Creating a Winter Emergency Kit

Winter in New Hampshire can be brutal and it's best to be prepared should you get stranded in your car during the winter months.

Your kit should contain blankets and warm clothes in case you need to wait for help or a tow truck to arrive. There should also be non-perishable food (granola bars, for example) and bottled water, which will be useful if you are in a more remote part of New Hampshire, or if there is a bad snowstorm. A battery-powered radio, flashlight, and a cell phone adapter for your car’s lighter are also necessities. If you or a family member is on a medication, extra medication should be in the kit as well, along with over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

You’ll want to have tow rope, booster cables, a fluorescent flag, and several emergency flares, as well. Another good thing to have in your kit is road salt, sand, or kitty litter for traction. A first aid kit should be in your emergency kit, as well (although the first aid kit should be in your car year-round, ideally).

When making an emergency kit, it is important that you keep the container somewhere you can easily access. If your trunk is frozen shut and you can’t access it from the interior of your car, it might be a good idea to keep the kit in the backseat or glove compartment.

If you find yourself trapped in a snowbank and are awaiting help, it is important to run your engine for no more than ten minutes per hour. Always make sure the exhaust pipe is clear; if it is not, then deadly carbon monoxide can build up inside the car. When first stuck, tie the fluorescent flag from your kit onto your antenna to make your car easier to find.

After making your winter emergency kit, you will be prepared for almost any emergency you may experience during the snowy months.