Preparing Your Home for a Blizzard

This year alone, sudden and sever winter storms have debilitated entire populations as roadways close and transportation halts, ice and downed trees take out power lines and transformers, pipelines burst, and markets can’t keep up with the sudden influx of panicked people grabbing at anything that isn’t nailed down.

How to Survive a Blizzard at Home
When a person is properly prepared home isn’t just where the heart is, it’s often the best place to keep it beating. Snow storm or not, sometimes it’s best to stay put and lock-down so you can live to fight another day.

Shelter. An absolute must for survival, no matter what type of disaster you’re dealing with, but it’s especially important when it comes to protecting yourself from potentially deadly elements like freezing temperatures. If you know a storm is on the way, take the time to prep your home, hunker down and stay put.

If you’re away from home, do your best to get there safely, and if that isn’t a possibility, apply as many of the following techniques as possible to your location.

Heat. With serious weather comes an increased chance of downed power lines and blow transformers, which wont just leave you in the dark, but the cold as well.

Fire. Always have a back up heat supply, that is appropriate for your needs, available and at the ready. This can be anything from a generator-run heater, fire-place, kerosene lamp, camp stove, gas range, propane heater, candles and so on. However, burning materials release deadly carbon monoxide and you MUST have proper ventilation to avoid illness. See also: Storing Fuel for an Emergency.

Layers. Ambient body heat can go a long way to keep a person comfortable and properly warmed. For more information take a look at Layers For Life. Layering also applies to using blankets and throws. Don’t be embarrassed if it means stuffing towels down your pants, no one will see you at home anyways.

Warm Room. This is an easy and fairly fool-proof method of trapping heat and making the best out of a bad situation. Choose one room, preferably smaller in size and with as few outside facing walls as possible. Layer thick blankets over windows and on any bare floor (wood, tile, and so on). Roll up towels and place them along the base of doors then hang a thick blanket over the frame. This will help trap ambient heat in the room and give you a nice retreat from the cold that is likely invading the rest of the building. *carbon monoxide can build up in a room that is well-closed off. Open the door and allow the room to breathe even once in a while to help avoid any danger.

Food and Water. It’s never a good idea to wait until the last minute when it comes to being prepared, and the same goes for having food and water on hand for an emergency. Small frequent meals keep your belly working, which means the production of natural body heat. Proper hydration means proper digestion and healthy organs, which means the ability to do whatever needs to be done to survive.

While I recommend having at least 2 weeks of clean potable water stored (1 gallon per person per day), many people can get away with only 3 days. However, if recent events and chemical spills have taught us anything about water preparedness it’s that more is always better.

If, for some reason, you did not have time to prepare and you absolutely have to make a run to the store for supplies, focus on low-cost easy-to-prepare goods like canned fruits and veggies, soups and stews, rice, beans, and peanut butter and jelly. Save the canned foods for last as they already contain water.

Wrap Water Pipes. It isn’t uncommon for pipes to freeze, burst, and cause flooding when they thaw. Use foam pipe wrap if available, other wise towels and even blankets will help.

Know Your Neighbors. If you have neighbors, get to know them before the storm. Talk to each other and plan on mutual support during times of disaster. Help one another as best you can and always remember the golden rule: Do unto others and you want others to do unto you.

When it comes down to it, poor and unprepared reactions to winter weather have contributed to the loss of untold lives over the years, many of which could have been saved had people taken the time and consideration to be properly prepared. Take the time to prepare today so you can celebrate tomorrow.