Keep your Family Safe and Warm
During cold winter months, most of us would prefer to sit inside the house by a warm fire, sipping on hot chocolate. But, unfortunately, life goes on, even during winter storms. So if you must brave the cold weather to run to the grocery store or carpool the kids to school, here are some safety tips from our members to keep you and your family safe.

Clothing:
Wear many layers instead of just 2. For example, a t-shirt, a turtleneck, a sweater or sweatshirt, a polar fleece coat and then a parka. Not to mention 2 pairs of sock, and 2 pairs of gloves. The more layers the better, and always put your little ones in one layer more than you are comfortable wearing. Don't drink hot drinks to warm your self up (when you are outside). It tricks your body into thinking you are warmer and you lose too much heat too fast (It's okay for when you come inside but not for staying out.)

• Keep a blanket and shovel in the trunk of your car.



• Make sure your gas tank is at least half full to keep it from freezing.



• Run the cold water at a constant trickle so your pipes don't freeze.



• If your vehicle gets stuck in snow, gently roll back & forth, & turn your wheels a fraction each time. DON'T spin your wheels at full force.
• Keep a loaded charged cell phone in your call (at all times, in all weather).



• Keep chocolate in your car. It doesn't go bad and if you're stuck it is good to eat.



• Always, always tell people your plans, even if it's just going to the mall for the afternoon. Blizzards can spring up and if no one knows where you are it is a lot harder to find you.



• Keep a flashlight and candle in the car. Light them if you're stranded. Put the flashlight in the rear window if your hazard's don't work.



• If you're stuck on ice, put your car mats under the wheels. The mats will most likely get destroyed, but it almost always works to get you out.



• Keep an extra change of clothes in the car.



• Make sure you have the de-icing washer fluid. That stuff saved my butt yesterday. Our high was 17 degrees yesterday, and I was driving home from our dr. appointments. I got my window full of slush and salt, and it would have frozen if I didn't have the de-icing washer fluid.



• Leave early, or don't rush when you are going to be late! I hate when people fly past me on an icy road and then I end up having to do car acrobatics to avoid them as they slide.



• Make sure you have plenty of staples: bread, milk, etc. Also, make sure there is food to eat in case the electricity goes out and the stove won't work. We found that one out the hard way.



• Have a non-cordless phone. The cordless won't work without electricity



• Keep an extra change of clothes in the car.



• Make sure you have the de-icing washer fluid. That stuff saved my butt yesterday. Our high was 17 degrees yesterday, and I was driving home from our dr. appointments. I got my window full of slush and salt, and it would have frozen if I didn't have the de-icing washer fluid.



• Leave early, or don't rush when you are going to be late! I hate when people fly past me on an icy road and then I end up having to do car acrobatics to avoid them as they slide.



• Make sure you have plenty of staples: bread, milk, etc. Also, make sure there is food to eat in case the electricity goes out and the stove won't work. We found that one out the hard way.



• Have a non-cordless phone. The cordless won't work without electricity.



• Spray all your windows, outside mirrors and lights with de-icer and they are clear of ice the next morning. Worked real well for me last year when we had a little ice storm come through. The info was on the back of the can.
• keep a giant container of cat litter in the trunk to use if I get stuck in a parking lot due to ice. Sprinkle around the tires and back out.