Emergency car kits - what to bring

Kurt Clemens, the Public Health Inspector for the municipality offers these year-round tips for drivers.

It is important to be safe while out on the roads. Practicing good driving habits is not the only step to staying safe. It is also important to ensure that you and your vehicle are prepared.

One part of being prepared is to ensure that your vehicle is equipped with an emergency kit. A vehicle emergency kit will ensure you have useful supplies to take care of yourself if you are stranded or stuck. You should ensure your car is prepared to handle emergencies all the time, but it is particularly important in winter because the risks are high and there are a few extra things you will need to consider. The following is a list of things you should do to keep your vehicle prepared year-round:

• Keep food that won’t spoil, such as energy bars, in the vehicle
• Keep water in the vehicle in plastic bottles so they won’t break if frozen (change every six months)
• Keep a blanket and extra clothing and shoes in the vehicle
• Keep a first aid kit with a seatbelt cutter in the vehicle
• Keep a wind–up flashlight in the vehicle
• Travel with a cellphone
• Keep a whistle in the vehicle in case you need to attract attention
• Keep roadmaps in the vehicle.
• Keep antifreeze/windshield washer fluid in the vehicle
• Keep a tow rope and jumper cables in the vehicle
• Keep warning lights or road flares in the vehicle
• Keep a fire extinguisher in the vehicle

The following is a list of extra things you should do to prepare for winter driving conditions:

• Keep a small shovel, scraper and snowbrush in the vehicle
• Keep sand, salt or cat litter (non-clumping) in the vehicle
• Keep a candle in a deep can and matches in the vehicle