Winter storm preparedness means getting ready before the snow and ice arrive: stock your home with food, water, flashlights and heating fuel, put a survival kit in your car, test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and plan to check on neighbors. Run generators only outdoors, at least 20 feet from doors and windows.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
The National Weather Service (NWS) says the main worries at home during a winter storm are losing heat, power and phone service, and running short of supplies if the storm lasts more than a day. Its home list includes:
A flashlight and extra batteries.
A battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and a portable radio for emergency information.
Extra food and water, such as dried fruit, nuts, granola bars and other food that needs no cooking or refrigeration.
Baby items such as diapers and formula, if you need them.
Heating fuel. Refuel before you run out, because NWS warns fuel deliveries may not reach you for days after a storm.
An emergency heat source, such as a fireplace, wood stove or space heater, properly ventilated to prevent a fire.
A fire extinguisher and smoke alarms. Test smoke alarms monthly.
A working carbon monoxide (CO) detector. Keep its outside vent clear of leaves and debris, and clear snow from it during and after the storm.
Extra pet food and a warm shelter for pets.
Don't forget medicines. If someone in your home takes daily prescriptions, ask the pharmacist about refilling before a storm is forecast rather than after.
NWS suggests winterizing your vehicle before the season starts and carrying a winter storm survival kit with:
Mobile phone, charger and batteries
Blankets or sleeping bags, and extra clothing to stay dry
Flashlight with extra batteries, and a first-aid kit
High-calorie, non-perishable food and a water container
A knife, a tool kit, a tow rope and battery booster cables
A shovel, a windshield scraper and brush, and a sack of sand or cat litter for traction
A compass and road maps, so you don't depend on a phone's battery
Before a trip, NWS advises keeping the gas tank near full, avoiding traveling alone, and letting someone know your timetable and routes. You can call 511 for road conditions in every state. Our sister site has a longer car emergency kit checklist.
Generators outside only. NWS says to run portable generators outdoors, at least 20 feet from doors, windows and garages, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. CPSC adds never to run one in a home, basement, shed or garage, and to point the exhaust away from buildings.
Refuel safely. CPSC says to turn off generators and let them cool before refueling.
Choose flashlights over candles. CPSC suggests battery-powered flashlights or lanterns during outages. If you do use candles, never leave them burning unattended.
Use space heaters carefully. CPSC says to keep them at least three feet from drapes, furniture and bedding, plug them directly into a wall outlet, and not leave them running while you sleep.
Keep vents clear. NWS says to make sure a gas furnace vent isn't blocked by a snowdrift as soon as it's safe to go out.
Hold in the heat. Close off rooms you don't need, stuff towels or rags in the cracks under doors, and close blinds or curtains (NWS).
Dress and eat for the cold. Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. Eat regularly, and drink plenty of water and other drinks without caffeine or alcohol (NWS).
Our sister site's guides to the power outage checklist and carbon monoxide detector placement go deeper on both.
NWS advises staying with your vehicle, because you can quickly become disoriented in wind-driven snow. While you wait:
Run the motor about 10 minutes each hour for heat, and open a window a little for fresh air while it runs.
Clear snow from the exhaust pipe to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Turn on the dome light at night when the engine is running.
Tie a bright cloth, ideally red, to the antenna or door, and raise the hood once the snow stops to show you need help.
Frostbite can happen in minutes, often on fingers, toes, nose and ears. NWS lists these signs: redness or pain, which may come first; a white or grayish-yellow patch of skin; and skin that feels unusually firm or waxy. Get indoors, don't rub the area, and warm it with warm, not hot, water. Don't use a heating pad, stove or hair dryer, because you may burn yourself before feeling returns. NWS says to go to a hospital as soon as possible if the skin turns blue or gray, is very swollen, blistered, or feels hard and numb.
Hypothermia means body temperature has dropped below 95°F. NWS says to see a doctor immediately or go to the nearest emergency room if your temperature is 95°F or less, you feel cold and sluggish, or you're having trouble thinking clearly. If you're helping someone who may have hypothermia, call 911 first. Then cover both of you with thick blankets and don't rub them or handle them roughly. If the person is unconscious, NWS says to give CPR.
NWS notes that most of the people who die of hypothermia each year are older adults, that older bodies are less efficient at signaling cold, and that some medicines and illnesses can raise the risk. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether any medicine you take affects your risk.
NWS says that once your own family is safe, you should check on neighbors and people who are vulnerable. If you live alone, ask a family member or neighbor to check on you every day. NWS also warns against overexertion, such as shoveling heavy snow or pushing a car, if you're not in good health, because the strain of cold and hard work may cause a heart attack.
NWS says at least 20 feet from doors, windows and garages, and CPSC says at least 20 feet from the home with the exhaust pointed away. Never run a generator indoors or in a garage.
NWS lists a phone and charger, blankets, a flashlight, a first-aid kit, high-calorie food, water, extra clothing, a shovel, a scraper, sand or cat litter, booster cables, a tow rope and road maps.
If you're not in good health, NWS advises avoiding overexertion like shoveling heavy snow, because it may cause a heart attack. Ask your doctor what's safe for you.
Yes. NWS says leaving your vehicle can leave you quickly disoriented in wind-driven snow and cold. Stay put, signal for help, and keep the exhaust pipe clear.
Family Ready: Emergency Plan is a free iPhone app, with an optional Family Ready Plus subscription, that includes an editable emergency kit checklist based on Ready.gov and Get Prepared guidance, with optional sections for older adults, pets and rural homes. Its free Emergency Card keeps who to call first, allergies and medications on your phone and opens without internet. It does not contact responders for you, so call 911 yourself in an emergency.
Get Family Ready free on the App Store
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