Hi, my name is Nina and I grew up in the snow belt. If you have concerns this may happen again this winter (spoiler: you should), please make an emergency kit BEFORE you need it! Here is what you want for it:
—one flashlight per person in your household, and a pack of batteries per each.
—a battery-operated radio and a pack of batteries for it.
—one gallon of water per person, per day that you expect to need a survival kit. I recommend a five to seven day estimate.
—non-perishable food that doesn’t have to be cooked. Have a seven-day supply on hand. If you want to get fancy, you can keep MREs. If not, I strongly recommend making sure beef jerky is part of your kit—it’s high-protein and contains fat, which will help keep you from feeling all gross and empty-stomached all the time. If you have time to get to the store AND ONLY THEN (the storm is two days out, say), pick up some bread, or make some at home. Power outages are temporary, but PB&J is eternal. If you want to bake like crazy while you have time, go for it. Leftover box pancakes can survive room temperature. Muffins can survive room temperature. Cooking any meat that’s already thawed in your fridge will extend its life and give you a decent meal going into the dark.
—AT LEAST one power brick per cell phone in your home. At the first sign of “oh shit there’s a storm coming,” charge these. Remember they will not hold a charge indefinitely, so you need to be ready to charge them when trouble strikes.
—get some NATURAL FIBER blankets. Cotton, wool, and hemp. The reason: things like microfiber are soft and cozy but are made of plastic and will make you sweat, and that means lost body heat. Natural fiber will let your body breathe. Use your polyester and microfiber to cover windows and stuff gaps under doors.
—NO CANDLES!!!!!!! I don’t care if you like them!!! I don’t care if you saw a thing about flowerpot heaters!!! They are fire hazards and if you fall asleep with one burning in a room full of fabric you are taking your life in your hands!!!
—chemical-activated hand and foot warmers. You can get these at a sporting goods store or online. They work like glow sticks, you snap them or crush them and they get warm.
—if applicable, menstrual products.
—ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and a first-aid kit.
—when you’re aware a storm is coming, charge your power bricks and phones, and begin to prep as the person above me said. You may also wish to fill your sinks and bathtubs with water. Make sure you keep a variety of clothes in the room you plan to inhabit, because it is not heavy, sweat-trapping hoodies you want, but LAYERS. An undershirt under a tee shirt under a sweater under a jacket will keep you warmer than a coat indoors.
—A hair dryer. This is actually for after the power comes back when you need to get outside, because there’s every possibility your doors and windows will be iced shut. A hair dryer will allow you to melt ice without being a fire hazard. Remember if you’re doing this that you only need ONE EGRESS POINT. Eventually your hair dryer will stress out and break if you try to unfreeze everything. Let it take breaks every ten minutes or so, and when you do get your door open (all you need is to unfreeze its edges, fuck the rest), use caution getting outside because there will very likely be a pile of ice under your door. It’s actually best to lay a rug over this and slide out on your butt, then stand when you hit solid ground or snow.
Okay. We’ve covered physical survival. Now let’s cover MENTAL survival, because the lack of natural light you’re about to deal with, plus the stress of the situation in general, is going to take a toll. You want:
—at least two board games, preferably three. If this is a game you’re new to, make sure you have instructions. My family had a no-Scrabble rule for Reasons, so remember you want something you’ll all ENJOY and not try to murder each other over.
—a pack of cards. If you don’t know many multiplayer card games, look up some instructions. Rummy is a good one that you can teach to children and that takes a decent amount of time.
—as many books as you think you’ll want, but at least one per person.
—if you’re a religious person, don’t forget things like your holy book, prayer rug, altar accoutrements, etc. You won’t be able to use fire, but having these items to focus on and ground you will be helpful (and let’s be real, forgetting them can be stressful). If you’re Muslim, I strongly recommend identifying the direction of Mecca from the room you’ll be staying in BEFORE the storm hits, and mark it on the wall. Once the sunlight is gone you may find it difficult to orient yourself on the basis of cardinal directions or normal landmarks.
—you want a decent amount of what my family called “camping games.” Mad Libs, crosswords, sudoku, guessing games, stuff like that. Don’t forget pens and pencils.
—take a little chocolate or candy. Don’t gorge yourself on it, but, you know. Things look shitty, have some comfort. It genuinely helps.
—if you have a creative hobby, grab it when you go to ground. I think I’d go crazy with no phone and no crochet, but if I’ve got one or the other I’m golden.
—make a five-minute phone call every day you can get signal. Yes, you want to preserve battery, but you also want to preserve yourself. Check in with a neighbor, family member, friend, or clergy member. Keep the call brief (you don’t want to overload the infrastructure), but orienting. Confirm the date with the person. Make sure they’re following best practices. CONFIRM YOU WILL CALL AGAIN TOMORROW. Blizzards and extreme cold snaps are deeply isolating. Keep your community. If your emergency radio says otherwise, however, follow instructions.
—this is temporary. It’s frightening, it is a serious reminder of how small you are, it is TEMPORARY. Keep that in mind. It feels like forever. It’s not. I wish I could say more than “good luck.” Just know I’m thinking of you, and hoping with everything it’ll be okay.