As preppers we should always be ready for anything right? Well yes, of course, but it never hurts to double check!
Today’s preppers, or even the sheeple, have the advantage of a communications infrastructure never seen before. This is especially true for weather related disasters. Everyone has a portable listening device, I mean smart phone, with them at pretty much every moment of their lives these days and there are alerts and warnings being sent out for almost every possible weather related issue you can imagine.
This communications infrastructure give us the advantage of advance notice in most cases which allows us to double check our preps. Sure we should always be ready, but life just doesn’t always work that way. Even if you are as prepared as can be, it never hurts to double check a few things. This is especially true for winter storms.
Making a checklist to follow when bad weather is expected can make your post storm life better. Don’t commit this to memory alone, actually write it down and make copies and PHYSICALLY go through it with a pencil and check things off the list as you go along. That’s why it’s called a checklist. We can all forget things or get distracted now and then.
A winter storm checklist will be different for everyone, but here are a few categories you can start with and personalize depending on your plans and preps…
Heat – make sure your backup heating system is ready to go. This might mean bringing in more firewood, testing propane or kerosene heaters, or checking your furnace backup power system. You may also consider putting an extra blanket on the beds, or be ready to close off sections of your home that will not be heated. For fuel based heaters, make sure you have enough fuel on hand to last.
Light – Man it really gets dark early in the winter. Lighting will be a high priority. Check that lanterns, flashlights, etc. all work and have enough spare batteries. If using fuel based lighting such as propane or white gas camping lanterns, make sure you have enough fuel and some spare mantles or wicks.
Cooking – A hot drink or warm bowl of soup is going to be a welcome sight after shoveling all that snow. Check your camp stoves and again, fuel reserves. If you plan on using a rocket type stove, make sure you have the small wood needed to use it.
Power – If you have a generator, now is the time to give it a test run. You don’t want to discover a cracked fuel line or gunked up carburator when you need it to work. If you have a solar system in place you may want to top off the batteries while grid power is up as you may be in for a few days of grey skies. Again, double check your fuel reserves.
Outdoor Tools – Check your snow blower, remembering fuel. Also, it’s a good idea to give those snow shovels a once over for cracked handles or broken blades.
Home Inspection – Give your house a once over from the outside. Look for weak or loose roofing, dangerous steps, or overhanging tree branches. Dealing with this now can make the difference.
Top Off Supplies – make sure you have enough fuel in your vehicles and stored for appliances. Now would be the time to get a few extra bags of ice salt, sand, calcium chloride, anti skid stones, batteries, etc. Put anything you found lacking in the checklist to the shopping list and go get it now before you can’t get to Costco!
Whatever your plans are, making a checklist can help avoid nasty surprises. Customize your checklist to suit your needs and preps, and most importantly, USE IT!