Winter weather is here, and with it comes winter road conditions and the possibility that you could get stranded on the road.

Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf tells Raccoon Valley Radio a few tips on what should be included in a winter emergency kit.

“We always talk about the difference between the summer season and the winter season. Well there’s a difference between that emergency kit that ought to be in your car. There’s a lot more to it in the wintertime, you know, by maybe keeping some extra blankets, an extra set of mittens and hats so that if you get stuck, you can change and get your hands into a dry set of gloves or mittens or something like that.”

Besides mittens, gloves and hats, Kempf mentions it’s also a good idea to have extra blankets or a sleeping bag, an extra set of regular clothes and newspapers and plastic bags to use as insulation. He advises to make sure your kit also has non-perishable food items like canned fruit, nuts and other high-energy foods. If you have cans that don’t have a pull tab, a manual can opener is also a good idea.

As for non-clothing and non-food items, Kempf says a windshield scraper with a brush, waterproof matches, sand or non-clumping kitty litter, a metal can for melting snow, and a brightly colored piece of cloth are also good ideas. The scraper can be used to keep the vehicle cleaned off, while the can and matches can help stranded individuals to melt snow for drinking water. Kempf tells Raccoon Valley Radio that eating snow is not recommended, because it lowers your body temperature. He also mentions that the sand or kitty litter can be used to help tires get traction on a solid surface, while the cloth can be tied to the vehicle to help draw attention.