As I type this, the Weatherazzi is getting us all worked up over our forecasted big snow and ice storm of the season tonight. To make your trips to and from work or wherever easier, here's some tips to follow:
First of all, go to the drug store or dollar store and buy a cheap plastic spray bottle, and fill about 2/3 full with good old rubbing alcohol and fill the rest with water. Spray it on your windows, windshield, mirrors, and windshield wipers and the ice will come off effortlessly. While you’re at it, open your car door and spray it on the black door seal so your door won’t freeze. Also, spray your wiper blades. Ice and snow will come off with little or no effort, and your wipers won’t freeze up.
Second, keep a broom in your car during the winter; preferably one with a long handle. Use this to brush snow off of the roof of your car. I hear reports of windshield wipers that quit working because when the car would stop, mounds of snow that had been on the roof of the car slid down the windshield, bogging down the wipers.
Third, and this probably should be first, make sure you have a decent, sturdy ice scraper. Usually once or twice a winter, I see people trying (key word) to scrape ice off of their windows with a credit card. And with the ice forecasted to hit after we get to work tomorrow morning, as a precaution bring your ice scraper in with you as you leave your car and head into the office.
Fourth, and once again, this might need to be first, for goodness sake wear some snow boots in weather like this, or at least take them with you if it's supposed to snow later in the day. Now is not the time to worry about being a fashionista; you need to worry about keeping your feet warm and dry, and more importantly, worry about not falling down and breaking a hip.
Fifth, stop on your way home tonight or else go out later this evening and fill up your car with gas.
Last but certainly not least, take a few minutes today to put together an emergency kit for your car.
1. A couple of blankets
2. Some bottles of water. Wrap some aluminum foil around them before you put them in your car and they will be less likely to freeze. Or else, just put them in a bag and take the bag inside your office when you get there. But remember to bring the bottles with you when you go home.
3. Some packages of peanut butter crackers, granola bars or protein bars
4. If you are crazy and don't wear them in the snow, take a pair of snow boots with you
5. A flashlight with batteries that work
6. Make sure your cell phone is charged up before you go to work and before you leave work to come home
7. A small shovel
8. Remember if you are stuck on the road, only run your car for 10 minutes every hour.
While you’re at it, put together an emergency kit to keep at the office just in case. If we happen to get a lot of snow and/or ice, there are going to be a lot of people that will opt to stay at work instead of trying to get home.
Here's some things you should get together for your office kit:
1. At least a 2-day supply of any prescription and OTC meds that you take daily
2. A pair of sweats in case you have to sleep in your office (you want to be as comfy as you can)
3. A couple cans of soup or something that you can easily heat up in the office lunchroom microwave
4. Your cell phone charger
5. Contact lens saline solution and contact lens case if you are a contact lens wearer
6. Grab one of the blankets that hopefully you will have in your car emergency bag
7. A few bottles of water
You will probably think of other things you'd like to put in your emergency bag, but these are basics that will get you through.
Stay safe.
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