With winter firmly established, it’s very important to be prepared in case your region is declared in a state of emergency,  you are suddenly evacuated, or if you lose electricity and/or water in your basic snowstorm. Depending on the severity of the storm, your power and water could be out for a few hours to a few weeks. If you know that your location is  at risk for heavy snow, use a winter weather preparedness checklist so you aren’t stuck out in the snow like the husky pictured above. (Disclaimer: This is my husky, Makita, and she loves to take naps in the snow.)

What You Should Have In Your House:

• Nonperishable food items
• Several cases of water
• Generator
• Backup chargers for electronics
• Radio
• Batteries
• Snow shovel
• Blankets
• First aid kit
• Ice melt, sand, or cat litter
• Good insulation/windows and doors that aren’t damaged so they let cold air in
• HotHands
• Drawn up water
• Fire extinguishers
• Can openers
• Pet food-
• Candles
• Bag packed with necessities in case of a sudden state of emergency or evacuation
• Duct tape
• Extra toilet paper/towels
• Scissors/pens
• Trash bags
• Extra medication/hygiene items
• Cash

House Maintenance:

• Have storm doors installed and make sure your doors and windows are insulted without damage
• Test your heating and air conditioning
• Clean your gutters
• Unhook your hoses and other water systems
• Make sure your pets won’t be exposed to frigid temperatures
• Check your fireplace and chimney
• Check the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
• Check for leaks in your roof/clean your roof
• Reverse ceiling fans
• Protect your outside A/C system
• Flush your water tank
• Trim tree limbs
• Check your water pipes
• Bring your potted plants inside to your shed or garage and cover them up

What You Should Have In Your Car:

• Gloves
• Ice scraper
• Blankets
• Flashlight
• HotHands
• Batteries
• First aid kit
• Pocket knives
• Hats
• Scarves
• Jumper cables
• Road map
• Flag or shirt to indicate signals
• Snacks and water
• Litter/sand or ice melt/road salt
• Waterproof matches

Car Maintenance:

• Check your fluids
• Have a proper, professional inspection done
• Put studded tires or chains on your tires
• Double-check that you have everything you need in your car to be prepared
• Keep your gas tank full (have a spare few gallons of gas)