Be Prepared: Winter With Your Kids

from the Shine Newsletter, Winter 2006

Before you leave the safety of home this winter, take time to equip your car with these essentials you need in case of an automobile accident or emergency.

Think that just because you carry a cell phone, you’re well prepared to handle a broken-down car or other automobile-related incident? Think again. Even if your cell-phone battery is fully charged, you and your children could possibly find yourselves waiting several hours in winter weather for help to arrive.

According to the Denver Office of Emergency Management, the best way you can survive an emergency is with a winter emergency kit that contains a blanket or sleeping bag, extra clothes (including rain gear, mittens and socks), nonperishable food and a manual can opener.  Your winter emergency kit should also include:

• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Basic first-aid kit
• Drinkable water that isn’t frozen or can be thawed
• Necessary medications

“Along with having an emergency safety kit, double-check that everyone in your family is properly restrained before travel begins,” says Jim Savage, child passenger safety coordinator at The Children’s Hospital. “Parents should always buckle up to set a good example for kids."

“When traveling in the winter, parents must take extra precautions to ensure their children are buckled up safely,” says Savage. “Make sure bulky winter clothing doesn’t interfere with the snug fit that the child safety restraint must provide. For little ones, it’s a good idea to keep the car seat warm until your child is ready to ride because the cold temperatures can rob your child of body heat.”

For more on winter travel safety, visit www.cotrip.org .