Do you pack a winter travel kit for your car and what is in it if you do?

[Celtic Lady]

With the winter storm/blizzard hitting the midwest and Great Lakes area I was wondering if anyone prepares a winter travel kit that stays in your car(s) during the winter season. If you do, what do you pack?

I do... but haven't gotten it ready  yet. Normally I have packed a couple of blankets, gloves or mittens, a scarf or two, a couple of hats, an extra pair of boots, an exra pair of warm socks, a jug of coarse sand, a shovel, jumper cables (they are always in the van),  and some kind of snacks.

[Lady Nicolette]

Depending on where I'm living, it's been dubbed either snow supplies or earthquake supplies...Much the same as what you have, but also plenty of bottled water, dog food and treats, chocolate bars, small bags of peanuts and cheese and crackers packets...Don't forget a first aid kit and antibacterial hand wipes and/or sanitizer, matches and a flashlight.  I change it all out for freshness once a year, at about the autumnal equinox.  May seem silly in these days of cellphones, but you still can get stuck for a while somewhere uncomfortable!

[Rowan MacD]

  I haven't done it for routine trips for the past couple of years, but I will have one in my car by next weekend when I drive to see my daughter in law in Des Moines.  The weather has been really freaky here.      
  I always keep a charger in my car for the cell phone.  The car battery will run your phone for a very long time on little juice.  Most people don't travel where there is no cell reception of some sort, and if your phone is working, the cops can find you, even if you don't know where you are.  
  JC penny has a really good highway breakdown kit I recommend everybody own.  It has a small air compressor, hose tape, flashlight, reflector triangle w/flasher (needs batteries) jumper cables, tow strap and insulated gloves.  It comes in it's own plastic case and does not take up a lot of room.  I also carry a good quality first aid kit.  These are required by law in Europe, so I kind of got in the habit of keeping them handy.
  I also carry a hunters' hand warmer, either the kind that has the charcoal things you light and place inside, or the chemical break and shake kind, bags of nonperishable snacks and a few bottles of water.  We keep 2 sleeping bags in the trunk year round, in case we get stuck in a really sleazy motel and can't bring ourselves to sleep on the bedding (it's happened) so we don't carry blankets.
   If you have this stuff in your trunk make sure you can access it from inside your car.  Fold down rear seats are an option and not usually standard equipment.

[Rowan MacD]

Depending on where I'm living, it's been dubbed either snow supplies or earthquake supplies...Much the same as what you have, but also plenty of bottled water, dog food and treats, chocolate bars, small bags of peanuts and cheese and crackers packets...Don't forget a first aid kit and antibacterial hand wipes and/or sanitizer, matches and a flashlight.  I change it all out for freshness once a year, at about the autumnal equinox.  May seem silly in these days of cellphones, but you still can get stuck for a while somewhere uncomfortable!

Thanks for reminding me to pack dog treats! We don't usually travel with the Scottish Terrorists, but just in case!

[mpullen]

As far as relying on cell phones during an emergency, one word - don't.

After hurricane Ike here in Houston, the cell towers were out of commission for several days. Remember they rely on local power for transmission. Few have emergency generators and even if they did, the fuel runs out after a couple of days.

As far as cell phone reception, I'll speak from my experience with Sprint. When moving my Sister down here from Portland Oregon during Labor day, there was little or no reception east of Salt Lake City all the way to Laramie Wyoming. All that route had snow chain installation areas and snow road barriers, so it would have been a lonely wait during the snow season.

[Lady Nicolette]

Rowan:  I also carry an extra couple of leashes, in case we run into a stray somewhere that needs help...The treats are for enticing the same as well as to have on hand for my own dog, if he's with us and we run into trouble.

mpullen:  Indeed, you have to be ready to be on your own entirely if it all goes to heck in a handbasket.  Verizon tends to have the best coverage even in remote locations, fyi.  I also carry a fair amount of change, better to have small amounts of money to work with than big bills...And it comes in handy for parking meters when necessary.

A lot of this stuff makes sense to have in a home emergency, too, don't forget.

[Rowan MacD]

mpullen:  Verizon tends to have the best coverage even in remote locations, fyi.  I also carry a fair amount of change, better to have small amounts of money to work with than big bills...And it comes in handy for parking meters when necessary.
A lot of this stuff makes sense to have in a home emergency, too, don't forget.

I was going to say that's why I have Verizon .   I have never had reception problems  even in bad weather, but then I have rarely had occasion to travel to the areas they don't service.   Cell phones (and spare batteries) are recommended as part of car winter emergency kits by both the DOT and Road & Travel magazine.  They may not work for every emergency, but then nothing does all the time. and they are still by far the fastest and simplest way to get help for the majority of people.
   Home winter emergency kits are recommended here for all people in rural areas.  Being snowed in for a week at a time is not that unusual in Nebraska and Iowa. Cells won't help much since emergency vehicles can't get to you anyway, so you are on your own. 
 
   
   
   
   
   
 

[DonaCatalina]

chemical hand warmers are something to add to the mix if you are going to have to knock off a bunch of ice from windows or doors.

[irish]

Living in Upstate NY, it is a given to 'pack' your car.

I have 2 blankets, 4 pairs of extra gloves, hats, socks, a coat or two, 2 flashlights and batteries, 2 snow brushes,  hard candies, water (it sometimes freezes, but still can 'melt' it somewhat, with hands to drink) and my cell, with AAA on speed dial!  

[KeeperoftheBar]

I moved from Montana to Texas twenty-something years ago.  I was down here for three years before I took the sleeping bag out of my trunk and five years before the shovel came out. 
I have read all the good suggestions but I haven't heard anyone mention "weight" for a pickup or rear wheel drive cars.    It ruins your MPG but a 100+ pounds in the back end does wonders for traction.

[chainshot]

Great topic! On both of our vehicles we keep the following in a plastic container:

Flashlight
First Aid Kit
Water purifiers & collapsible cup
Solar Blankets
Folding saw
Sheath Knife
Pkgs of MREs (Meals Ready To Eat)
Revolver with 50 rnds of ammunition
Road maps & compass
Can of flat fixer
Collapsible fishing poles and small tacklebox
bar of soap
Road flares
sleeping bag
Jerry can & siphon
Metal signal mirror
Pack of waterproof matches
Radio w/fresh batteries (we also have the kinds with a crank to power the radio should the batteries die)
Jumper cables
Length of nylon rope
Garbage bags
Insulated workgloves
Bag of kitty litter
Tool kit w/ wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, electrical & duct tape, assorted fuses
Toilet paper

Also on every road trip we usually bring bottles of water, games, music and dvds as well as snacks to help us along.

[SirRichardBear]

I always keep flash light, extra gloves, blankets, jumpers, tool kit, hammer, first aid kit, change of clothing including socks in the truck.  Habit from growning up in the country in snow country.

Course I also keep extra stuff in the house like oil lamps, LPG heater, camping stove, dehyr food, water in case the power goes out for a couple of days.  Again habit from growning up were the power would go out during the first heavy snow and could stay off for over a week.

[Rowan MacD]

chemical hand warmers are something to add to the mix if you are going to have to knock off a bunch of ice from windows or doors.

Excellent use of hand warmers. I never thought to use them to melt ice..
  I'm also going to add AAA to my cell list!

[Lady Amy of York]

I live in upstae Newyork near lake Ontario and we get record amounts of snow  everyyear  and every winter they will actually  broadcast on the tv  and  remind  people  to make  a winter emergency travel kit  consisting of :
                                               cellphone
                                                flares
                                                snow brush
                                                 ice scraper
                                                 battery charger for car
                                                  jumper cables
                                                    flash light
                                                     bottled  water
                                                      warm blanket
                                                      first aid  kit
                                                             sand
                                                              shovel
                                                        spare tire


        And folks remember if you do get stuck in the snow in your car  unless you can see  a gas station or store within walking distance, stay in your  car. We have so many cases  every year of people leaving  their stranded cars  only  to get lost in the blinding  and  drifting snow.

As for being at home, always have extra food  and water on hand in the house.And like evryone who lives around here and iis use to having power outages in a snowstorm, buy a generator.

oh and  either have  a riding tractor with a plow attachment on  it, or   be very nice  to your neighbor  who has  atruck  and  a plow.


and  also be nice  to the snow plow guy so he does not leave a bank of snow at the  end of your  driveway !

oh and snowshoes, and  woolen socks  and heavy duty waterproof boots  are a must, and a good face  scarf, a winter jacket  and  hat.

Happy winter everyone !