Christmas Gifts: Stadium Blanket

A fleece blanket is a must-have item for a car emergency kit.  How much more fun when it shows off a favorite color, team or design? It is an easy item to purchase for all ages, and these are super easy to make yourself (even if you're not crafty) for that personal touch.  They'll use it again and again.

Here's how we have used a blanket from the trunk of our car:

• As ground cover for an impromptu picnic in the park
• To bundle up when the driver wants the A/C a little too cool

A Half Tank of Gas

How often do you come dangerously close to running out of gas, stretching the fumes to run that last quick errand? It's a worthy goal to be sure, but keeping your car at half a tank or more could make all the difference. Here are a few benefits to making a half tank your new cue to fill 'er up.

• You'll never run out of gas. (I know it's obvious, but I've done it at least once... in the drive thru of a restaurant, no less.)

12 Practical Ways to Beat the Heat

It's a scorcher here in the Midwest! Daily highs over 100 and humidity boosting the heat index even higher... everyone must find relief.  If you can simply hide out in your air conditioned home for a few days... perfect!  But if you cannot, here are a few tips to keep you safe and sound.

• Avoid spending time outdoors when the temperature exceeds 95. If you must be outdoors, drink plenty of water and/or electrolyte replacement (up to a pint an hour if you are working hard and sweating),

Getting ready...

What a busy summer we've begun, and it promises to get even crazier.  Last week, I attended a class in Jefferson City, Missouri, to learn to better run an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during a local disaster.  This week, I'm building a radio campaign to help promote and educate about basic emergency preparedness.  (You'll hear more about that later.)  I love talking to people about readiness because it's important and it's easy to do.

What is your readiness level?  How many of these boxes can you check?

• Family emergency plan is written and practiced for a variety of hazards.
• Family communications plan is written and understood.
• Out-of-State emergency contact is known (memorized) by all.
• Fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and CO detectors are installed.  Fire plan and meeting place are practiced.
• Evacuation (go-bags) are packed and easily accessible.
• Home emergency kit contains 72 hours of food, flashlights and batteries, and other supplies.
• Shelter in place kit contains plastic sheeting, duct tape, and a bucket.
• Critical documents (legal documents, banking, insurance, and medical) have to-go copies assembled.
• Other emergency kits are in place: car, commuter, work, school, etc.
• A NOAA radio in your home, workplace, etc. is always on - someone is listening for alerts.
• Likely evacuation routes and destinations (hotel, friends, family, etc.) identified.
• Small business owners have a business disaster plan and expectations developed.
• Key employees (management, medical, government, etc.) have a plan for your family in a disaster.
• Alternative "utilities" identified for your home. (Heat, lights/power, cooking, etc.)
• Necessary medical needs have back-up and stock-up for a week or more during an emergency. (Power, medication, supplies, treatments, etc.)
• Safe room and wind mitigation prepared for high winds (straight line winds, tornado, hurricane, etc.).
• Earthquake mitigation begun (attach shelves, support water heater, reduce overhead storage, etc.)
• Get a little training, certification, and practice in your area of interest.  (First aid, search and rescue, Ham radio, alternative power, volunteer assistance, first response, home safety, public education, etc.)

Summer Car Kit

Last week-end we got two more days of snow. Yuck! Next week-end I'm camping (with no tents) and the forecast is for highs in the 70s! Yay! As I'm thinking about rotating out my winter car needs and cycling in summer items I've discovered many of these items serve multiple seasons. I've jotted down a few items that stay year round, any other ideas?

• One Hoodie for everyone: Winter - cold weather survival, Summer - chilly evening activities
• Plates, Cups, and plastic ware: Makes for a great "instant picnic" (you provide the food) any season.
• Blankets: Winter - important heat preservation, Summer - picnic blanket, star gazing
• Ponchos and emergency blankets: Staying dry and warm in any emergency is always critical!
• Snacks and water bottles: Winter - Extreme cold weather is dehydrating, Summer - Extreme hot weather is dehydrating.  (Don't store snacks that melt in the summer.)
• Sunscreen: Hot or cold weather, the sun's rays can burn.  Wear sunscreen when you're exposed.
• Bug repellent: Winter - OK, you won't need this in the north.  Summer - This is critical nationwide for your comfort and safety.
• Flashlight and batteries: Dark is dark in any season.  You need a flashlight and extra batteries in the car.
• Pocketknife: Or better yet a super tool!  Winter - Cutting the ropes of the fir tree you brought home, Summer - Whittling a point on a weenie roasting stick.
• Paper towels and several trash bags: My daughter "got sick" on the way to grandpa's house.  Thank God we had these in the car.  Enough said.
• Portable Radio and Batteries: Whether your listening for weather reports or great tunes, you need a radio that won't wear down your car's battery, leaving you stranded.
• First Aid Kit: A scrape or a headache are promptly dealt with if your car contains a well stocked kit.
• Hats and Gloves: Winter - Stocking cap and knit gloves, Summer - Ball cap or bucket hat and gardening or work gloves fit the bill.
• A Little Cash: Winter - To pay the guy who pulled you out of the snow drift,  Summer - To pay the guy who gave you enough gas to get to the next station.

Related Posts:
The Emergency Twenty
101 Uses for a Hoodie

Four Rules of Three

The only way you could have missed this month’s coverage of the Blizzard that rolled through the United States is if you were intentionally unplugged on a tropical island, somewhere.  Much of the snowfall was measured in feet, not inches, and the wind made effective cleanup impossible until the storm had completely rolled through, shutting down large parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri.

Many harrowing stories came out of Chicago , where the city’s Lake Shore Drive was sealed off due to several jack-knifed buses.  Commuters in cars and on buses were stuck from about 6:00 pm to many after midnight and after – no food or water, running out of gasoline to keep their cars running and the heat on, unprepared for the storm.  As many as 900 vehicles were stranded. The wind and snow blinded those who tried to leave their vehicles and exit the road.  Photos show closed cars and buses full of snow.  There are stories of rescuers on snowmobiles pulling people from their vehicles. These were people who were just on their way home from work, some who left early to get home before the fury of the storm and were caught in one traffic snarl after another.  Many left their cars right on the roadway.

Winter isn’t over yet and it’s not too late to prepare an emergency bag for your vehicle! The Midwest has been slammed with some serious wind chill factors. In fact, the advisory on weather.com said that frostbite can happen in 30 minutes on exposed skin. I was thinking to myself that I really should have ordered that palette of chemical hand warmers to line my bed. And I kid, but it’s not far from the truth. These are the conditions that create the perfect storm of ridiculousness where people have to find a Red Cross Shelter. High winds downing power lines combined with bitterly cold temperatures will mean that somewhere, someone’s heat may be out this week. I already feel sorry for them.

In survival training, many people talk about the rules of 3.  You can go:

• 3 minutes without air
• 3 hours without shelter
• 3 days without water
• 3 weeks without food

Three hours out in the wild Earthly elements and you’re done for? Seems crazy doesn’t it? In the wake of the blizzard and seeing the footage of Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive situation, it didn’t seem so far-fetched. And I started thinking: how do you prepare for that? Fierce wind, incredible snowfall, and no where to go.

Well, your car isn’t a bad place to be. Remember that emergency car kit? Make sure you can get to it, and make sure you have these things in there for spending a night in your car:

Water – essential, cold temperatures mean low humidity and you’ll need to stay hydrated. Most likely you won’t be doing much sleeping, and staying on guard all can require you to be in top form. Don’t eat snow! (Yellow or otherwise.) This will cause rapid hypothermia. How many people are typically in your vehicle? Plan for this. Did you reach back to find that your water bottles are frozen? There are car-charger baby bottle warmers out there. Chemical hand warmers can help to melt it, too. If you car is running, put the bottles on the floor next to the heaters. Some people keep a coffee can with a little candle and lighter to melt snow. Any sort of open flame is dangerous and I don’t recommend it, but when you’re stuck, improvise and think! If you’re taking shelter outside of your vehicle (the one with synthetic, flammable upholstery) the coffee can and fire will work.  Any container of snow placed in an above-freezing environment (like inside your car) will eventually melt.  If it doesn't melt, leave it be.  Don't sacrifice your most precious possession of body heat to melt the snow for water. 

Food – Yes, candy is a nice thing to have on hand in case of emergency and it keeps well, but don’t expect to feel satiated after downing 7 Hershey bars and a bag of Tootsie Rolls. In the winter, when your vehicle is less likely to be hot, keep nutrition bars in your car. Many are balanced with protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

Cell Phone Charger – The minute that you feel you could be in the car for a while (whether you’re stuck or just caught in a traffic jam), plug in your phone and start calling someone to let them know where you are. Be as detailed as you can be about your location. Keep your phone charging as long as your car is running. That way if you run out of gas, you have a fully-charged phone.

Extra cold-weather gloves, socks, hat and scarf - If you have attempted to dig yourself out during a snowstorm, your cold-weather accessories may be wet. It is important not to sit with wet clothes in an extremely cold car. Frostbite will develop more rapidly.

Alternate clothing - If you wear pencils skirts and 3" Cole Haans to the office, you can't be out in winter weather without something a little more practical. Throw in stretchy yoga pants (that will fit over whatever you have on), a couple of pairs of socks, and the hoodie! (Or keep your gym bag in the car.)

A warm blanket & an emergency foil blanket – A warm blanket will create loft with pockets of warm air to insulate you. The emergency foil blanket reflects your body’s own long-wave radiation back to you, keeping you warmer.


Chemical Hand Warmers – I recommend the flat pouch that is activated when exposed to air. Most don’t get warm enough to burn, and it’s small, thin size is good for putting in shoes or gloves.


Windshield Scraper & Brush – This should go without saying, but it’s key. I’ve seen people scraping ice off their car with a credit card.


Bag of ice melt – Mine’s small, just a gallon-sized plastic zipper bag. It melts snow, it gives traction.


Small Folding Shovel – A shovel is good for many reasons, but in the snow, you might need to dig snow out from around your tire.


Flashlight & Mirror – The storm could be over after dark, and someone might be out looking for you. The key to being found is contrast and movement. Hear a vehicle driving by? Wave that flashlight. Reflect any nearby light source (street lamp, flood light) quickly to draw attention to yourself.


A Few Tools - Tape, a knife, some plastic bags.  A bucket, can, or bowl with a lid.  (When you gotta go, you gotta go.)  A pencil and pad of paper. If you have kids, some toys or games are important, too.


Stay in your car! - If you run your car for power and warmth, make sure the tail pipe is clear of snow and that you have a front window cracked a bit for fresh air.  If at all possible do not leave your car at all.  If you must leave the car for safety, leave a note about your group and where you intend to go.  Remember that you can survive for days on nothing but water, and even the most desperately lost survivors are usually found within 48-72 hours. You will be found in your car.  Try to stay in your car or remain in the first shelter you find.

101 Uses for a Hoodie

Hooded sweatshirts - a great piece of gear
for urban & wilderness survival situations.

The teen crowd is onto something in their obsession with hooded sweatshirts. As the weather starts to turn cooler for most parts of the country, a zip-up, hooded sweatshirt with “hand-warmer” pockets for each member of your family is an extremely versatile, must-have item in your car (and at the office). Although every home/work/car emergency kit should include a blanket. A hooded sweatshirt is often a practical addition and/or substitution, especially if you are using mylar emergency blankets.  A sweatshirt is form-fitting, allowing movement and heat conservation. It may also become the most used piece of "emergency gear" in your car.

Here are a few of the 101 other reasons why you need a hoodie in your car:

It’s a little cooler than expected at the Friday night football game.
Cherry pie down a white sweater.
An ice-cold beverage spill that won’t dry in the cool weather.
You forgot a pillow for that car-ride nap.
Spilled soda on the very absorbent seat of the car.
Someone in the car refuses to turn on the heat.
That fall hayride is cold on unprotected ears.
Instant baby blanket.
Impromptu pine cone collecting basket.
No paper towels in the restroom.
The bench seat at the ballgame is hard and uncomfortable.
A stretchy knit will fit a range of people.
Or rolled up sleeves can make a “hoodie dress” on a little one.
Add a rain poncho for an insulated rain jacket.
Add chemical hand-warmers to the pockets in case you forget your gloves, too.
Giant first-aid bandage.

Can’t afford to outfit the entire family in name-brand, super performance-gear hoodies just to stash in the car? It’s ok, the less expensive it is, the more abuse you’ll be willing to give it, making it even more versatile.

Related Posts
The Emergency Twenty
Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.
Making Your Own Basic First Aid Kit