Ready for winter?
Prepare at Home
Packing a small emergency kit and keeping it in a safe place at
home will stand you in good stead in a wide range of emergency
situations. Your kit should be kept in a waterprof bag and it
should include:
- Battery radio with spare batteries or a wind up radio (so you
can be communicated with if the electricity supply is
affected).
- Battery torch with spare batteries or a wind-up torch.
- First aid kit.
- Note of local radio station frequencies and important phone
numbers.
- Copies of important documents like birth certificates,
insurance policies and your household
emergency plan.
- Bottled water and ready-to-eat food that won't go off, with a
can opener if required (remember to use or discard food and water
before its 'best before' date, and replace it with new
supplies).
- Spare keys to your home and vehicle.
- Spare glasses or contact lenses.
- Toiletries and details of important medicines.
- Pencil and paper, penknife, whistle.
- Pet supplies.
If you have to leave your home, and there's time to gather them
safely, you should also think about taking:
- Essential medicines.
- Mobile phone and charger.
- Cash and credit cards.
- Spare clothes and blankets.
- Games, books, a child's special toy.
- Pets.
Prepare for the road
For peace of
mind always carry an emergency kit in your vehicle.
Your emergency kit should include:
- First aid kit.
- Battery jump leads.
- Map for unplanned diversions.
- Torch and spare batteries.
- Blanket.
- Reflective warning sign.
- Food and drink which will last.
In winter you should also take:
- Warm winter clothing (including boots).
- Ice scraper and de-icer.
- Shovel for snow.
- Food and a warm drink in a flask.
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Plan ahead
You can't stop bad weather, but if you have to make a journey in
difficult conditions then it pays to be prepared.
If you're taking public transport then check
out Traveline - tel
0871 200 22 33 - to see if there are any delays or disruptions
to services. But if you are planning on using your own
transport:
- Consider public transport as an alternative.
- Check the forecast and road conditions, make sure your radio is
working so you can receive weather and traffic warnings.
- Think about alternative routes.
- Tell someone where you're going and what time you expect to be
there or back.
- Allow extra time for your journey.
- Fully charge your mobile phone.
- Make sure your vehicle's ready for a journey in winter
weather.
- Think about getting winter tyres. (you may need to inform your
insurance company of this change, please check).
