Winter 2013: Being Prepared for a Snowstorm

With winter knocking at our door and the fear of a blizzard or snowstorm reaping havoc through our neighborhood, there are some things that we should prepare ourselves for. No, you’re not crazy or overly exaggerating. It’s called being prepared and being smart on behalf of your family.

When you are snowed in your home, chances are you and your family have nowhere to go! We all need electricity and especially during a snowstorm when the temperatures will be below zero. It would be assuring to know that you have back up heat. It’s imperative to have a generator for running some space heaters throughout your home. However, during huge outages where there may be electricity out for a week at a time, it may be wiser to get one that will accommodate your entire home.

Keep canned goods and easy to prepare foods handy, in case there is a snowstorm. Find a place in your garage or storage to store a supply of food for at least a week. There is no way to go to the store during a snowstorm and sometimes you may not even be able to cook a meal, especially if you have a small generator. Unless of course you have a way to cook without a stove.

If you have a big family, you will want to cook, so let’s think of the snow storm as a camping trip. There are portable propane burners that you can purchase. You can cook on two burners using propane tanks that you get when you purchase the burner.

Don’t forget to use disposable items because you may not have running hot water and no way to wash dishes. Have a stock of paper items store with your foods. You may also include toilet paper and paper towels as well as plastic ware. Store at least one gallon of water per household member per day. If you have five members in your family, you should have at least 35 gallons of water stored for a week’s supply.

Buy extra blankets for everyone for the purpose of blocking off parts of your home, if necessary and using to stay warm. Extra pillows may be necessary as well. If you have an infant, it is vital to accommodate them during a snowstorm. Be sure to fill a shelf full of baby foods and necessities. Have plenty of diapers stores, along with wipes.

Pets should never be left out in freezing weather, so it is important to bring them in and accommodate them as well. Have a place for them to sleep, like a dog bed or an old blanket. You also want to make sure that you have an extra bag of dog food and bottled water for them as well.

To get out around the house if need be, you may want to invest in a snow blower to rid the snow from around your home. This also helps keep the house warm inside. If you have a fire place, you will need access to snow buried wood. Keep flashlights stored with plenty of back up batteries for immediate use.

Snowstorms aren’t fun but it’s cool to be prepared. These are just the basic things that you may need before the dead of winter comes around. This should give you a reminder to go and be prepared for the next big snowstorm.