Information from Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), and the National Weather Service (NWS)

Make sure you have an emergency supply kit in your car - If you slide off into a ditch and are stranded during a storm, food and other items in your kit could help keep you and your family safe until emergency help arrives.

The emergency vehicle kit should contain items such as flashlight, first aid kit, booster cables, emergency flares, water and snack food along with extra gloves, hats, scarves and blankets. In addition, make sure you have a shovel and a bag of sand or kitty litter to help provide traction if you get stuck.

In addition to getting your vehicles winterized and putting together an emergency vehicle supply kit, now is also good time to get your home ready for the cold months ahead. Put together an emergency preparedness kit for your home that contains a three-day supply of non-perishable food and water in case there is no power during a winter storm. Also make sure your flashlights have new batteries and you have a NOAA Weather Radio to receive any emergency alerts.

More information from ready.gov

911 tips:

* If possible, call 911 on your cell phone. Provide your location, condition of everyone in the vehicle and the problem you're experiencing.
* Follow instructions: you may be told to stay where you are until help arrives.
* Do not hang up until you know who you have spoken with and what will happen next.
* If you must leave the vehicle, write down your name, address, phone number and destination. Place the piece of paper inside the front windshield for someone to see.
Survival tips:
* Be easy to find: Tell someone where you are going and the route you will take.
* If stuck: Tie a florescent flag (from your kit) on your antenna or hang it out the window. At night, keep your dome light on. Rescue crews can see a small glow at a distance. To reduce battery drain, use emergency flashers only if you hear approaching vehicles. If you're with someone else, make sure at least one person is awake and keeping watch for help at all times.
* Stay in your vehicle: Walking in a storm can be very dangerous. You might become lost or exhausted. Your vehicle is a good shelter.
* Avoid Overexertion: Shoveling snow or pushing your car takes a lot of effort in storm conditions. Don't risk a heart attack or injury. That work can also make you hot and sweaty. Wet clothing loses insulation value, making you susceptible to hypothermia.
* Fresh Air: It's better to be cold and awake than comfortably warm and sleepy. Snow can plug your vehicle's exhaust system and cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to enter your car. Only run the engine for 10 minutes an hour and make sure the exhaust pipe is free of snow. Keeping a window open a crack while running the engine is also a good idea.

It is also important to check and winterize your vehicles before the winter season begins. Make sure your car’s battery is in good shape – cold temperatures can reduce the effectiveness of a battery by 50 percent. Make sure your tires are suitable for winter driving conditions.

Happy Thanksgiving!

To all the stores open today. Phooey on you. If you're out shopping today, don't pout when your family has moved on.

Be thankful for today, everyday.

I am so far behind on my backups. Having lost two drives in a year, you would think I would know better.

Too much going on and not enough time. I forget how important backups are unless I do not have them and a hard drive fails.

So, my word of the day is : backup.

Keep a Winter Emergency Kit in Your Vehicle

Carry a winter storm survival kit in the back seat of your vehicle (in case your trunk jams or is frozen shut) that includes:

* Blankets or sleeping bags
* Extra hats, socks and mittens
* Flashlight with extra batteries
* First-aid kit
* Shovel, booster cables and windshield scraper
* Water and high-calorie non-perishable food(raisins, candy bars, energy/protein bars)
* Sand or cat litter to use for traction
* Cell phone adapter