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Buy and stage these 12 supplies before the first storm: a controllable snow shovel; ice scraper and brush; traction material; lighting and spare batteries; a NOAA Weather Radio; phone charging equipment; warm layers and blankets; water and shelf-stable food; jumper cables; a first-aid kit; a battery-backed carbon-monoxide detector; and weatherization supplies for windows and pipes. Split the checklist between your home and every vehicle, then adjust quantities for household size, pets, medications, climate, and the longest outage or road closure you could realistically face.
Start with the right kit for the hazard
Home supplies keep people warm, informed, fed, hydrated, and safe during an outage. A vehicle kit must help you clear snow, regain traction, signal for help, restart a battery, and remain warm if roads close. Mountain and heavy-snow regions may also require tire chains or snow tires, a larger shovel, and extra traction material; milder areas may need only a compact scraper and basic emergency kit.
The 12-item winter checklist
1. Snow shovel
Choose a blade size and handle length you can control without straining your back. Keep it where it can be reached if snow blocks a door, and place a smaller shovel in vehicles that regularly travel through snow. FEMA includes a shovel among recommended vehicle winter-kit supplies.
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Keep one in every vehicle used in snow or freezing rain. A brush clears loose snow while a scraper removes bonded ice from glass; storing one only in the garage leaves a snow-covered car without the tool it needs.
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3. Sand or cat litter
Store a sealed bag in each car. Spread the material under driven tires when wheels spin on snow or ice. It improves traction but does not replace appropriate tires, cautious speed, or a decision to avoid travel.
4. Flashlight or headlamp and spare batteries
A headlamp leaves both hands free for clearing a walkway or changing a tire; a flashlight is useful for signaling. Keep spare batteries with the light, not in a separate drawer. Ready.gov advises extra batteries for radios and flashlights, and FEMA lists a flashlight in a vehicle kit.
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5. NOAA Weather Radio
Choose a radio with a tone-alert feature, or monitor local Emergency Alert System broadcasts. Unlike a phone notification that may fail when networks or batteries are unavailable, a dedicated alert receiver can provide warnings during a power outage when paired with an appropriate power source.
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Keep a charged power bank at home and a compatible cellular-phone charger in each vehicle. FEMA includes a phone charger in its vehicle checklist, while Ready.gov recommends alternative charging methods for outages. Recharge the bank and check cables before winter, rather than discovering a dead accessory during a storm.
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7. Warm blankets and layered clothing
Stage coats, hats, gloves, boots, blankets, and spare socks for every household member. Layers let you adjust to changing indoor temperatures and reduce heat loss if a vehicle is stranded. Keep an additional compact blanket and warm layer in each car.
8. Bottled water and nonperishable snacks
Put drinking water and shelf-stable, ready-to-eat food in vehicles that may be caught by a road closure. At home, scale the supply to household size, pets, medications, and the likely outage duration. Choose foods that do not require refrigeration or cooking.
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9. Jumper cables
FEMA lists jumper cables in a winter car kit. Store cables where they remain dry and learn the connection procedure for your vehicle before an emergency. If you are uncertain about polarity or the vehicle’s instructions, wait for roadside assistance rather than risking electrical damage.
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Keep a stocked kit in each vehicle and an accessible kit at home. Inspect dressings, antiseptic, gloves, and personal medications before the season; replace expired or heat-damaged contents.
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11. Battery-powered or battery-backed carbon-monoxide detector
Install and test detectors with battery backup, especially if an outage could lead someone to consider alternate heat or a generator. Replace batteries according to the detector’s instructions and keep smoke alarms maintained as well.
12. Weather stripping, caulk, and pipe-freeze supplies
Use weather stripping and caulk to reduce drafts around doors and windows. Prepare insulation and other materials recommended for protecting exposed plumbing, and learn how to keep pipes from freezing before temperatures drop. These are home-preparation supplies, not substitutes for repairing a leak or a failed heating system.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Non-negotiable heating and generator safety
FEMA’s warning is explicit: “Never use a generator, camp stove, charcoal grill, or gasoline or propane heater indoors, as these items can start accidental fires, cause electric shock, and/or cause deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.”
- Operate portable generators outdoors and at least 20 feet from doors and windows.
- Install and test carbon-monoxide and smoke detectors with battery backup.
- Never heat a home with a gas stovetop or oven.
- Keep grills, camp stoves, and fuel-burning heaters outside, even when a door or window is open.
If someone exposed to cold has a body temperature below 95°F, treat it as an emergency, according to 2024 Federal Emergency Management Agency guidance. Call emergency services and follow dispatcher instructions.
Stage and maintain the supplies
- Make two inventories: one for the house and one for every vehicle.
- Charge power banks, test radios and detectors, and install fresh batteries where required.
- Place the shovel, scraper, brush, traction material, cables, light, food, water, blankets, and first-aid kit where they can be reached without unloading the vehicle.
- Check clothing and footwear sizes, prescription supplies, pet needs, and food dates before the first forecast.
- After a storm, dry wet equipment, replace consumed items, and return each kit to its designated location.
How to set quantities
There is no universal FEMA or Ready.gov quantity or price for each item. Buy enough for the number of people, pets, and vehicles you support, then extend food, water, charging, lighting, and warmth for the longest outage you may face. A household in a region with frequent heavy snow should add traction and snow-removal capacity; a household in a mild climate can emphasize ice removal, alerts, and a compact vehicle kit. Prefer tested detectors and reliable radios, and inspect every battery-powered item seasonally.
Quick Recap
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