Winter is coming... Are you ready?

By Tim Gamble

(Become a Dystopian: Click here to join the free email list!)

Winter 2024/25 is almost here, and with it comes winter's own set of preparedness concerns. Here my annual quick look at winter preps.

Winter First Aid

Winter has its own set of first aid concerns, I highly recommend you review the article I posted yesterday on Winter First Aid (article link). In it, I discuss The Anatomy of Body Heat (and how to maintain your core temperature), the Symptoms & Treatment of both Frostnip and Frostbite, Hypothermia Signs and Treatment, First Aid Courses and a handbook recommendation.  

Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter

• Inspect your tires and make sure they are in good shape.
• Don't forget to inspect your spare tire! Make sure you have all the tools you need to change a flat tire. 
• Inspect your wiper blades. Change them if needed.
• Make sure the anti-freeze level is appropriate for your location (a local mechanic can help you with that if you don't know).
• Inspect/test your battery, especially if it is more than four years old.
• Check all fluids and catch up on any routine maintenance to prevent breakdowns.

Make sure you have an emergency kit in your vehicle, including items such as some food and water, first aid kit, flashlight, extra batteries, extra motor oil, and jumper cables (Amazon link) or battery starter (Amazon link). Warm gloves and head coverings, such as a wool toboggan (Amazon link) or a full Balaclava (Amazon link) are also recommended in cold weather. You should keep a bag with extra socks, gloves and toboggans in your vehicles, just in case.  A warm blanket (Amazon link) also makes a good addition to your vehicle kit, as is a way to recharge your cell your phone (Amazon link) .

Note: Many folks get the shortest jumper cables possible in order to save a few bucks. However, its not always possible to park both vehicles that close together. Jumper cables are not that expensive, so go ahead an spend a few extra bucks to get a set that will be long enough to actually be useful. I have a 16-foot set of jumper cables in both my vehicles. 

Other Winter Survival Tips

• Inspect/clean your chimney and wood stove pipes.
• If you use firewood, make sure you have enough to last you all winter.
• Don't let fallen leaves pile up against your home (fire hazard).
• Clean out gutters after the leaves stop falling (safety issue).
• Turn off and/or cover outside faucets and watering systems.
• Make sure your home food and water storage are topped off in case winter storms leave you homebound for a period of time. Same goes for any medications you take.
• Stock up now on OTC medications for Cold and Flu season.
• Keep your gas tank topped off. Running out-of-gas is not a good idea in freezing weather.
• Update your bug-out bag for winter: include dry socks & underwear, gloves, head/neck coverings, poncho, emergency or reflector blanket, and make sure you have plenty of matches, lighters, and/or fire starters. 
• A cold weather sleeping bag/system (Amazon link) is highly recommended for winter months. 

Keep Prepping!!!

Don't stop your prepping just because Trump won. Wars are raging in Europe and the Middle East, and China still wants Taiwan. North Korea and Iran are still developing their nuclear program. Supply chain problems and inflation are still real, as is the national debt of over $35 trillion. And don't think for one moment that the Left and the Never-Trumpers are giving up their opposition. We still face all these and other problems. 

Food needs to be a top priority. As many others are saying, "stock food to the rafters." Same goes for other types of supplies you use regularly: cleaning supplies, personal hygiene supplies, paper goods, OTC medications, vitamins and supplements, batteries, and even shoes and clothes. 

Take security seriously. Crime, including violent crime, is still rising across the country. Police departments are underfunded and understaffed. Woke District Attorneys across the country are incredibly soft on crime. And the millions of illegal immigrants and unvetted "refuges" that are already here only make matters worse. The new reality is that you have to be responsible for your own security and that of your family. 

Get your concealed-carry permit if it is legal in your area, and carry! Take a good self-defense shooting course (shooting under stress at a moving target that shoots back at you is vastly different from leisurely shooting a fixed target at the gun range). Your local gun shop should be able to tell you where to get training. I also suggest most people double or even triple the amount of ammo you have on-hand, as ammo is already getting hard to get.

Everyone in your family or group, regardless of their age, should also take a non-lethal self-defense course. A good self-defense course won't just cover the physical aspects of self-defense, but also give tips and advice on avoiding dangerous situations in the first place.

Security isn't just about guns & ammo, but also about hardening your home, security doors, dead-bolt locks, exterior home lighting, avoiding bad areas of town, practicing situational awareness, exercising commonsense, and many other things less exciting, yet probably more important, than guns.  

---------------------------

Ad: The fine people at Refuge Medical (my affiliate link) are currently running a deal ($10 off the regular price) on the Basic Vitals Set, which includes a digital thermometer, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and pulse oximeter. Price and availability could change at any time, so act fast on this great deal!