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Staying warm in the winter can be difficult, especially if you lose power during a snowstorm or another weather event that keeps you indoors. You may have heard of using your car to keep warm during cold nights, but this isn’t always effective and can be dangerous in some situations. Luckily, there are other ways to stay warm during a winter power outage that don’t involve losing the ability to start your car in the morning. Here are different ways to stay warm during a winter power outage so you can be safe and comfortable even in sub-zero temperatures.
Plan Ahead
Making sure you have blankets and other ways to stay warm during an outage is important, but it won’t do much good if you don’t have an emergency plan in place for when that happens. Be sure you know what steps to take if your home loses power. The more preparation you do before an outage, the less scary it will be once it happens. Confining yourself to the smallest room in the house will help. Use a few towels to seal the cracks under the door and window seals to stop the loss of the heat in the room. If you can create a micro climate with a tent or makeshift tent will also help. The smaller the space to heat the better.
Get the Right Gear
When winter comes, make sure you have a reliable space blanket, wool blankets, and extra clothing so that you can easily bundle up if you ever find yourself in a prolonged power outage. A space blanket is inexpensive and folds up into an easy-to-carry pouch, making it ideal for an emergency kit or for storing in your car during winter. Having a solar or gas generator, or a small propane heater are also options. Even in a pinch, having packs of hand warmers to keep in your gloves and shoes could help ward off hypothermia. Your extremeties (hands, feet, and face) are the first to be affected.
Tips for Keeping Pets Safe
Pets are especially susceptible to extreme cold, and keeping them warm can be particularly challenging if you’re away from home for an extended period of time. If you must leave your pet in your car or at home during a winter storm, make sure he has some kind of warm bedding. If he’s outside, place him in his doghouse, which will give him some protection from wind. And don’t ever let him get wet.
Keep Safe in Your Car, Truck, or SUV
Hypothermia is one of cold weather’s greatest threats and it’s easy to protect yourself if you know what hypothermia symptoms look like. If you notice yourself shivering uncontrollably, your hands or feet going numb, confusion setting in, or if your speech is slurred you may have caught hypothermia. To stay warm during a winter power outage, keep your vehicle running. You can get a heated blanket from your local auto parts store that plugs in your cigarette lighter. Keeping a heated mug that also works through your cigarette lighter, a few bottles of water in the trunk, and tea bags in the glove box could save your life.
Coach Dex / Surviving What's Coming / www.survivingwhatscoming.com / 1/14/22