What to keep in your car

For automobiles: there are some specific things to keep in the car either for emergencies or for inclement weather, especially when we start another unpredictable winter in New England:

• Your name, address, phone, work and home, emergency contact numbers and your physician's name, address and phone. You may want to include your date of birth—this can be a written list you keep on your person
• Window brush and/or scraper
• Bag of icemelt (cheap brands don't work as well)
• Roll of paper towels
• Small shovel— can have the fold up handle or be a child's plastic shovel
• Car cell phone charger, if you have a cell phone
• Flashlight with batteries and make sure it is in working order
• Portable radio with batteries
• Emergency lights
• A few plastic forks, spoons and knives, bendable straws
• Maps of the areas you travel the most
• An extra fleece coat or jacket because fleece keeps you warm
• Extra pair of gloves
• Warm hat
• A few bags of dried food that has a long shelf life
• Emergency blanket such as a sheet of mylar that is lightweight but can keep you warm. It might be a good idea to include one in the emergency kit for your home
• First aid kit comprising the following items:
  • Large sterile gauze pads
  • Paper tape in a wider size so it can be can into smaller pieces if necessary
  • Scissors (to cut clothes, gauze etc.)
  • Assortment of stiri-strips and band aids
  • Ace bandage
  • Aspirin
  • Face mask
  • Benadryl for itch and allergy relief
  • Non-latex gloves (preferably several pairs)
  • Pain medicine if you have extra
  • Something to make a tourniquet
  • Drinking water
  • Small but warm blanket
  • A tarp
  • Hand warmers that when snapped, heat up
  • Whistle—so people can find you