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Winter is just around the corner and are no predictable ways of knowing precisely what you will need to see you through until spring, you can put together a winter survival plan. When the forces of nature suddenly wage war against you often are bordering on panic and are not thinking straight. This article will guide your thinking toward possibilities for winterizing your home and how to plan for the occasional storm, power outage, blocked roadways, lack of communication and flood.

Of course you know it's nothing personal, the wind blows where it blows, rivers rage and run headlong wherever force and gravity dictates and ice and snow form whenever the conditions are just right. Still, you need to be mentally functionally and up to the task of survival.

You home is your fortress and hopefully it is strong and sturdy and all natural forces such as trees planted to block the force of winds, expert insulation, will protect you against the ravages of winter storms and blizzards. Plan if possible, for the impossible or more likely, the improbable. Annually you must recheck and restock your supplies and amend - if necessary - your plan. The particulars will depend on where you live. In the United States you can check out FEMA for ideas on how to set up a workable plane. http://www.fema.gov/areyouread y/winter.shtm

1. Storms

*Plan ahead. Stash away rock salt to melt the ice and snow on walkways and sidewalks. Substitutes for that will be ashes from your wood stove. Sand will do well to make getting your care out of the driveway but must be dry and available. A barrel full in the garage for such needs is advisable. Of course you have snow shovels and other snow removal items. Even with heated driveways, when the power is off, these will be useless. Heating fuel for alternative sources of heat such as oil, wood, and coal will need to be stockpiled in the garage or in some covered outbuilding.

*Be aware that freezing rain is sleet when it hit's the ground making the ground one huge shield of ice. Attempting to walk or drive on this will almost surely bring on a disaster, injuries, car wrecks, etc., therefore stay inside. Blizzards are blinding snow storms that reduces visibility to near zero. Stay inside.

2. Power outages

*Plan ahead on how to deal with these winter maintenance problems by having alternate sources of heat such as oil heaters, and wood burning stoves. Make sure these are vented and will not in themselves be additional sources of danger.

*Have an ample amount

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