Mom’s Winter Emergency Survival Kit

The free APP available for iPhones and Android smartphones, is both a primer to help motorists prepare for winter driving and a beacon when things go badly.

It can pinpoint a motorist’s location, call 911, notify friends and family, and monitor how long the gas will hold out. The app also gives potentially life-saving alerts when users tap a big red button on its simple home screen that reads, “I’m Stranded!” Among the advice: stay with your vehicle and keep the tailpipe clear of snow, since a backup can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

Some auto parts stores and mass merchandisers like Walmart or Target sell these as a bundle in their own carrying case. But if you don’t find one that meets your price, and you want to combine new purchases with stuff you already have to save money, then here is your packing list.

By the way, this makes a nice holiday gift for a loved one, but should be mandatory for the kid who is off to college with a car in a snow-belt school. Below is the ultimate mom check list for winter survival in an emergency. To print off this check list:

 Winter Traveling Emergency Checklist

Kit tips:

• Reverse batteries in flashlight to avoid accidental switching and burnout.
• Store items in the passenger compartment in case the trunk is jammed or frozen shut.
• Choose small packages of food that you can eat hot or cold.
• Create and laminate an emergency contact list.

911 tips:

• If possible, call 911 on your cell phone. Provide your location, condition of everyone in the vehicle and the problem you’re experiencing.
• Follow instructions: you may be told to stay where you are until help arrives.
• Do not hang up until you know who you have spoken with and what will happen next.
• If you must leave the vehicle, write down your name, address, phone number and destination. Place the piece of paper inside the front windshield for someone to see.

Survival tips:

• Keep a checklist on top of your survival kit, and replace items as needed.
• Prepare your vehicle: Make sure you keep your gas tank at least half full.
• Be easy to find: Tell someone where you are going and the route you will take.
• If stuck: Tie a florescent flag (from your kit) on your antenna or hang it out the window. At night, keep your dome light on. Rescue crews can see a small glow at a distance. To reduce battery drain, use emergency flashers only if you hear approaching vehicles. If you’re with someone else, make sure at least one person is awake and keeping watch for help at all times.
• Stay in your vehicle: Walking in a storm can be very dangerous. You might become lost or exhausted. Your vehicle is a good shelter.
• If you have to leave your car, write your cell number and the destination you are attempting, place it on the front of your windshield.
• Avoid Overexertion: Shoveling snow or pushing your car takes a lot of effort in storm conditions. Don’t risk a heart attack or injury. That work can also make you hot and sweaty. Wet clothing loses insulation value, making you susceptible to hypothermia.
• Be prepared to help entertain your kids. If you show signs of stress, they will become anxious and stressed
• Fresh Air: It’s better to be cold and awake than comfortably warm and sleepy. Snow can plug your vehicle’s exhaust system and cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to enter your car. Only run the engine for 10 minutes an hour and make sure the exhaust pipe is free of snow. Keeping a window open a crack while running the engine is also a good idea.
• Don’t expect to be comfortable: You want to survive until you’re found.

Heather is a favorite speaker among Nebraska women, sharing from her past of failures and triumphs.When she isn’t producing the news at Nebraska.tv or tweeting the latest about her church  New Life Assembly, or hanging with her MOPS moms,  she is sharing about her first love–Jesus. 

 Her passion is to share how women/moms are made whole in Jesus at her blog: Falling to Peace(s): Thoughts on grace, letting, & imperfection. There she blogs about parenting special needs kids, vegan recipes, tattoos, all things motherhood,  and being imperfectly perfect in God’s eyes. She is the author of Mama Needs a Time Out and has two other books due out next fall. 

IF YOU LIKE THIS POST, OR IF IT HAS ENCOURAGED YOU, PLEASE SHARE

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER too!

SUBSCRIBE to receive your FREE copy of Overwhelmed today!

AND/OR

SIGN UP to BEGIN a M.O.M. Initiative Mentor Group in your area! You will also receive a FREE copy of Overwhelmed and as a ministry tool, please feel free to make as many copies as you need.