Baby It’s Cold Outside, Especially in the Driveway!
A few safety must-haves if you’ve gotta get on the road
When Jack Frost gets petulant and wreaks havoc on us with a massive winter storm, all cold hell can break loose, leaving many people very cold, scared, and worse - unprepared. There are often power outages, road closures, car accidents, frostbite and hypothermia cases, and unfortunately hundreds of fatalities every year all due to swirling swarms of winter storms. One of the biggest storms in recent decades happened in 1993, often dubbed The Storm of The Century for its expansiveness, ferocity, and destruction. Stretching from Alabama to Maine, affecting over 40% of the entire American population, and leaving over 10,000,000 people without power, the Superstorm of ‘93 proved yet again that winter storms can be just as brutal as any other natural hazard that we prepare for. They sure are pretty, but quite deadly.
If a winter storm comes to town, the best advice is to just wind down:
- Get cozy with a hot drink, a book, or an exorbitant amount of Netflix
- Stay warm with layers like long-johns, mittens, and a sweater or two
- Stay up-to-date with local and regional emergency alerts on the radio or online
- If you lose power, use a generator to keep things warm and bright. (If gas-powered, only turn it on outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning!)
- Have a snowball fight with your family, but take it easy and make sure to look out for signs of frostbite and hypothermia. (Only play outside in moderation.)
- Make use of your emergency group text chain, and check on your friends!
The thing is, though, many of us lead lives that are just downright busy AF. Sometimes not even massive winter storms can stop us from doing our thing. And depending on your line of work, some of you simply must get on the road no matter what. We get it. That’s why we’re here. So you don’t have to live in any kind of wintery fear.
Whatever your reason to steer onto an icy road out of that snowy driveway, we want you as safe and warm and ready as can be. So we’ve picked out a few of our favorite driveway must-haves in case you look outside and your vehicle has essentially turned into a gigantic ice cube.
Because when the going gets cold, the cold get bold and shop at harbor.
Add these to your wintery wonderland arsenal ASAP:
BASHIK Portable Recovery Traction Mat
Why We Love it: Besides being generally badass, these mats are much safer to use than car chains if your car or truck is stuck in mud, ice, or snow. And did you know that they come with their own bag and pair of gloves too? Plus, it’s water resistant and rust-proof.
Pet Safe Ice Melt
Why We Love It: Beside what’s in the name - pet safe, which is pretty awesome - this stuff is actually harvested in the Dead Sea. Yep, we’re dead serious. The only thing this stuff is toxic to is ice and snow. They do not like this stuff, which is why we love this stuff. Spread it on your driveway to de-winterize a safe path out.
The SNOWPLOW Snow Pusher Shovel
Why We Love It: This one’s a no-brainer. If you’ve got a bunch of snow, sometimes you gotta get your hands dirty - or at least a little icy. With this baby you can push, scrape, and even chop your way through a snowy driveway. It’s definitely a beast, but it’s also safe on all surfaces too.
Oh, and if you’re curious about ways to stay safe for any winter storm that heads your way in the future, make sure you download the harbor app if you haven’t already! You’ll discover not only winter storm safety tips, but also helpful advice for just about any risk or uncertainty you might face.
No matter what, remember:
don’t worry. be ready.