Winterize Your Vehicle
Winterize Your Vehicle
You may have prepared your home for winter weather; now it’s time to prepare your car. Seasonal changes also mean changes to your emergency supply kit. America’s PrepareAthon! encourages you to update your vehicle’s emergency kit with several items, including:
A shovel Jumper cables A bag of sand/cat litter Warm clothes First Aid Kit
Water/snacks Blanket Ice scraper/snow brush Flashlight Flares
Avoid many dangerous winter travel problems by planning ahead. Before you hit the road, have a mechanic check items on your vehicle, including: Antifreeze levels – ensure they are sufficient to avoid freezing Battery and ignition system – terminal should be clean Brakes – check for wear and fluid level Tires – make sure they have adequate tread and inflation For more ways to prepare your car for winter weather, check out the How to Prepare for a Winter Storm guide from America’s PrepareAthon! SNOW SHOVELING: OVEREXERTION AND INJURY Snow shoveling can be hazardous. More than 10,000 people visit emergency rooms each year due to overexertion and injury from snow shoveling, including strains, cuts, and fractures from slipping and falling. Nearly 100 people die every year from heart attacks brought on by shoveling snow. Use caution, take breaks, push the snow instead of lifting it when possible, and lift lighter loads. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The following resources and websites can help you further prepare for, respond to, and recover from a winter storm. CDC Winter Prevention Guide http://emergency. cdc.gov//disasters/winter/guide.asp; Winter Driving Tips www.nhtsa.gov/links/WinterDrivingTips; Winter Storms…The Deceptive Killers www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/resources/ Winter_ Storms2008.pdf; Winter weather watches, advisories, and warnings can be found at www.weather.gov
You may have prepared your home for winter weather; now it’s time to prepare your car. Seasonal changes also mean changes to your emergency supply kit. America’s PrepareAthon! encourages you to update your vehicle’s emergency kit with several items, including:
A shovel Jumper cables A bag of sand/cat litter Warm clothes First Aid Kit
Water/snacks Blanket Ice scraper/snow brush Flashlight Flares
Avoid many dangerous winter travel problems by planning ahead. Before you hit the road, have a mechanic check items on your vehicle, including: Antifreeze levels – ensure they are sufficient to avoid freezing Battery and ignition system – terminal should be clean Brakes – check for wear and fluid level Tires – make sure they have adequate tread and inflation For more ways to prepare your car for winter weather, check out the How to Prepare for a Winter Storm guide from America’s PrepareAthon! SNOW SHOVELING: OVEREXERTION AND INJURY Snow shoveling can be hazardous. More than 10,000 people visit emergency rooms each year due to overexertion and injury from snow shoveling, including strains, cuts, and fractures from slipping and falling. Nearly 100 people die every year from heart attacks brought on by shoveling snow. Use caution, take breaks, push the snow instead of lifting it when possible, and lift lighter loads. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The following resources and websites can help you further prepare for, respond to, and recover from a winter storm. CDC Winter Prevention Guide http://emergency. cdc.gov//disasters/winter/guide.asp; Winter Driving Tips www.nhtsa.gov/links/WinterDrivingTips; Winter Storms…The Deceptive Killers www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winter/resources/ Winter_ Storms2008.pdf; Winter weather watches, advisories, and warnings can be found at www.weather.gov
