Winter storm emergency kit: 12 supplies for home and car

A winter storm can cut a household off from roads, grocery stores and the electrical grid at the same time. Ice brings down power lines. Snow closes highways and side streets. Delivery trucks can stop running. Once that happens, the supplies already inside the house are the only ones that matter. The time to gather them is before the forecast turns.

That is the purpose of a winter storm emergency kit. It is a planned set of supplies that lets people stay safe, fed, warm and informed through a stretch without power, heat or easy access to help. Most of the items are ordinary household goods. The difference is that they are collected in advance, stored in one place and checked before the cold season starts.

Ready.gov, the federal government's preparedness site, and the American Red Cross offer a planning baseline. Both advise storing one gallon of water per person per day. They recommend at least a three-day supply for an evacuation and a two-week supply for sheltering at home. Food planning starts from a three-day supply of nonperishable items. Those figures give a household a starting point to scale up or down based on how many people live there.

A full plan reaches beyond the pantry. Winter storms bring hazards of their own. A cold house raises the risk of hypothermia. Improvised heating can fill a home with carbon monoxide. Icy steps and driveways cause falls. Drivers can end up stranded on roads that close behind them. Infants, older adults and pets each have needs that a generic supply list can miss.

The 12 slides that follow cover a selection of core categories for a winter emergency kit checklist. They start with sustenance — water and food — then move to light, weather information, first aid and medications. Next come warm clothing and bedding, safe heat sources and the power supplies that keep phones running. The list then covers salt, sand and shovels for outdoor ice. It also includes a separate kit for the car and supplies for people and animals with specific needs. The final slide explains how to store, check and rotate everything so the kit still works when a storm arrives.

Illustration: Quartz

Plan on one gallon of drinking water per person per day, the baseline set by Ready.gov and the American Red Cross. Both advise keeping at least a three-day supply for evacuation and a two-week supply for sheltering at home.

Water sits at the top of a winter storm supply list for a practical reason. Freezing temperatures can burst pipes or freeze service lines, and either one can shut off a tap without warning. Homes on private wells face a second risk. An electric well pump stops when the power goes out. The faucet then runs dry along with the lights.

The amount scales directly with household size. A household of four needs 12 gallons to cover three days. The same household needs 56 gallons to cover two weeks at home. A single adult living alone needs three gallons for the evacuation minimum and 14 gallons for a two-week stay. Rounding up leaves a margin if a storm or its cleanup lasts longer than forecast.

Factory-sealed bottled water is the simplest option to store. It stays sealed until opened, and the cases stack neatly in a closet or pantry. Larger households can use food-grade water containers built for long-term storage. Containers that once held milk or fruit juice are a poor substitute. Their residue is hard to wash out completely.

Placement matters as much as quantity. Water expands as it freezes. A full plastic jug can split in an unheated garage, shed or car trunk. Keep the supply in a heated part of the house, such as an interior closet or a basement that stays above freezing. A cool, dark spot also keeps containers out of sunlight. Store them away from gasoline, paint thinner and pesticides. Plastic can absorb those vapors.

A bathtub filled before the storm arrives creates a separate reserve. That water suits flushing toilets and cleaning rather than drinking. Using it for those jobs leaves the stored supply for drinking and cooking.

Snow piled outside can look like an easy backup, but it is not a substitute. Melting it takes fuel and heat that may be scarce during an outage. Snow can also carry dirt and pollutants. Sealed, stored water avoids both problems.

Illustration: Quartz

A winter storm emergency kit should hold at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food that needs no cooking or refrigeration. Pack a manual can opener with it. A storm can knock out the stove, the refrigerator and an electric can opener at the same time.

Every item should be safe to eat straight from the package, with no heat, no added water and no chilling. That rules out frozen meals, dry pasta, rice and anything that depends on a working oven.

Canned goods are a practical core for the kit. Canned tuna, chicken and salmon supply protein and can be eaten cold. Canned beans, vegetables, fruit and ready-to-eat soups round out the shelf. Pull-top lids remove the need for any tool, though not every product has them.

Dry and packaged foods fill the gaps. Peanut butter, nuts, crackers, granola bars, dried fruit and ready-to-eat cereal keep at room temperature in sealed packaging. Shelf-stable milk in aseptic cartons adds a dairy option that needs no refrigerator before it is opened.

Heavily salted snacks and cured meats raise thirst. That draws down the drinking water a household has set aside. Lower-sodium versions of canned soups and vegetables ease the pressure.

Stock foods the household already eats. A kit built from familiar items is more likely to get used, and less of it goes to waste. Anyone with a food allergy or a medical diet, such as one for diabetes, needs supplies that match those restrictions.

Without a manual opener, a pantry full of canned food becomes hard to reach. A basic hand-crank opener is small and takes up little room. Keeping it inside the food bin, rather than in a kitchen drawer, means it is in place when the power fails.

Disposable plates, cups and utensils help as well. They spare the household from washing dishes when water is limited or the water heater is not working.

Food already in the refrigerator should be eaten before the kit is opened. Keeping refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible holds the cold in longer. That stretches the life of perishables and keeps the nonperishable supply in reserve for later in the outage.

Illustration: Quartz

Flashlights and battery-powered lanterns are the safer way to light a home during a winter power outage. Candles are a fire risk, especially in a dark house full of blankets, layered clothing and people moving around without much visibility.

An open flame can tip over, catch a curtain or ignite a stack of paper. It can also keep burning after everyone falls asleep. A flashlight carries none of those risks. It can be switched off, set down on a bed or handed to a child without a second thought.

A practical target is one flashlight for every person in the household. Shared lights tend to end up in one room, which leaves someone fumbling in the dark elsewhere. A personal light also lets each person move to a bathroom or bedroom at night without waking others.

Headlamps add a hands-free option alongside handheld models. They let a person cook at a counter, read the label on a medicine bottle or carry a child down the stairs. A battery-powered lantern fills a whole room with steady light. That makes it the better choice for the space where the household gathers in the evening.

LED bulbs draw far less power than older incandescent bulbs. As a result, LED flashlights and lanterns run longer on the same set of batteries. That difference matters when an outage stretches across several days and stores are closed or hard to reach.

Spare batteries only help if they fit. Check which sizes each light uses, such as AA, AAA, C or D, and buy extras to match. Keeping the household's lights on one or two battery sizes makes spares easier to manage. Store loose batteries in their original packaging or a plastic case so the terminals do not touch metal objects.

For lights that sit unused for months, remove the batteries before putting them away. Old batteries can leak and corrode the contacts inside a flashlight. A hand-crank flashlight makes a useful backup because it needs no batteries at all. Chemical light sticks are another flame-free option for marking a hallway or a doorway.

Where the lights are kept matters too. Keep a light on each bedside table, near the main exits and in a fixed kitchen drawer. Then anyone can find one within seconds when the power cuts out at night.

Illustration: Quartz

A NOAA Weather Radio that runs on batteries or a hand crank keeps official forecasts and warnings coming after the power, cell network or internet goes down. It gives a household a backup source of storm information that does not depend on the grid.

NOAA Weather Radio is a broadcast network operated by the National Weather Service. Local forecast offices transmit around the clock. The broadcasts cycle through current conditions, forecasts and any active watches or warnings. During winter weather, that includes winter storm watches, winter storm warnings and blizzard warnings for the listener's area.

The broadcasts travel on seven VHF frequencies between 162.400 and 162.550 MHz. A standard AM/FM radio cannot pick them up. Listeners need a receiver labeled for NOAA Weather Radio or one with a dedicated weather band.

The network carries more than weather. Its full name is NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards. It can relay alerts about other emergencies, such as hazardous material releases, alongside its forecast programming.

The radio's role in an ice storm or blizzard comes from its independence. Cell towers can lose power or become overloaded. Home internet stops working when the electricity does. A weather radio needs only its own power source and a signal from a nearby transmitter.

Battery-powered models run on standard cells. Spare batteries in the correct size belong right next to the radio. Hand-crank models generate electricity when the handle is turned. That removes the need for stored batteries during a long outage. Many units offer both options. Some add a small solar panel as a third way to charge.

A tone alert is the next feature to look for. Many receivers sound a tone when a warning is issued, even if the radio has been left silent. That lets a household keep the radio on overnight without listening to continuous broadcasts.

Models with Specific Area Message Encoding, known as SAME, can be programmed with a county code. The radio then sounds only for alerts that affect that area. This cuts down on alarms set off by storms in distant counties.

Set the radio up before the first winter storm arrives. Place it where reception is strongest, which is often near a window. Program the county code and confirm that the local transmitter comes in clearly. Then keep the radio with the rest of the kit so it can be found quickly when the lights go out.

Illustration: Quartz

Every winter storm kit needs a stocked first aid kit and an extra supply of each prescription medication the household takes. Ice and heavy snow can close roads, clinics and pharmacies at the same time. Minor injuries and daily doses may then have to be handled at home.

A basic first aid kit is built around the injuries a storm and its cleanup tend to cause. Adhesive bandages in several sizes, sterile gauze pads, medical tape and antiseptic wipes cover cuts and scrapes. An elastic bandage can support a wrist or ankle sprained in a fall on an icy step. Tweezers, small scissors and disposable gloves complete the basic set.

Over-the-counter medicines belong in the same container. Pain relievers, fever reducers, antihistamines, antacids and antidiarrheal medicine treat common complaints that would otherwise require a trip out in bad conditions. A thermometer gives a household a way to track a fever. A printed first aid guide lays out the steps for treating common injuries without needing an internet connection.

Prescription drugs take more planning than bandages. Refilling them before winter begins, or as soon as a major storm shows up in the forecast, lowers the risk of running out while pharmacies are closed. Some insurance plans restrict how early a refill can be picked up. A pharmacist or insurer can explain what options exist for an emergency supply.

Medications that need refrigeration require their own plan for a power outage. A pharmacist can say how long a specific drug remains usable outside the refrigerator and how to keep it at a safe temperature. Some refrigerated medicines can also be damaged by freezing. That is a concern in a house that has lost its heat.

Medical paperwork belongs in the kit as well. A written list for each person should include current medications and doses, allergies and medical conditions. Adding the names and phone numbers of doctors and the regular pharmacy makes it easier to have a replacement prescription filled elsewhere. Copies of insurance cards belong with that list.

A sealed, waterproof bag protects these papers from melting snow and spills. Spare eyeglasses and contact lens supplies fit in the same bag. Keeping vision aids with the medical records means a person who loses or breaks their regular glasses during an outage can still read labels and dosing instructions.

Illustration: Quartz

Pack enough warm clothing and bedding for every person in the household to stay warm with no heat at all. Loose layers, wool socks, hats, gloves and a sleeping bag or heavy blankets for each person keep the body warm when the furnace stops during a winter storm.

Layering works because air trapped between garments acts as insulation. A base layer against the skin, a middle layer such as fleece or wool and an outer layer that blocks drafts hold heat better than one heavy sweater. Layers can also come off one at a time, which helps prevent sweating. Damp clothing pulls heat away from the body. Staying dry matters as much as staying covered.

Fabric choice changes how well each layer performs. Cotton absorbs moisture and loses much of its insulating value once it gets wet. Wool and synthetic fabrics such as polyester fleece keep more of their warmth when damp. That makes them the better choice for base layers and socks.

Wool socks belong in the kit for every member of the household. Feet lose warmth quickly on cold floors, and cold feet make the whole body feel colder. Two pairs per person allow one pair to dry while the other is worn. Slippers with solid soles or indoor boots add another barrier between feet and the floor.

Hats and gloves round out the clothing supply. A knit hat keeps warmth around the head and ears and can be worn to bed. Mittens hold heat better than gloves because the fingers share warmth. Gloves leave the hands free for tasks that need some grip.

Bedding matters most after dark, when indoor temperatures drop further. A sleeping bag traps body heat more efficiently than loose blankets because it closes around the sleeper. Wool or fleece blankets can go over a sleeping bag or be used on their own. A blanket or foam pad underneath keeps a cold floor from drawing heat away from the body.

The room itself can be set up to hold warmth. Gathering everyone in a single interior room with few windows concentrates body heat in one space. Closing doors to unused rooms keeps warm air from drifting through the house. Heavy curtains, blankets or towels hung over windows cut drafts. A rolled towel along the base of a door blocks cold air from the hallway.

Watch for signs that someone is getting dangerously cold. Uncontrolled shivering, confusion, slurred speech, fumbling hands and unusual drowsiness can point to hypothermia. Hypothermia is a medical emergency that needs prompt care.

Illustration: Quartz

Carbon monoxide is the main hazard when a winter storm cuts power and households turn to backup heat. Generators, grills, camp stoves and charcoal burners must never run indoors. Every home that relies on fuel-burning heat needs a working carbon monoxide detector with battery backup.

Carbon monoxide is a gas with no color and no smell. A person can breathe it without noticing anything wrong until symptoms appear. Early signs include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea and confusion. Someone who is asleep may not wake up at all. The early symptoms can resemble the flu. If a whole household feels ill at once in a closed, heated space, everyone should get into fresh air and call for help.

Portable generators carry particular risk during outages. The CDC advises placing a generator at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents. A garage is not a safe location, even with the door open. Exhaust can build up there and seep into the living space. The same caution applies to a basement, a crawl space or an enclosed porch.

Grills, camp stoves and charcoal burners are built for outdoor use. Running one inside to warm a room or cook a meal can fill the space with carbon monoxide. Opening a window does not make it safe.

A gas oven or stovetop is not a substitute for a furnace. It should never be left on with the door open to heat a kitchen.

Kerosene heaters and fireplaces can provide warmth when the power is out, but both need ventilation. A fireplace needs an open damper and a clear chimney. Having the chimney inspected before winter reduces the chance of a blockage. A kerosene heater needs a supply of fresh air and open space around it. Keep curtains, bedding, paper and other flammable materials well away from any open flame or hot surface. Never leave a heater running in an empty room or overnight while everyone sleeps.

A carbon monoxide detector is the backstop for all of these heat sources. A plug-in alarm without a battery backup goes silent during a power outage. That is exactly when backup heat is most likely to be running. Choose a model that runs on batteries or has a battery backup. Install one on each level of the home and near sleeping areas. Press the test button before the storm season, and replace the batteries as the manufacturer directs.

If the alarm sounds, leave the building immediately and get into fresh air. Call 911 or the local emergency number once outside. Do not go back in until emergency responders say it is safe.

Illustration: Quartz

Fully charged power banks and the right cables keep phones working after a winter storm knocks out electricity. Charge every phone and battery pack as soon as a storm appears in the forecast, while wall outlets still have power.

A phone is often a household's main link to emergency alerts, utility outage updates and family members. Once the grid goes down, that link lasts only as long as the battery does. A portable power bank stores energy that can recharge a phone with no outlet nearby. Larger models can handle several phone charges or a tablet. Capacity is printed on the pack in milliamp-hours. A higher rating means more stored energy.

Cables matter as much as the battery. Check that the kit holds a cord for every device in the home, whether it uses USB-C, Lightning or an older micro-USB port. A spare wall adapter helps once power returns and everyone wants to charge at the same time.

A charger that plugs into a vehicle's 12-volt socket offers a backup power source. Charging with the engine off can drain the car battery, so run the engine in short stretches. Do this only while the car is parked outdoors in open air, never inside a garage.

Cold weather affects lithium-ion batteries, which power nearly all phones and power banks. Low temperatures reduce how much charge a battery can deliver. The effect fades as the battery warms back up. Store power banks inside the main living space rather than in a garage or vehicle.

Stretching a phone's charge buys time between top-ups. Turn on low-power or battery-saver mode and dim the screen. Switching off Bluetooth when it is not in use also saves power. A text message uses less battery than a voice call. Texts also put less strain on crowded cellular networks during an emergency.

A dead phone takes its contact list with it. Write the numbers for family members, neighbors, doctors, the utility company and an out-of-area relative on paper. Keep that list in a waterproof bag inside the kit. Anyone in the household can then reach help from a borrowed phone.

Illustration: Quartz

Rock salt melts ice on steps and walkways, sand or kitty litter adds grip where salt cannot keep up, and a sturdy snow shovel keeps doors and paths open. Buying all three before a storm arrives avoids empty shelves and a trip on icy roads.

Rock salt is sodium chloride, the same compound as table salt in a coarser form. It lowers the freezing point of water. That turns ice into a brine that drains away or breaks up under a shovel. Spreading it before freezing rain starts can keep ice from bonding firmly to the pavement. Loose ice is easier to clear later.

Rock salt works more slowly as temperatures drop. In deep cold, it may barely melt ice at all. Calcium chloride and magnesium chloride are alternative ice melts that keep working at lower temperatures than rock salt. Hardware stores sell them in bags labeled for walkways and driveways.

Salt carries trade-offs. Chloride runoff can harm lawns, shrubs and garden beds that line a path. Salt combined with repeated freezing and thawing can also pit and flake concrete, especially newer or porous surfaces. Spreading only as much as the ice requires limits that damage. Sweeping up leftover granules after a thaw helps too.

Sand and kitty litter do not melt anything. Their job is traction. A thin layer on a slick step or a sloped driveway gives boots something to grip, and it works at any temperature. Non-clumping clay litter is the type used for this purpose. Clumping litter can turn into a slick paste once it gets wet. Both materials get tracked indoors, so a mat inside the door keeps grit off the floors.

A snow shovel keeps a home reachable. Clearing at least one exit means everyone can leave quickly in a fire. It also lets paramedics or utility crews reach the door. A clear path to the nearest fire hydrant helps firefighters if they are called.

Shoveling in stages during a long storm means moving lighter loads than waiting for the full accumulation. Pushing snow rather than lifting it puts less strain on the back. When lifting is necessary, bending at the knees and keeping each scoop small reduces the load.

Heavy, wet snow makes shoveling strenuous work in cold air. People with heart conditions should talk with a doctor before taking it on.

Salt and sand belong in a sealed bucket or bin near the door or in a garage. Damp salt can harden into a solid block that is useless when ice forms. A dry container keeps it loose and ready to spread.

Illustration: Quartz

A winter car emergency kit should hold a blanket, an ice scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, sand or kitty litter, and drinking water and snacks. These supplies help a driver clear a vehicle, get it moving again or wait safely if it gets stuck.

The blanket belongs in the car full time, separate from the bedding kept at home. A stalled vehicle loses heat quickly once the engine is off. A heavy wool or fleece blanket gives a driver and passengers a way to stay warm without burning fuel. Storing it in the trunk year-round means it is already there when the first storm arrives.

An ice scraper with a brush clears frost from the windshield. It also removes snow from the roof, hood, lights and windows before the car moves. Snow left on the roof can slide onto the windshield at the first stop. It can also blow into the path of vehicles behind.

Jumper cables address a frequent cold-weather problem: a battery that will not start the engine. Cold temperatures make it harder for a car battery to deliver power. With cables, a second driver can provide a jump in a parking lot or on a road shoulder. A portable jump starter does the same job without needing another vehicle.

A compact folding shovel lets a driver dig snow away from the tires and from under the car. Sand or kitty litter spread in front of the drive wheels then gives the tires something to grip. Water and snacks that do not spoil cover a long wait for a tow truck or for plows to reach the road.

Fuel counts as part of the kit as well. Keeping the gas tank fuller through the winter leaves a reserve for running the heater during a long delay. It also lowers the chance of running dry while stuck in stopped traffic.

A stranded driver who runs the engine for heat must keep the tailpipe clear of snow. A blocked exhaust can push carbon monoxide into the cabin. Clear the tailpipe before restarting the engine, and clear it again whenever snow builds up around it. Opening a window slightly while the engine runs lets fresh air into the car.

Illustration: Quartz

Infants, older relatives and animals each need supplies that a standard household kit does not cover. Pack a separate set for each group alongside the main kit. Size it to match how long the household expects to shelter in place.

For a baby, formula and feeding gear come first. Ready-to-feed liquid formula comes premixed. It does not depend on a supply of clean water for mixing. Families using powdered formula should set aside clean bottles and a way to wash them. Stock diapers, wipes and diaper cream based on how many the baby goes through on a normal day.

Infants lose body heat faster than adults. Extra layers, hats and footed sleepers help keep them warm in a house without heat. Loose blankets, pillows and quilts do not belong in a crib, even during an outage. They raise the risk of suffocation. A wearable blanket, also called a sleep sack, adds warmth without that hazard.

Older adults face a higher risk of hypothermia. Some may not notice how cold they are getting. A kit for an older relative should include spare eyeglasses, extra hearing aid batteries and any mobility aids, such as a cane or walker. Anyone who uses a power wheelchair should keep a charged backup battery on hand.

Medical equipment that runs on electricity needs a plan before the storm arrives. Oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines and home dialysis machines stop working when the grid goes down. Households that rely on them should ask the equipment supplier about battery backups. Many utilities also keep a list of customers who depend on powered medical devices. A backup location, such as a relative's home with power, gives the household somewhere to go if the outage drags on.

Pets need their own food, water bowls, a leash and a carrier or crate. A collar with current ID tags helps if an animal gets lost during the storm. A recent photo of each pet helps as well. Cat owners should pack litter and a spare box. Copies of vaccination records are useful if the household has to move to a shelter or boarding facility.

Keep pets indoors while the storm passes. Wipe their paws after walks on salted sidewalks. Ice-melting products can irritate the pads of their feet.