Winter Kits: What's in Your Jeep?

This is what we carry in our Jeep during the winter!

With Spring on hold and Winter Storm Stella arriving tomorrow, I guess it's not too late to talk about Winter Kits for your vehicle.

During the colder months, the ability to self-rescue, rescue a fellow motorist, or wait out in your vehicle until help arrives becomes much more important - being prepared may actually save a life or two.

Winter Car Kits

You should always carry in your vehicle some basic tools, a first aid kit, a flashlight, and your cell phone charger - but during the winter, it's time to ramp things up.

And I'm not saying you should rush out and go on a shopping spree at your local Army/Navy store. You probably have many of the following items already, just not in your vehicle.

And they don't have to be in a huge duffle bag either - all the items shown above fit easily into our Jeep - by spreading things around and utilizing the spaces under seats and in the corners of the trunk.

Here's a great list that I borrowed from MEMA that you can use to start building your own kit:

• Flashlight with extra batteries

• Charged cell phone/automobile charger

• Basic first-aid kit

• Necessary medications

• Pocket knife

• Blankets or sleeping bags

• Extra clothes (include rain gear, boots, mittens, socks)

• High-calorie, non-perishable foods (dried fruits, nuts, canned food)

• Manual can opener

• Container of water

• Windshield scraper & brush

• Fire extinguisher

• Shovel

• Sand/road salt/cat litter for generating traction

• Tire chains or traction mats

• Basic tool kit (pliers, wrench, screwdriver)

• Tow rope or strap

• Battery jumper cables

• Road flares/reflectors/warning lights

• Brightly colored cloth to utilize as a flag

• Road maps

For more tips on safe winter driving, visit the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) site.

Reposted / edited with permission from a Nov 22, 2014 blog.

Photo credit: PatrickOConnor.Info