Equipping Yourself for Snowstorm Survival

"AkursedX" (akursedx) 12/30/2015 at 12:13 • Filed to: None

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If you live in an area where large amounts of snow can fall in a very short period of time, you might want to prepare yourself with some items that just might save your life, or at the very least make you a little more comfortable and warm.

I live in Buffalo, NY. Home of the chicken wing, some of the most !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in history, and giant snowstorms. In November 2014 a good chunk of Buffalo and its southern suburbs got buried under 7-plus feet of snow in a very short period of time. The streets and highways were filled with people in stranded cars for significant periods of time. At least 12 deaths were attributed to the storm including two instances where people were found dead in their cars:

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My particular career choice is one that is considered ‘ essential ’. That means when giant storms like this happen, I don’t get to take a snow day. I at least have to make an honest attempt to get where I need to be. That is why I own a 2016 Subaru STi and have a set of Nokian Hakkapelita R2 snow tires on it. That combination provides me with a pretty solid chance at being able to overcome most of what Mother Nature can throw at me.

But I am not stupid. I understand I have little ground clearance and when snow is falling at rates of over 12”/hour, plows can’t keep roads clear. As it gets worse, more and more cars get stuck and/or have accidents which means that plows are at a further disadvantage resulting in worse and worse roads until everything becomes impassable. When things are that bad, pretty much everything gets stuck.

My RX-8 stuck in the driveway last year, and that was after I shoveled it out! I should also note that I wasn’t even in the hardest-hit area. I was on the ‘edge’ of the storm.

Now if you are in your car and become stuck and/or stranded, you have a few options. Hopefully at the very least you are able to get into a parking lot/side street/side of the road (So plows can get through). If you are near civilization, you can make the short trek to a store or a friendly neighbor who might offer you food and warmth (I do find these bad situations bring out the best in people). You can abandon your car and try to find your way home. Or you can call 911 or Triple-A and let them know you are stuck and wait it out. I’m not going to indicate what choices one should make in these situations, but I suggest you think about it and have a plan for what you will do.

Now at the bare minimum, you should carry some gloves, hat, and a small shovel with you in your car. You should also not let your fuel level drop below half a tank ( Something I need to be better at ). If you know a snowstorm is coming, fill your tank. Cars can idle for a long time and as long as it’s running, you should have heat and relative comfort. The gloves and the shovel are also important to keep at least one door free to open and keep the exhaust open so you don’t suffocate yourself.

My magic sack of snow-preparedness!

Now since I know that more than likely I will have to be out in my car during these snowstorms, I have put together a pack with gear that should help me successfully endure a massive snowstorm whether I’m stranded or have to venture out on my own. Now while my pack is designed primarily for just me, I also carry some extra gear (more blankets and clothes) for my wife and kids as well for that rare instance that they get stuck with me in another pack. I used an Oakley Icon backpack and it’s filled to capacity. It weighs about 25lbs and I keep it secured in the back corner of my trunk ready for use.

I keep the snow-pack bungeed away in the corner. The other stuff is work and family-related.

Here’s a list of what it carries (The italics at the end are still things I need to buy):

-Medium weight blanket rolled up

-Reflective emergency blanket

-Underarmour upper and lower base-layers

-2 pairs of gloves and 2 extra hats

-Cold weather baklava balaclava (The comment section made me see my autocorrect mistake)

-Reflective yellow safety vest

-6 Glowsticks

-6 12-hour hand and feet warmers

-2 towstraps and bungees

-Safety whistle/compass/matches combo

-Leatherman and knife

-Lighter

-‘550 Cord (Paracord)

-Ducttape

-1st aid kit with Motrin, band aids, alcohol and iodine pads and quickclot

-Assorted candy that I stole from my kids Halloween stash

-4 packs of granola (3000 calories)

-64oz of water

-Toilet paper

-Small bottle of Jameson Whiskey

-Goggles

-An additional battery pack for my phone.

-Snowshoes

Update: Heavy socks.

All this crap plus a few more things fit in my pack.

If I am alone and stranded I figure there is enough there to keep me warm, fed, and hydrated for 3-4 days with no issues. If I need to venture out, there is enough extra equipment that I can venture off on my own in pretty bad weather and still be comfortable and visible. Plus I have things that will let me at least make an attempt at surviving if I would get stuck out somewhere with no shelter. Not everything I carry is totally necessary, but many of the items can be used for lots of different things (i.e. duct tape and paracord).

I should also add that I carry these things in my car or am wearing these things all the time and they might be other items that you might want to carry in your car if you don’t normally have them:

-Water-resistant, insulated boots

-Shovel

-A couple all weather mats (In case you have to kneel or lay on the ground to dig out)

-A good flashlight (I have a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! with me all the time)

-1-Gallon gas can

Hopefully you never get stranded out in a snowstorm. It’s a very scary situation that can become deadly if you underestimate it. The last bit of advice I have to give is that if you don’t have to go out during a storm, DON’T . Most areas initiate travel-bans and they put them in place for a reason. The less people on the roads means that there are less cars to get stuck, less people to rescue, and it allows the snow-plows and 1st responders to be able get their jobs done much faster.

This doesn’t look like something you want to be in without any emergency gear (Photo courtesy of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

I hope that if you live in areas that are prone to massive snowstorms that you will take some of my advice and make sure you are equipped and have a plan to survive. Even if you aren’t in this type of area, know what potential disasters are prone to your area and try to prepare to handle it.

Stay safe out there and if you can help others, please do.

d15b > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 12:18

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Excellent list. Making it mine, I would add “wool socks”. Because soggy socks sucks.

AkursedX > d15b 12/30/2015 at 12:20

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Good add. I simply forgot about that because I have a bunch of 5.11 cold weather socks that I pretty much wear all the time. I am going to add a pair of them to my pack though, I didn’t put any in there yet.

CB > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 12:20

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Good stuff, although I have to ask: why the whiskey?Is it for celebration when rescue comes, or one last drink when all else fails?

AkursedX > CB 12/30/2015 at 12:24

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Why not both?? In all seriousness. It can be used for a lot of things: Something to take your mind off things, something to warm your insides, an anesthetic, or even as a gift to your rescuer or someone who takes you in.

CB > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 12:31

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Some survival advice: never use alcohol to try to warm yourself up , and using it to take your mind off of things while trying to survive seems a little ridiculous. However, as an anesthetic or a gift to your rescuer, those totally make sense to me.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 12:45

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No list of this sort is complete without:

1. Move somewhere else

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 12:45

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That’s quite a good list. I should probably put together something like this for me.

Round headlight enthusiast > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 12:46

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Oh hey, somebody else from Buffalo is on here! What part of WNY are you?

AkursedX > Round headlight enthusiast 12/30/2015 at 12:57

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I currently live in Lackawanna. Prior to that, I lived in metro-Detroit for 11 years and prior to that I grew up on the East Side of Buffalo in the Broadway Fillmore neighborood.

AkursedX > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username 12/30/2015 at 12:59

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Well prior to moving back home to Buffalo, I lived in Detroit. For some odd reason, no one ever gives me flack about moving back unlike the people who have moved back from Florida, NYC, or the Carolina’s.

Round headlight enthusiast > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 13:00

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Oh hey neat, I’m from up by where Amherst runs into Lockport, also born and raised in the area, and going to UB at the moment.

Future next gen S2000 owner > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 13:11

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-‘550 Cord (Paracord)

-Ducttape

You can fix the world with just these two items. That is a solid list.

WiscoProud > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 13:58

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Growing up in northern Wisconsin, I have seen my share of blizzards, but I have never dealt with anything even vaguely approaching the storm that hit Buffalo last year. Since you have an essential job, is a snowmobile an option? When we used to get buried in, business would continue, but cars would be replaced with sleds. I used to take mine to high school even.

Spoon II > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 14:19

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My only additional recommendation is more toilet paper. Awesome preparedness though

AkursedX > WiscoProud 12/30/2015 at 14:38

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When these types of storms happen, you pretty much see sleds all over. I don’t own one, but if I did, I might use it to get to work. But if it’s that bad, I’m probably not going to make it. And there are enough people around that things will get covered.

If it’s that bad, I’m staying home, trying to shovel out my own house, clearing fire hydrants, furnace vents, roofs, and making sure the many elderly people in my neighborhood are ok and have enough supplies.

WiscoProud > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 14:43

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Fair enough.

BJ > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 15:15

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Great backpack setup!

My pro tip for anyone who lives in an area where snow falls: Put a shovel in the car!

I can’t count how many times I’ve watched people burning up their snow tires - for up to 10 minutes! - trying to get unstuck when 30 seconds with a shovel would have had them on their way...

torque > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 15:28

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This is an excellent list.

One additional item to add (below).

I don’t think even Gorilla tape will be able to repair an under pressure hose (like from your cooling system).

atomicalex > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 15:53

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Great Oppo!

Just did the ice storm trek on Monday, gave the speech to the kids as I was packing our 24hr 3pp kit. Thankfully we didn’t need it.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > AkursedX 12/30/2015 at 21:29

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Wintermute > AkursedX 01/25/2016 at 15:46

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Mmmmmm Cold weather baklava...

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > AkursedX 01/25/2016 at 15:50

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Add this to your emergency pack: one or two contractor-grade garbage bags. Poke a hole in the bottom for your head, and pull it over yourself to trap body heat. They’re brilliant.

crowmolly > AkursedX 01/25/2016 at 15:55

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baklava

I love Greek pastries as much as the next guy but I don’t know if it’s the right food to have in an emergency :)

MaxLat > crowmolly 01/25/2016 at 15:59

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Maybe Balaclava instead of baklava?

crowmolly > MaxLat 01/25/2016 at 16:02

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I know, I’m joking around.

Jemima00 > AkursedX 01/25/2016 at 17:28

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I’m hungry for some cold weather baklava!

Jcarr > AkursedX 01/25/2016 at 17:46

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Cold weather baklava

What makes it different than regular baklava?

I think you mean balaclava :)

AkursedX > Jcarr 01/25/2016 at 17:52

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yeah, I just saw the half-dozen comments I got about that autocorrect. haha

TheHondaBro > AkursedX 01/25/2016 at 18:09

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It still pains me that Percy Harvin signed with the Bills and didn’t stay with the Seahawks. Such a good WR.

AkursedX > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/25/2016 at 20:45

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Not a bad idea. I have a reflective emergency blanket that I would do the same with. But I also carry garbage bags in my car too, but I kept those for junkyard runs. You never know what you might find that you don’t want dirtying up your new car.

sashko > AkursedX 01/26/2016 at 00:09

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Keeping a full gas can inside your car is a bad idea, especially if you decide to take a nap. The fumes can actually kill you.

Blunion05 drives a pink S2000 (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST) > AkursedX 01/26/2016 at 01:35

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Instead of a battery pack, what about a portable external battery charger? I bought one for $13 (it’s now almost $30 without the deal at checkout) in May during a Kinja Lightning Deal. I tested it out and at 100% capacity, it provided 4 full charges for my iPhone 5S.

Perhaps a battery pack may be more ideal for you since you have a second 100% capacity battery right away.

JDMatt > AkursedX 01/26/2016 at 03:23

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This is a very good and realistic list. It errs more on the side of ‘rational person’ and less on the side of ‘doomsday prepper’. I don’t live where it snows, but I just bought a new car and it helps to know what essentials to store in it before it gets cluttered with fast food wrappers and empty water bottles.

pip bip - choose Corrour > AkursedX 01/26/2016 at 03:35

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winter list for me is - nothing at all

why? i live in a country that doesn’t have snowfalls like that.

aneightballandtwohookers > AkursedX 01/26/2016 at 05:12

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Buffalo is a great city to be from. Not the best place for a car guy. Not the best city to actually live in.

-Someone from Buffalo who moved to california

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > AkursedX 01/26/2016 at 09:41

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Learned from the Donner Party I see...

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > AkursedX 01/26/2016 at 09:49

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I wish I had room in my Miata for all this stuff. Something tells me my car wasn't made for snow survival lol. I do keep a folding heavy-duty shovel in the car plus a blanket. And if I am driving somewhere with lots of snow, I probably am prepped for skiing anyways so I suppose I could use my skiis to escape something crazy haha.

TokyoNRose-Wyoming, only a little worse than Colorado! > AkursedX 01/26/2016 at 10:15

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REPRESENT!!! Buffalo pride

AkursedX > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/26/2016 at 11:03

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If you get creative, you can cram a lot of stuff into a small space (That’s what she said). I would suggest finding some type of bag that you can keep in your car comfortably and then just fill it with whatever you think you could use. You might not have everything you need, but anything you can do to extend survival time could be vital.

AkursedX > aneightballandtwohookers 01/26/2016 at 11:04

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Agreed. I spent 11 years in Detroit and while the city is worse, the car scene more than made up for it. If it weren’t for family reasons, I would have never moved back. Although it is a more interesting place than when I 1st moved away,

AkursedX > Blunion05 drives a pink S2000 (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST) 01/26/2016 at 11:06

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Not a bad idea. I still haven’t bought anything in this regard so I will consider it.

AkursedX > sashko 01/26/2016 at 11:07

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That’s why it’s empty. (I guess that wasn’t specified)

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > AkursedX 01/26/2016 at 12:34

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Oh yes, I definitely get creative with all of my space. That is just making a regular grocery run lol. But yeah I certainly could keep a couple more useful items for that scenario. They actually make Miata trunk specific bags to optimize the space, that could be useful.