Stocking Up for Snow Day
So how can you prepare?
According to the American Red Cross Winter Storm Safety Checklist, you should stock up on food and water, batteries, flashlights, warm clothing and blankets. Keep your cell phone fully charged, your med prescriptions filled. These are the obvious storm precautions.
But living in the Northeast for most of my life has made me a veteran of garage-high drifts and days-long power outages. Getting by with no power and only basic supplies is manageable for a few hours, maybe even a day. But after that your merely uncomfortable situation turns into . . . well, torture.
Here are a few must-haves that saved my sanity when I’ve been snowed in:
Heating and cooking fuel. Gas, propane, charcoal, wood. Without power, your furnace and electric cooking appliances die. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, check your woodpile or supply of pellets. Stack wood close to the house where you can easily reach it. If you have a portable generator, fill gas containers and scout out a heavy-duty extension cord. If you plan to cook on your grill or camp stove, buy backup propane tanks.
Water. Lots of it. Water lines freeze. If you have a well, as many rural homes still do, your pump will stop working when the power goes out. No running water, no bathing, no dish washing. Fill buckets, jugs, coolers, and your bathtubs so you’ll at least have water to flush the toilets.
Ice-filled cooler. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has guidelines for food storage during power outages. Refrigerated food is safe for consumption for several hours — unless you keep opening the door. Pack your cooler with as much refrigerated food as it will hold. Store it outdoors to keep the ice from melting. If it does, refill with snow.
High, sturdy boots. You’ll be shoveling: to remove snow-weight from your deck, to clear the drive, to let the dog out, to unblock your doors. Your low-cut fashionable boot footwear will only give you wet socks and frozen toes.
Board games and cards. With school cancelled and power out, your kids won’t be able to access their digital games. Old-fashioned board and card games played by candlelight add a “campy” atmosphere, pass the time — and make everyone forget how cold they are.
Sources:
http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4240231_WinterStorms.pdf
