With our cold weather, any minor incident has the potential to become a serious matter simply because you are out in the elements

 

That’s why the RCMP recommends you have an emergency winter survival pack in your vehicle.

 

Constable Sandy Deibert (from the Thompson RCMP detachment) spoke to Arctic Radio news and said while that having a pack is really important for many reasons, the most important reason is that help is not always moments away.  

 

Constable Deibert said that when you’re on the highway, “it’s not like in a major city or even (like) in Thompson where if you need help it’s a few minutes away. You could be stranded on the highway for hours in reality, and I want to make sure that people are aware of that. Even with cell phones nowadays you might hit a spot that has no coverage, there may be no other traffic, you need to make sure that you have what you need in your vehicle during these cold weather months”.

 

She went on to say that some of the possible scenarios in which you’d need the kit include sliding off the roadway into a ditch and coming across another motorist who is having an emergency situation of their own. Deibert added that some other possible situations you could find yourself in are losing battery power or rolling a vehicle.

 

When it comes to the kit itself, Constable Deibert suggested that you possibly pack the following items:

 

• Extra outer clothing for every person in the vehicle
  • Toques, boots, mittens, scarves, etc.
  • Constable Deibert recommends that the clothing be kept somewhere accessible so that you don’t have to “sneak into the trunk to get it”
• Sleeping bag
• • With extra batteries
• • Non-perishable, not requiring heating.
• First aid kit
• Road maps
  • Paper maps as your electronic maps may run out of battery
• Matches or emergency candles
  • Constable Deibert recommends opening a window or door if you want to use them.
• Tire chains
• Sand or kitty litter
• • Constable Deibert recommends a small aluminium shovel (or other type of metal) over a plastic shovel.
• Snow brush
• Ice scraper
• Road flares
  • Constable Deibert says that road flares will allow you to be seen by other vehicles and semi trucks who may not stop for you.

 

If you’d like to hear the full interview with Constable Deibert, it will air on 102.9 CHTM as a Thompson Today on Monday, December 3^rd at 12:40pm and again at 5:10pm.