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Emergency Kit For Winter Travel
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Submitted by by
Kim Kinrade
2 year(s) ago
(via
travelmills.com
) |
In almost all parts of the world above the 45th parallel travelers will experience some winter season. This means snow, sleet and slippery roads attributed to a phenomenon called “Black Ice.” This icing of the road occurs just around the freezing mark and puts a slight skim of ice between the road and a vehicle’s tires. When its starts to snow the road surface gets covered so that the ice cannot be noticed until, in many cases, the tires lose their grip.
Even places like Nova Scotia that have comparably mild winters to Norway, Russia and Alberta are not immune to winter hazards. Last week the Cobequid Pass received a freak, heavy, fall snowstorm that stranded close to 1500 vehicles. It started when a few vehicles got stuck and this sent a chain reaction to other vehicles down the steep road. Others that tried to turn around and go back got stuck and soon both lanes were clogged.
To make matters worse there was a breakdown of communication between all the agencies responsible for emergency services including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and emergency centers at both ends of the pass. Despite there being highly-trained search-and-rescue crews within twenty minutes drive of the area complete with snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and first aid capabilities no help came to the beleaguered motorists. The would-be rescuers never got the word because at each end of the pass the local authorities thought the other one was handling the situation even though frantic 911 calls were coming in fast and furiously. Because of this almost 2,000 people spent from 14-16 hours in freezing weather.
This is, of course, is an isolated incident but people could have died up there. For those of you going skiing, snowmobiling or just winter hiking in another country there are some precautions that you can observe that might save a lot of anguish and, in addition, may save your life. This means taking along an emergency kit.
Not too long ago I had a job where I used to drive the highways (and not-so-highways) of northern Canada from the U.S. border to the Yukon Territory and from Victoria, B.C. to Winnipeg, Manitoba. I always carried an emergency kit along with extra, heavy clothing, boots and mitts. And this precaution paid off a couple of times. Once a malfunctioning gas gauge meant had to walk for two hours in –30 degrees Fahrenheit weather. At another time I found a car off the road in a snowy ditch. The occupants claimed I was the first one to come along in 3 hours. As the engine compartment was packed with snow they couldn’t use it to for heat so to keep warm they lit a candle. I learned from them that one candle in an enclosed car will keep the occupants reasonably warm for hours. Also, the calories from one chocolate bar will sustain a person for a long time.
An emergency kit can be as small as a normal gym bag stuffed in the bottom of your suitcase and put through normal baggage. On arrival at the airport you can put it in the trunk of your car rental before you head up into the snowy regions.
1. First Aid Kit: Your standard first aid kit can be bought at almost any drugstore or shopping mall. It contains bandages, scissors, tweezers, disinfectant, etc. This should be kept at the top of the bag so you can get at it quickly.
2. Blanket: Many stores sell a foil type like the ones that emergency services use. For under $5 you can get one of these and they fold to the size of a large napkin.
3. Flashlight: When it comes to flashlights you have a huge selection. It’s whatever you prefer. For emergencies there is nothing like the LED type with the headgear that let you be hands-free. And, of course, make sure you have enough batteries for a prolonged stay.
4. Jumper Cables: If you can drain the battery here you can do it in a foreign country. And even if you don’t speak the language you can always hold up a set of jumper cables and almost everyone will know what you want.
5. Basic Tool Kit: many stores offer a small kit that includes a multi-screwdriver, cutting pliers,and crescent wrench or you can buy them separately.
6. Winter Clothes: You will probably already have these in your suitcase but when you go anywhere in the car bring along an extra winter coat, heavy socks and sweater. Also, pack mitts, not gloves.
7. Ice Scraper: Believe it or not, many car rental agencies don’t stock one of these in the car.
8. Cash: In many places there are no ATM or credit card machines so pack some cash. As of this writing the U.S. dollar is still a world-wide currency.
9. Bag of Candy: Stuff this in your glove box.
10. Candles: 4 emergency types with 3 packs of matches
For those people who think that these precautions are a little extreme there are the occupants of 1500 vehicles once stranded on a road in Nova Scotia that wouldn’t think so.
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