To the editor:

We have had our first measurable snowfall, along with our first 24-hour period with the temperature being below freezing.  Time to look to emergency preparedness, and take some simple measures to be safe and comfortable this winter.

Living in the great state of Alaska in the early 1970s was a good learning experience; weather was not a nuisance but a real danger to life and property. My colleague Mr. Basura and I, both veterans of the Infantry,  can tell you the holy grail of Infantry leadership is that if not attacking, you are preparing for the next offensive action or organizing your defensive position. Except in the arctic, where protecting your folks from the weather came first; if not in direct enemy contact, after protection from the weather, you then concerned yourself with the enemy’s future action. The weather was a greater threat to life than your military adversary.

Now is a good time to do the auto maintenance you have been putting off, things like tire tread, windshield wipers, windshield washer fluid, batterie maintenance and the like.

Now is the time to service snow removal equipment and get a supply of ice melting compounds, salt or ice melt products for future use. If you are an old fart like I am, falls are a real danger to life and limb. As we age our bones lose density; add in medications like cancer drugs that degrade bones and falls are a real danger.

Stocking up on medications and other needs will enable you to put off trips out in dangerous weather. Some nonperishable foods will also allow you to postpone a trip to the store until the weather improves.

Things like canned/dehydrated soup are nutritious, inexpensive and have a long shelf life. Toss in the cart a can or six along with a box or two of crackers next shopping day, and you are set in bad weather to wait until the streets are cleared. If so inclined you can purchase other canned or dried items for a longer period of bad weather or even disasters.

Power loss is a real possibility, so securing fresh fuel and servicing a generator can save a headache or two.

Keep an eye on the weather; better to plan around bad weather than venture out into it.

In my last column on preparing for bad weather, Mr. Basura noted the value of emergency candles at home and in your vehicle. He is correct; a simple candle provides heat and light, $8.00 on Amazon. An emergency mylar blanket is cheap  ($5.00) and small; toss one or two in your glove box. They take up as much space as an old-fashioned folded map and when used properly will keep you 20 degrees warmer.

In cold weather keep dry; hypothermia sets in eight times as fast if you are wet. If you are shivering, it is time to get warm as soon as possible, do not wait.

Stay away from alcohol in the cold. Do not eat snow, even if thirsty; it will lower your core temperature. A plastic bag with snow in it placed in an outside coat pocket will melt and allow it to be consumed safely. Add a zip-lock bag to your candle and blanket.

It is easy to enjoy harsh weather from the inside looking out,  and you do not have to venture out into it.

Stay safe and be careful.

Robert M. Traxler, Dorr, MI Also known as “Army Bob”