Winter Storm Preparedness: Don’t Get Caught Unready

Have you ever been caught in a winter storm without power? Were you comfortable? Did you promise yourself you’d prepare better next time—only to forget once life returned to normal?

With the rise in weather-related disasters (and no, it’s not your imagination—they really are increasing), winter preparedness is no longer optional.
Your home may feel like a safe haven, but when power goes out in freezing temperatures, staying warm, fed, and informed becomes far more difficult without planning. And being stranded in your car during a winter storm is an entirely different level of risk.
Just yesterday, I-95 was at a standstill for 24 hours while temperatures dropped into the 20s. Imagine being stuck without food, water, warm clothing, or fuel. That situation becomes manageable with just a little preparation.

How Long Should You Prepare For?
Ideally, you should be able to sustain your household for at least 3–7 days without power, heat, or running water.

YOUR AT-HOME EMERGENCY KIT

• A written emergency plan with:
• Important phone numbers
• Meeting locations
• A supply checklist with expiration/replacement dates

Water

• Minimum: 1 gallon per person per day for drinking
• Ideal: 3 gallons per person per day if cooking and bathing
• Store at least one week’s supply if possible
• Remember: if you are on city water, power outages often mean no water.

Food

• At least 3–7 days of non-perishable food that requires no cooking:
• Energy bars
• Nuts and seeds
• Dried fruit
• Canned meals
• Shelf-stable drinks

Light & Power

• Flashlights with spare batteries (stored separately)
• Solar camping lanterns (no batteries, easy charging)
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA weather radio recommended)
• Cell phones with charging options (solar lanterns with USB are excellent)

Medical & Personal Needs

• First aid kit (restocked regularly)
• Prescriptions and medical supplies
• Copies of keys and personal documents
• Whistle for signaling
• Extra diapers, formula, baby food if needed

Pets

• Pet food
• Bowls
• Leashes
• Crates

Heating & Tools

• Firewood for wood stoves
• Keep gas tanks above 25% if using gas heat
• Snow shovel
• Ice melt for walkways
• Generator or solar backup system (if possible)
• A winter sleeping bag rated for freezing temperatures – You can check REI, Dick’s Sporting Goods, or another outdoor survival store.

Navigation

• Local paper maps
• Compass
• Flagging

YOUR CAR EMERGENCY KIT

• Written emergency plan with phone numbers and checklist
• Enough water for 24 hours for everyone in the car, 1 gallon per person per day guideline
• At least 1 day of shelf-stable food
• Hand-sanitizing wipes to conserve water
• One warm blanket per person
• Emergency foil blankets
• Emergency ponchos
• Tools & Safety
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Multitool or knife
• Shovel
• Whistle
• Navigation & Communication
• Paper maps
• Phone chargers
• Backup prepaid phone
• Baby Supplies
• Diapers, formula, baby food as needed

FUEL & TRAVEL SAFETY

• Never let your gas tank drop below 25% in winter.
• Always refuel before traveling in snow or ice.
• If conditions are severe, staying home is the smartest option.

DURING A WINTER EMERGENCY

• Conserve energy.
• Take frequent breaks when shoveling or clearing debris.
• Slipping on ice is one of the most common winter injuries.
• The leading cause of winter deaths is overexertion while shoveling snow.
• Refrigerator & Freezer Tips
• Lower fridge and freezer temperatures before the storm.
• Keep doors closed as much as possible:
• Fridge: up to 4 hours unopened
• Freezer:
• 24 hours if half full
• 48 hours if full
• You can use snow or ice to keep food cold in coolers or garages.

AFTER THE STORM

• Never taste food to test safety.
• When in doubt, throw it out.
• Discard perishable food after 4 hours without power.
• Throw away any food with unusual odor, color, or texture.
• If freezer food is still at 40°F or below, it can be safely refrozen or cooked.

I don’t necessary keep my kits up to date at all times, but with the increase in disasters over the last few years, it’s time all of us step up and do a better job. It’s also important to not let your gas tank drop below 25% and refuel at the start of your trip if traveling in the snow or ice – though if it’s bad enough, staying home is obviously the smart choice.

A FEW OTHER NOTES

Be sure to conserver energy during a disaster and stay calm. If you need to remove trees or shovel snow, take breaks and don’t push yourself to hard. Slipping on ice is a common way people break bones in the winter. Also, the leading cause of death in the winter is from shoveling snow.

It’s a good idea to lower the temperature of your fridge and freezer as low as it can go before a storm comes.

If your power goes out, it’s a good idea to keep your fridge and freezer closed as much as you can. An unopened fridge can keep food cold for as long as 4 hours. The food in a freezer will last 24 hours is half full, 48 hours if completely full. You can also pack your fridge and freezer with ice and snow from the outside during a winter storm or load everything into a cooler and stick it outside, either in your garage or all the way outside depending on the temperature.

AFTER THE STORM

Never taste food to see if it’s gone back. When it doubt, throw it out.

Throw out perishable food in your fridge after 4 hours without power or ice/snow. Throw out any food with an unusual odor, color, or texture. If your freezer is still at 40 °F or below, you can safely refreeze or cook thaw it.