30 Days to Better Preparedness. Day 21. Winter.

 We have some preparations as we approach each winter but compared to the winters of the UK, US and Canada (and others!) our winter is probably a picnic in comparison! 

So Vicky came to my rescue!  Now I know about preparing for heat.  So a hot weather post will come later.    But over to Vicky now for some winter preparedness.

Winter is predicted to be colder this year. Of course weather is always subject to change, but that is the prediction so far. Most of us who live in colder climates are pretty good at handling it and saving so that all we spend on winter fuel doesn't just go out the window. 

Are you prepared and able to handle extreme weather though? Where temperatures turn frigid, roads are not driveable easily and power is at risk of going out and the hazards that can come along with it. If winter shows up to the party early and the cold arrives before expected? So let's think about and plan for power outages and extreme cold and how we will get through it. 

Should we do what we can to prepare now? Yes! Many of the preparedness items we have already gathered or taken inventory of will cross over into our winter preparedness like lighting and water and easy meals to have on hand. 

For extreme weather we need to think about our heating situation, safety and things like frozen water pipes. Don't wait until the last minute. Plan and prepare as much as possible now. We have seen winters where people didn't have power for weeks or propane delivery was behind and people went without heat. Or roads so bad going anywhere was impossible. If that would be the case we want to be the people who are as comfortable as possible in our homes even if we are inconvenienced some because we need to remember that it would only be temporary. I have personally seen people who about froze because they didn't want to do anything that looks ugly like putting plastic on the windows or setting up basically a base camp in their home and blocking off other rooms. Or sitting in their cars for a bit to get warm while it's running. Having a plan and making those decisions now along with checking what we have on hand and gathering what we don't will go a long way. 

Do you have pipes that could freeze? Letting the faucets drip can help, but also insulating the main pipes with old blankets helps or we put a candle or light under the sink after cleaning out under it of course so there isn't anything flammable. 

Do you have a back up source for heat? Now is a really good time to gather kindling, firewood of any kind(even if it's small amounts some is better than none) if you use a wood burner or fireplace. We offer to clean up damaged trees from storms and people are happy to get rid of the mess. Most furnaces require electric so a back up is important. If you use a propane type heater like a Buddy Heater are your tanks full? Do you have enough blankets, hats and gloves, warm socks and boots?

In extreme cases when you don't have a wood burner or need to conserve heat with what you have available a good roll of plastic or tarps are really good to have or even a tent. We can create a smaller space that we can keep warm and it helps trap our body heat as well. Seriously making a smaller room if needed to keep the heat from rising due to high ceilings or you have little heating fuel is really a great way to go. If safety is always kept in mind candles can be used to help heat, small heaters made from candles and terra cotta pots (I have tested this and it only heats the room by 10 degrees so keep that in mind) 

Moist heat feels warmer so keeping a pot of water or boiling water helps us feel warmer and can have the added benefit of easing congestion. Do you have a room that could be your base camp? That you could keep warm easily even if it's made smaller with a tent, tarp or plastic? They make tents for beds that would help hold in body heat and make sleeping warmer if you prefer to sleep in your own bed, but we always just camped out in one spot. 

Is any snow shovels you have in good repair and on hand? If you use a snow blower is it ready? My husband has had a few brought to him for repairs already so some people here are planning ahead. Is your roof in good repair and able to handle heavy snow or ice? 

And if you have to set up a base camp will you be cooking right there in any way or will that be done elsewhere? 

How about the vehicle? Do you need new tires? Do you keep extra supplies in it in case of break downs or emergencies? 

I know most of this is pretty basic but it really helps to plan ahead on how we will handle things. There are more ways to stay warm, but they are more survival type and I was not sure how extensive anyone would want to get into it because diligence with safety is required. 

So let's think on this. What is the best place for you and your loved ones to stay warm if needed in extreme weather? A blocked off room, the kitchen, the garage or basement? A shed maybe? Just remember to be careful no matter what of carbon monoxide no matter how we choose to stay warm safety first! 

I didn't cover cooking because that would need to be a whole separate post, but I am currently gathering kindling and wood. I have my roll of plastic and tarps where I can get to them easily, I checked my water storage, easy to cook foods and lighting and my back ups and we have 3 different places we can use as a base camp if needed because we have wood burners in those spots. I have old blankets ready to tape around pipes and buckets on hand so we can let the faucets drip to help keep the pipes from freezing. I have checked cold weather clothing and all blankets are washed and ready to use. Are you getting ready? 

XOXO

Vicky