't been outside yet to experience it. I don't think it will be today because there's a blizzard warning. It's going to get nasty in the late afternoon and throughout the night. This reminds me to make a winter checklist of stuff for my car and home to make sure I'm prepared. I hope you find this list of essential items helpful. They are in no particular order.

1. A pair of good socks, strong gloves, earmuff and a winter coat.












Have your extra pair of socks, gloves, and earmuff in your car instead of the trunk. It can come in handy for when you forget your mittens or earmuff on any cold day. Also when you just didn't need to have them when you leave your house and then the weather would change on you later on in the day where you would need them but they're at home. On rainy days, the extra pair of sock can be used to change into so you wouldn't have to walk around with wet feet.

2. An emergency survival blanket. It's compact and doesn't take up much room at all.

3. A 9 or 21 LED aluminum flashlight with spare batteries. I have the 9 LED one and it is amazing. I've went on a midnight hike with this and it would lit up the pitch black trail. The trees would cover the stars so there was no source of light at all except from the flashlight. It's very bright on where you point it because it's a bit bigger than an inch in diameter. I recommend a 21 LED one for a bigger view but both are powerful mini flashlight.

4. A first aid kit. You should make one yourself instead of buying it because you will only have everything you need and it's cheaper. When you buy them, you either get stuff you don't want, and/or stuff you need aren't in the kit.

5. You should have food & drinks that would keep you warm and have high calories. This include instant hot beverages like coffee, hot chocolate and tea. Buy caffeinated to keep you awake throughout the night. Dry food like energy bars, fruits and granola. Instant food that only requires hot water like ramen, mashed potatoes, and canned meals that have lids that can be removed without a can opener. And a gallon bottled water and a couple water bottle.

6. For warmth and for cooking, you should buy a couple Sterno cans and a mini pot that holds 20ounce. Don't forget water proof matches and plastic eating utensils.

So are you prepared for mother nature this winter?

As of around 7:30pm, the county next to where I live had a public statement that said that they are only "offering assistance to stranded motorists who have already called local law enforcement authorities this evening. Any further requests from motorists this evening and overnight will not receive assistance unless there are injuries. It is too dangerous to send out emergency personnel unless absolutely necessary."

People usually get off of work in the late evenings so if they get stranded on their way home, then all they can do is stay in their car and wait for help to come tomorrow morning. I hope they had an emergency kit prepared because they're on their own tonight.