Ready for Anything: Winter Preparedness

Winter arrived at our offices in Dallas recently in a big way, with continuous sleet and an inch of ice. Ice and falling trees took out power for thousands of homes and cold temperatures made roads dangerous.

It made us realize how tenuous things can be. Make sure you are ready for any situation with our winter weather preparedness checklist.

• Before a storm, make sure your car is appropriately winterized and insulate any exposed pipes on your home to prevent freezing.
• Gather up blankets and warm coats, for both car and home.
• Dress in layers.
• Use your smartphone, car radio or weather radio (with extra batteries) to keep apprised of changes in the weather.
• If you must travel, pack snacks and water in case your car becomes trapped or impaired.
• Carry cash and junk or small denomination silver for trade. Without power, many businesses and services won’t be able to accept electronic currency like credit cards.
• Have a store of water available for drinking, for mixing with long-term survival food and basic cleaning. Fill a bathtub if you have forewarning of a possible water outage.
• Keep an ice scraper and de-icer on hand to keep your car or exterior doors free of ice.
• Use sand, non-clumping cat litter or rock salt to improve traction.
• Keep a flashlight, candles or lantern handy.
• If you have a fireplace or outdoor fire circle, stock up on wood or coal to provide heat in case of a power outage. You may also need fire starters and kindling. Be sure to keep a fire extinguisher nearby.
• If you have to leave home, make sure your investments are carefully secured. Alarm systems may work intermittently if your power fluctuates. As always, hide your precious metals well and utilize measures like decoy safes to deter criminals.
• A bug-out bag, equipped with all the basics your family may need, is a good last resort if you need to move to another location. Make sure you pack any vital medications.

As always, hazardous situations can be dramatically improved with the proper preparation.

Stay warm and keep stacking!

 What are your top winter survival tips?  Tell us in a comment below, or visit our Facebook and Twitter pages today.