Given the recent extreme cold weather that many of Americans have faced the last few weeks we thought it was an appropriate time to pass along a little info on some Cold Weather Prepper Tips.
Extreme cold weather conditions can cause everything from minor inconveniences to severe threat of death. Whether you live in a region where extreme cold weather is expected or you live somewhere that rarely sees this type of weather such as many of the states that are feeling it at the time of writing this article you need to be prepared.
Ignoring the possibility that you and your family could face this particular situation simply because it’s not common in your region can result in everything from discomfort to being fully incapacitated or having your life threatened. You may suffer from hypothermia or frostbite if the temperatures drop significantly. In fact every year a number people perish in their homes from hypothermia for a number of reasons.
What’s challenging and frightening about hypothermia is that you often end up tired and dazed, as well as unable to adequately navigate the weather conditions. Extreme cold weather can also increase the potential for heart attacks.
Even if you’re in your home, if the grid goes down (for a number of reasons), you may end up subject to any of the conditions just mentioned. People in Northern states have to deal with the threat of snow and blizzards annually, but even people in typically warm states like Texas have had unexpected winter weather that wreaks havoc on them as you’ve probably witnessed in the news lately.
Like many inclement weather events or in general when waiting too late to begin to prepare many people rush to the store only to discover stores are sold out of the items and necessities needed to get through a short term weather catastrophe.
You want to have foods stocked up that you can quickly and easily warm up like soups, but also some non perishables that you can eat, too. If you’re a prepper (as many of our followers are) then this is probably something (we hope) your already tracking on. If not, then it’s never too late to start building up your stocks. A preppers pantry can serve you in so many ways, weather disasters being just one. Make sure you have some Sterno Stove supplies or the like that you can use indoors to heat up food and warm drinks that will provide comfort and warmth from the inside-out.
You’ll also want to have a way to protect your windows and doors and keep them insulated. You can use something simple and makeshift you already have around the house or you could get items specifically designed for it. Reflective Bubble wrap like they have at your local Home repair store or online serves well for keeping the heat and cold out.
It’s not a bad idea to have a tent that you could setup in the house in the event you run into a heating issue. While certainly not most of our idea of a fun time, staying in a small tent inside the home will help to keep you and the others warmer as the body heat will stay trapped better providing a insulating effect.
Another thing you can do is invest in hand warmers. These can be great in general if your working outside during the cold. Many of them will last up to 10 hours and help in keeping your hands and feet comfortable to accomplish whatever tasks your set on. If you’ve ever had the displeasure of trying to do any intricate work with your hands when they’re freezing you can certainly appreciate these!
Having a good and reliable generator should be high on your priorities list if you don’t already own one. It’s something you may not use often but could be a literal lifesaver when needed. Even if not to that extreme it can certainly make life more endurable and enjoyable when the power goes out. For this situation it can easily provide power to help run space heaters to keep you and the family warm during a freeze.
If you have a fireplace make sure you have a ready stock of firewood available for use. You don’t want to have to gather it during the storm. Likewise if your fireplace is propane make sure you have a good fill on your tank before you enter into winter. As a general rule propane is much cheaper in the summer anyway so it’s the best time to fill it. As always you should also ensure your vehicles are 3/4 or above on fuel at all times.
Even if you can’t drive anywhere, you can go to your car (as long as it’s not parked in a garage) and use the heat from the car to warm up for a short period of time as a worst case scenario. If you do have to drive anywhere, be careful to avoid slippery roads with ice (or black ice) on them.
In the event you do drive during such conditions you’ll want to have a bug out bag in the car in case you end up stranded (as you always should) and are stuck in the situation for longer than you want to be. Having food, water, a backpack and a way to communicate can save your life.
