PREPARE
FOR COLD
WEATHER
DRIVING
GEAR AND SUPPLIES THAT
WILL INSULATE YOU FROM
WINTER ROAD HAZARDS
BY MICHAEL D’ANGONAM
other Nature is not all pretty
fl owers and warm sunshine.
In fact, she can be downright
brutal, especially as you hit
the road during the winter
months. It’s up to you and your vehicle to be pre-
pared for her aggressive onslaught of killer cold,
treacherous ice and mounds of unforgiving snow.
Your starting point when assembling your mobile
cache of gear, tools and supplies begins with you
and your family’s needs. Survival, especially if
stranded in sub-zero temperatures for an extend-
ed length of time, should be at the top of your
priority list. This means that the basics must be
considered fi rst, such as warmth, food and water.
Without these essentials, your survival clock will
only be ticking downward at an alarming and
life-threatening rate.
After your personal needs are met, it’s time to
think about rescue or getting your vehicle back on
the road. Signal fl ares, fl uorescent dyes, smoke
grenades and large brightly colored banners or
fl ags all assist in alerting others to your predica-
ment, while jumper cables, a reliable snow shovel
and tow ropes can get you moving once again to
your destination or the comfort of your own home.
No matter how certain you are that things only
happen to the other guy, your world is very un-
predictable. What you thought would be a scenic
ride through nature’s picturesque glistening snow
may turn into a fi ght to survive as white begins to
surround and virtually trap your vehicle.58 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE [OCTOBER 2019]