taking advantage of another snow day...





This past Thursday (after a particularly hectic Wednesday drive home) I decided to take advantage of the 14th major storm to hit the Lower Mainland this winter and I took the day off of work. Rather than contribute to the mayhem that the unexpected snowfall seemed to have created, I took the opportunity to spend the day with my 3 year old Jack. After we dropped his brother off at kindergarten, we spent the day exploring Vancouver-Hastings on foot and we had a blast (albeit a cold one).

I woke up that morning with BC Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon on the radio encouraging those motorists that didn't have the luxury of staying home (like me) to at least make sure that their tires were suitable for the conditions and that their gas tanks were full before heading out. Seems like common sense to me (admittedly I'm probably pretty close to needing new tires myself), but pretty good advise none-the-less.


So... In keeping with my current theme of promoting emergency preparedness in the home (I've talked in past posts about the importance of a plan and given some ideas for emergency kits in the home), Minister Falcon's advise reminds me that a good plan should extend beyond our houses. Given the bizarre, record breaking weather that we've been faced with in 2006 and the beginning of 2007 it may be wise to consider keeping a bit more than good tires and full gas tanks with our cars. In ours, we've stashed a small rubbermaid container under the seat that contains:

1. A first aid kit.
2. A few simple tools (adjustable wrenches, screwdriver, pliers etc.)
3. A couple of fleece blankets.
4. Water.
5. A flashlight.
6. Non-perishable snacks (granola bars).


We also have a couple of bags of sand, spare containers of oil, window washer fluid and other things that could become necessities, that will hopefully ensure that we are ready for most potential situations. Your car kit doesn't have to be complicated and it doesn't have to take up a lot of space. It can be tailored to suit the type of driving and distances that you have to travel, but keep in mind that even the shortest trips could turn into major excursions depending on what Mother Nature decides to throw at us next.


Hopefully we will never need to use the stuff that we've packed in an emergency, but I feel better knowing that it is there.