Survival kit for winter driving:
- Coffee can or other empty and clean food can
- 60-inch length string (cut into 3 equal pieces - used to suspend can)
- 3 large safety pins (tie string to safety pins and pin to car roof interior to suspend can over candle)
- 1 candle 2" diameter (place on lid under suspended can for melting snow). Canned Sterno will also work to heat water.
- 1 pocket knife, reasonably sharp (or substitute with scissors)
- 3 pieces of bright cloth 2" wide x 36" long (tie to antenna or door handle)
- Several packets of soup, hot chocolate, tea, bouillon cubes, etc. (mixed into melted snow to provide warmth and nutrition)
- Plastic spoons
- Packages of easy to eat, high energy foods like peanuts and candy or canned, ready-to-eat soups or fruit
- 1 pair of socks at least 80% wool and 1 pair of gloves or glove liners
- Cotton is not recommended, it provides no insulation when wet (cotton kills)
- Extra extreme cold weather
- Extra clothing
- Winter sleeping bag
- Blanket 100% wool
- 2 packages of book matches
- Windproof lighter
- 1 sun shield blanket or 2 large green or black plastic leaf bags (to reflect body heat)
- 1 flash light and batteries (keep separate)
- First aid kit
- Toilet paper and sealable container for bathroom purposes
- Fire extinguisher
- Small tool kit
- Ice scraper/snowbrush
- Shovel
- Sand or other traction aid
- Tow chain Heavy Duty
- 20 ft x 3 in.Heavy Duty Recovery Strap (rated at 2-3x the weight of your vehicle)
- Jumper cables
- Charged jump box
- Tire plug kit
- Spare tire valve caps
- Spare tire valve cores
- 12vdc 150 lbs air compressor
- Road flares or warning lights strobe
- Gas line antifreeze
- Large plastic garbage bag
- Pencil stub and paper
- Plastic whistle
- Cellular phone with a charger
-
Plastic traction mats
- Map / Road Atlas
- Phone contact list and addresses (hardcopy)
- Roll of high quality duct tape (Gorilla tape or equivalent)
- 6 mil clear plastic sheeting (in case you break a window or more when you slide off the highway)
Place the survival kit in the passenger compartment in case you go into a ditch and cannot get to or open the trunk. Put all items in a plastic storage container and place in vehicle when traveling starting in mid-October.
