Keep Your Emergency Kit Ready All Winter in Northern Michigan

When did you last open your emergency kit? Families across Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Emmet counties may have assembled supplies years ago and never checked them again. If you started with the FEMA emergency supply list, the next task is making sure those supplies remain usable. We encourage households to inspect their kits before winter and again when the season changes. A working flashlight matters considerably more than a flashlight you remember packing.

Make a Ten-Minute Inventory

Choose a day when everyone can help and bring the kit into a well-lit room. Empty one section at a time so small items do not disappear. Put anything damaged or questionable to one side for a closer look. Use this quick inventory to spot problems before you need the supplies:

• Open every compartment and look for moisture, broken packaging or spills.
• Turn on flashlights and the radio; check the batteries and any hand-crank mechanism.
• Inspect sealed food and water containers for damage and check their dates.
• Count supplies against the people and pets currently living in your household.
• Check first-aid items and confirm that emergency contact details remain accurate.

Return usable items to their assigned places as you finish. Keep a note of what needs replacing rather than relying on memory during your next shopping trip.

Replace What Will Not Work When You Need It

An emergency kit changes as its contents age and the people using it change. You can review most supplies without specialized equipment. Start with the condition of each item and decide what action makes sense:

Do not place prescription medicine in a kit indefinitely without guidance on safe storage and refills. If you use equipment that requires electricity, consider how you will manage an outage and discuss backup needs with the appropriate professional.

Adjust for a Northern Michigan Winter

A bag prepared for summer may lack what someone needs during a lengthy cold-weather interruption. Inspect your warm layers and blankets before putting them away. Look at spare socks, gloves and dry clothing, especially for children whose sizes change quickly. Recharge a backup battery while the power works, and make sure the radio can operate without a wall outlet.

Michigan’s winter preparation guidance includes supplies for home emergencies and winter travel. Treat those situations separately: a household kit should stay accessible indoors, while a vehicle needs its own seasonally appropriate items. Water containers and other products may be damaged by freezing, so check manufacturer storage directions before placing anything in an unheated garage or car.

If you move supplies to a warmer location, tell everyone where they are. A kit does little good when the person who packed it is away and nobody else can find it.

Put Supplies Where Everyone Can Reach Them

Choose a portable container that you can carry without help, or divide heavy items between smaller bags. Protect papers and moisture-sensitive supplies inside sealed sleeves. Label the outside plainly, without displaying private information such as identification numbers or medical records.

Place the kit near a route you can use if the power fails. Walk through that route with members of your household, including anyone who might need assistance. Keep a separate written contact list in case a phone battery runs out. If a family member changes medication, moves in or acquires a mobility aid, revisit the contents promptly.

Give the Kit a Standing Appointment

Set reminders for spring and fall. Utah Emergency Management’s emergency kit storage and maintenance guidance recommends inspecting supplies twice a year and replacing items that expire or stop working. Use each check to update clothing, contact information and the location of the kit.

Our aim is a simple household habit: open the container, test what matters and replace what has changed. A few minutes of maintenance now can save confusion when winter weather disrupts an ordinary day.