Winter Travel Emergency Kit

Helpful Emergency Items

Now that you have your emergency staples and bare-bones survival items ready, it's time to consider some extras.

Purchase the largest trash bags you can find (some stores sell drumliners) and duct tape to use for a variety of purposes. If your window is broken, you can seal it with the bag and duct tape. Or cover your sleeping bags to add an extra layer of insulation and to keep your blankets dry. The uses for garbage bags are endless.

Pack games and small toys within your survival kit to keep kids busy and alleviate some of the stress and boredom that they might experience while waiting for help to arrive.

Remember that although a cell phone may seem an obvious choice in a survival situation, service is not always available. Be sure to charge your phone before you leave so you have plenty of battery for your trip.

Packing Your Supplies

Place your basic and extra supplies—including a few bottles of water, granola bars, first-aid kit, plastic bags, games, maybe even a thin blanket or two—in a plastic, sealable container. Keep this in your vehicle at all times. Rotate and replenish any items in the kit every six months or so (Lundin points out that your kids will help remind you if you say they can have the candy bars inside). For longer trips, pack extra water and blankets.

Consider sliding extra emergency supplies under a seat versus in the trunk of the car for easy access.