Free winter car kit checklist

Two bags

• I keep my first aid kit and my winter gear apart.
• The first aid kit is for cuts, scrapes and bleeding.
• The winter bin is for staying warm, getting seen and getting out.
• Two bags. One job each.

Warmth

• One warm layer for every person who rides in my truck.
• Not one blanket for the whole family. One for each of us.
• Blankets, a spare hat, and spare gloves.
• Hand and toe warmers, never right on bare or frostbitten skin.
• Small kids get cold faster than we do, so I pack for them first.

Kids lose gloves. Mine do, anyway.

Getting seen and getting out

• A flashlight, with spare batteries.
• A headlamp is even better, because it leaves your hands free.
• A small shovel.
• A traction aid: a bag of sand or non-clumping cat litter, or traction mats.
• Pick what works for your car.
• A charging cord in the truck, and a small battery pack too.

Food and water

• I keep some water and some snacks that won't go bad fast.
• Granola bars. Crackers. That kind of thing.
• Water bottles with a little room left in them, because water can freeze in a cold car.

If you're stuck

• If you're stuck and someone is hurt, or you're in danger, call 911.
• If you're stranded, stay with your car. Your car is shelter.
• And it's a lot easier to find than a person walking in the snow.
• If you run the engine for heat, run it about 10 minutes an hour, crack a window a little, and keep the tailpipe clear of snow.
• Snow can block it. Then the fumes can come into the car. So check it, and clear it.
• Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow. A blocked tailpipe can push carbon monoxide into the car.

First snow

• Check your kit at the first snow.
• Test the flashlight.
• Swap out old batteries.
• Put the gloves back.

Batteries die. Snacks get eaten. Kids borrow the gloves and never bring them back.