friends. Hug and snuggle for warmth and to keep morale high. When the blizzard stops and it's daylight, display your orange garbage bag, Help signs, tramp HELP in the snow and wait for rescue.
The Worst Case Scenario, or How to Survive The Coldest Night of Your Life!   You're stranded in a night-time blizzard. The temperature is 30 below with howling winds.   You have no survival clothes and no food. The car is upside down with the windows smashed, icy winds whip through and chill you to the bone.  What are you going to do to survive the night?  The priority is heat retention. You may be hungry, but you won't live long enough to starve. Stay with the car. It provides more shelter than your thin wet clothing.   To block the wind, pile snow over the car. Destroy the car's interior if you have to. You can always get another car.  Seats can help block the wind.  Stuff the seat padding, headliner, trunk carpet, or whatever it takes, into your coat for added insulation to keep your torso warm. Hands and feet are secondary. Wrap up in the carpeting, used papers, maps, etc. for more insulation. Make a series of tiny fires with paper in the ashtray, hubcap etc. for warmth. Stay awake, stay moving, stay in the car. Believe you will live, even when you're so cold you don't want to.

You can make it!

Do whatever it takes.  As soon as you're rescued,  you'll build a survival kit.

Don't leave home in winter without it!




Assembling Your Winter Survival Kit

Survival is built on the foundation of your will to live. If you lose hope, you'll die. Never give up. Next in importance is the knowledge needed to survive. Keep this guide with your survival kit. Together they'll help you to survive in relative comfort. Having the kit in your car from October - April is essential. If it's not with you when you need it, what good is it? None. Preparing your kit can be fun for the whole family.  Have everyone select some of the snack foods that go in it. Then pack it up and place it in the car wrapped in a garbage bag to protect it from dampness. Essentials include: HELP sign, blankets or parkas, and warm gloves for all. Calories: High calorie foods that will not freeze, e.g.: granola bars, nuts, chocolates, cookies, and canned cakes. Search the store's shelves for interesting solid foods and stock up. Ignore anything like canned stews, soup, beans, etc.  Any moist food will be frozen solid when you need it.  You need enough for all possible passengers to eat over a 24 hour period.  Plus: Candles, matches or disposable lighter, and a can opener. A small solid fuel stove can melt ice or snow for hot chocolate, etc.  Wrap the stove in a large orange garbage bag and the bag can be used as a flag to attract attention. Keep the kit in the car all winter long.

Avoid Life Threatening Situations in Winter

It is far preferable to prevent a dangerous survival situation than to experience one. Before any winter trip out of town, check the weather forecast and obtain driving condition reports. If a