Last week was yet another two hour delay for Milton Freewater School District. Because of all the bad weather, it has begun to be a ritual every morning to check several apps on my phone for the latest weather conditions.  It has been a challenging winter for those who live in Eastern Oregon. A few weeks ago nearly all schools in eastern Washington and Oregon were closed.  More bad weather is expected in the future. While looking through my favorite apps to see just how bad the road were, I saw the suggestion of carrying winter travel kit. Since much of the nation is suffering from what I would term as wintergeddon, I thought I would look into what is listed as an official winter travel kit.

When I was first married I lived in central Idaho. There was a lot of wind in Atomic City (a tiny town whose population hovered around 20 people) and very little snow which amounted to a large number of huge snow drift. Extremely cold temperatures was constant as well. My mom gave me a few tips on what to put in my car for emergencies. She called upon the knowledge she had gleaned while living in Canada and North Dakota. She had advised me to carry winter gear such as an extra winter coat, gloves and boots. Over the years, the list of items I have carried has grown and I thought I would compare it to the list I have found online.

The website I used to research this information is from the Washington Department of transportation. Once again I am going to shamelessly cut and paste:

Winter Driving – Emergency Car Kit

What to carry on winter trips:

Winter Driving Supply Checklist (pdf 214kb)

• Keep a basic winter survival kit in your vehicle: flashlight, batteries, blanket, snacks, water, gloves, boots, first-aid kit.
• Load your car with winter travel gear : tire chains, ice scraper/snowbrush, jumper cables, road flares.
• See more winter preparedness tips at Take Winter By Storm website.

I decided my list was pretty close to the official one. I have a flashlight, snacks, bottled water, jumper cables, winter coat, boots and gloves. Instead of a blanket, I keep a sleeping bag in my car year round. During the summer months it is a great place to store extra frozen water bottles by sliding them between the folds of the rolled up bag. You can also wrap it around milk and other perishables during the summer to prevent spoilage on the way home from the grocery store. It is also nice to have a sleeping bag to have a picnics on or just to stretch out while taking a break on long trip. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a sleeping bag, I would take a look at eBay or craigslist. I would also throw in a couple of space blanket. They are super small, easy to carry and provide an extra layer of warmth. I would include hand warmers, they too are inexpensive and don’t take up much room.

As for snacks, I would suggest carrying high protein foods such as jerky and peanuts. Plain crackers such as Wheat Thins and Triscuits are also good to store in your kit. Animal crackers, graham crackers, granola bars and cold cereal might be an option if you have children. Dried fruit and hard candy are also excellent items to add to your emergency kit. Even if you are not a big fan of hard candy, studies have shown it  provides a person with emotional comfort and a good way to get rid of those extra candy canes still hanging around from Christmas. Place these items in a bag or a hard plastic container to prevent items from being squished. During the winter months you should put fresh water bottles in your car each time you travel. If you leave them in the car all the time, they will become frozen and useless. I would also bring a thermos with hot chocolate or coffee to drink if you are stranded. These items are just suggestions and you should pick whatever ones work best for your family. Providing them with their favorite snacks is a good way to relieve anxiety if for whatever reason you’re stranded.

Medication is another item to add to your list. If you take medication on a regular basis (hopefully not five times a day like I do!). Most pharmacies stock tiny Ziploc bags that make it easy to put it in your glove compartment. To provide extra traction when things are icy, carry a couple pounds of kitty litter. Make sure it is the non-clumping type because that will dissolve and  actually make things worse. The flashlight I would recommend is the Nebo workbrite. My brother William gave one to my husband Scott a few Christmases ago. It has become our favorite flashlight. Not only is it compact, it also has a number of different settings, a hook to hang it with and magnetized feet to attach to metal. My favorite part about this light is you can recharge it using a USB port even in your car. You can also purchase a fold-able snow shovel to keep in your car. The one I have listed below is rated number one on Amazon.

If you were traveling in an area where you think you may need tire chains, purchase them from a tire store and have one of the bay workers show you how to use them properly. My husband and I watch a show on Netflix called “Highway Through Hell” where people often get stranded in the snow. Many times an individual will purchase chain and carry them around in their trunk but have no idea how to use them. I would also review YouTube videos before you go to remind yourself how to properly install chains.

I would pick a good weather app for your phone. I use My EO which links me to “Trip Check Road Conditions ”. I have found that app to be extremely accurate and they can provide you with road closure information further in advance then your local weatherman.

I hope this blog has been helpful and if you have any ideas of what else should be included in a travel kit please leave a comment.  Watch my blogs so you can catch the one about what to do in an emergency situation while traveling in the winter.

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Emergency kit:  http://www.wsdot.com/winter/emergencykit.htm

WSDOT Checklist: http://www.wsdot.com/winter/files/winterchecklist.pdf

Best ever flashlight:  https://www.amazon.com/Nebo-Workbrite-COB-Work-Light/dp/B012HLI0T2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485263004&sr=8-1&keywords=nebo+flashlight+workbrite
Foldable snow shovel on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/AAA-4004-Aluminum-Utility-Shovel/dp/B002SIR91A/ref=sr_1_1/163-6668688-7670132?ie=UTF8&qid=1484789846&sr=8-1&keywords=foldable+snow+shovel