As the colder weather rolls in for many of us, deadly winter hazards are also on the rise. Protect yourself and your loved ones if you ever get stranded in your car in the cold by packing and carrying a winter survival kit in your backseat or trunk at all times.

Things You’ll Need:

* A Duffel Bag
* A First Aid Kit
* A High Calorie Short-Term Food Supply
* Water
* A Heavy Warm Blanket
* Zip Lock Bag
* Large Sharp Knife
* Flashlight
* Batteries
* Several Butane Lighters
* Road Flares
* Compact or folding shovel

If you ever find yourself stranded in the middle of winter and your car won't start for whatever reason, having a winter survival kit could save your life. It is important to remember that you CAN get hypothermia even when it is NOT below freezing.

In this electronic age most people think that getting stranded just can't happen to them. If your counting on a cell phone or other electronic gadget to save you in this situation, please remember that electronics fail, batteries die, and in some remote locations these gadgets just don't work.

To pack your survival kit begin by gathering or purchasing all of the items on the list. Pack small items such as flares, lighters, high calorie food, and spare batteries in the side pockets of your duffel bag. Place lighters and flares in zip lock bags to prevent wetness.

High calorie food stores should include several candy bars and other high sugar items. These high energy foods will help you to stay warm by providing extra energy to keep yourself warm. People have had to eat stale crackers from their floor boards and ketchup packets just to stay alive. Don't let yourself get to that point, be prepared.

Place a 12 pack of unopened bottled water in your backseat or trunk. Place your first aid kit in the bottom of your duffel bag. Make sure your first aid kit is complete, add in any items or medications that you think you may need. If you are on any prescriptions be sure to have enough extra pills to last up to two weeks.

Place a large sharp knife on top of your first aid kit. A serrated hunting knife with its own sheath would be your best bet. Place your warmest blanket(s) within several large black garbage bags and put them on top. When all items have been placed in your duffel bag, put the bag in the backseat or trunk of your car.

If you find yourself stranded, get to your survival kit as quickly as you can and bring it into the car with you. Shut your doors as you quickly get your road flares out. Set up your flares and return to your car. Try to stay in your car until help arrives. If you have a working cell phone or OnStar, use it. If not sit tight until help arrives. STAY in your car. exposing yourself to the elements even for a short while greatly enhances your risk of hypothermia, even death.

Tips & Warnings

If you frequently travel with loved ones include at least one warm blanket and two large garbage bags for each person that may be in your car at a time of emergency.

Garbage bags can be cut with neck and head holes to create an insulated "shirt". The second garbage bag should be pulled on over the legs. Do not cut the second garbage bag.

Include extra high calorie food for each person that could be in your car. Pay close attention to the young and elderly as they are more susceptible to hypothermia.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, good advice. Just remember everyone- if a road is dangerous, it's not worth the risk!

Thats the best set of advice I had heard for a winter season. Thanks for the advice and also it is important to have hot water always instead of the colder ones.

I don't keep bottled water in my vehicles any more. I have had it freeze and bust open.

Normally when we go somewhere, we pack a small cooler with soda and water. I travel a lot for work and I usually have the following with me.

BOB containing:
Change of clothing
3 pr cold weather socks
3 pr normal socks
3 days worth of assorted food
various first aid items
2 2qt canteens
extra ammo for carry guns
550 cord
extra knife
6 bic lighters
Fuel and flints for zippo lighter
magnesium fire starter
2 emergency space blankets
emergency shelter
sleeping roll

Cold weather gear for working outside
Carhart hooded coat, (normally wearing this)
Hooded zip up sweatshirt (Good for layering)
Carhart bibs
Knit hat that also covers face and neck
thinsulate gloves
cold weather hunting boots

Other clothing packed to cover duration of trip and includes hygiene gear

Cooler packed with soda and water. Amount depends on duration of trip. For long trips, extra is packed in van.

Carried on my person:
carry gun with reloads
multi tool
2 cell phones (one work phone, other is my personal phone)
flashlight (extra batteries are stored in van)
Zippo lighter
Bic lighter
Army P38 can opener on key ring


I am very confident that if something happens (barring a major injury) that I can hole up and wait for help, or even walk out and take care of myself.

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Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

NRA Certified Instructor for Basic Handgun and Personal protection in the Home.
V.F.W. Life Member
NRA Member
U.S. Army Veteran

Five years ago while coming back from CA there was a really big bad storm with a lot of snow and we were stranded of the road for 18 hours.......what did I do? simple, I set up my little tent by the road, took out my small burner and made some hot chocolate and took out my box of cookies......had my small Coleman lamp going my sleeping bag and a good book.

When aid came about six hours later the cop took a look and asked me "Can I move in with you" hahahahahahhhahaha, I did give him a cup of hot chocolate.

Before I went into my tent I place my sea emergency light (on off, on off, on off) on the roof of my pick up so that no one would hit it.

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"To be ready is not"... Ponce

"If you don't hold it, you don't own it"... Ponce

If I'm traveling, I always try to make sure I have supplies. It's just the smart thing to do. My one failure is on a regular basis, while I have a car kit, the batteries and such die and I never think to check it, so just for regular day to day, I'm not as prepared as I should be. Like I said, though, if I'm ever going far from home, I try to follow these kit guidelines to make sure I am prepared. Thanks for the reminders and a few added things I hadn't thought of.

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[url=http:happyfic.blogspot.com]Orry's Orations[/url]

I'm surprised no one mentioned salt (less useful), or gravel/sand. It's pretty useful if you're just a little bit stuck.

Orrymain? I have a hard copy master list that I check and follow every week, like the water in all my kits, I change them every two months and my generators........the ones with gas I run them once a months.......check on all my foods once every two weeks.

Check the batteries in all my emergency bags once a months........batteries in my radiation detectors once every three months.

I have so freaking much that without my master list I would forget, happy to see that it works.

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"To be ready is not"... Ponce

"If you don't hold it, you don't own it"... Ponce

But what happens if you run out of food? Shouldn't you go out there to provide for yourself or your family?

I have the land and seeds plus a big tiller to be able to grow more food........my brother who will be here, from Cuba, in about two months is the farmer.

Besides, the people here grow a lot of stuff and there are vegetables, fruits and steers........my brother wanted to have some pigs but the food for them would cost to much so that I will only buy him some chickens and rabbits.

Remember that my VA Dr. is moving in with me and we can always trade his services for food, his wife was a army trauma nurse and could probably removed a bullet.

I have done everythng that I can think of in order to get ready........

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"To be ready is not"... Ponce

"If you don't hold it, you don't own it"... Ponce