Winter Safety

It is that time of year again. Winter is upon us. It is that time of year when the temps are super cold as well as we have lots of snow and ice around. Often we don't think about safety. There are a lot of things that you can do to keep you safe this Winter. 

Tip #1: Make sure that you have shoes with tread on them. Boots are preferred in the Winter, but sneakers with a good tread on them is also good. This will keep you from falling down in the snow and ice.

Tip #2: Clean off your porch, deck, sidewalk, and driveway completely. This is a must to prevent slips and falls. Make sure to have ice melt, salt, and wood stove ashes around to melt the ice. I tend to use table salt and ashes mostly to melt the ice. They work great. I mix my salt and ashes together and spread over the ice. This is a trick my Mom taught me and it really does work.

Tip #3: Start your car before you go. Starting your car up  before you leave your house is a excellent idea especially on days when the temps are super low. This is also a great idea if you have snow and ice on the car. It helps to melt that off and save you time in the morning. Also make sure if you have a car that you do not run often that you start it up at least 1 to 3 times a week and run for at least 15 minutes to keep the battery charged. Cars that just sit around tend to have the battery go dead. This is a good year round tip as well.

Tip #4: Keep your gas tank full. This is one I started doing after a friend of my Uncle Woodie's told him about it and then my Uncle passed it on to me. It is said that keeping a 1/2 tank of gas keeps your car weighted in the winter. Keeping a full tank prevents water and ice from forming in the tank. 

Tip #5: Keep a Winter Emergency Kit in your car. This is a tip my Grandpa taught me. He said that it is good to have an emergency kit in your car in the winter in case you get stuck out in the snow. I try to keep mine in the back seat so that I can access it easily. Things to keep in this kit are: a flashlight with extra batteries, first aide kit, gloves, water bottle, duct tape, a warm blanket, kitty litter, cellphone charger, rope or bungee cord,  basic tool kit, rain poncho, anti freeze, tire jack, tire iron, jumper cables, and road flares with a lighter. 

Tip #6: Dress warmly for the weather. That is to say that when you are going out in the winter you need to wear the appropriate clothes. Long pants, thick socks, long sleeved shirts, shoes with treads, a winter coat, gloves or mittens, a winter hat, and a scarf to cover your face. When the temps get really cold it is an excellent idea to make sure your face is covered and also make sure that you don't have any exposed skin. 

Tip #7: Check on the Elderly. Make sure to check on your elderly neighbors during the winter. Make sure that they are warm and doing ok. A visit to their home to check on them lets them know that someone cares about them. It you can't get down their drive way due to snow and ice then see that it is cleared for them. 

Tip #8: If the roads are too bad stay home. If you don't have to go out in the Winter stay home. I know that some people have jobs that prevent them from staying home. If you can stay home do it. Don't break your neck trying to get to that Dr appointment that you can reschedule in the Winter. Most times Dr. Offices will call and reschedule appointments during the Winter when the weather is bad. Make sure to call places like this ahead of time before you go. They may be closed due to the bad weather. 

Tip #9: Prepare for a power outage. Sometimes in the Winter the power will go out. Stay prepared. Have plenty of warm blankets on hand. Make sure that you have clothes at the ready that you can put on so that you are layered up and will not freeze. 

Tip #10: Stock up. I use to think people were crazy going to the store before a storm, but now I think that it is the right thing to do. Make sure you have plenty of food incase you are snowed in for days. You never know how much snow you will get and how long you will be stuck home. 

These are just some of my tips for Winter Safety. I hope that you will take my advice and stay safe this Winter.