If you’ve winterized your car, truck or SUV you probably don’t need to worry about breaking down when you leave your McHenry home this winter. Of course, there’s no absolute guarantee. Things happen.

You may hit something in the road and blow out a tire. Or, even with snow tires, you could hit a patch of ice too fast and slide into a ditch along a McHenry road. There are mechanical parts under the hood that could unexpectedly fail.

If something happens in spite of your best efforts to prepare for the season, our winterizing tips include one more topic …

Winterizing Tip #7: McHenry Winter Emergency Preparedness 

If you think about it, the most immediate thing you want in the car, truck or SUV if you find yourself stranded is a charged cell phone. If you can call someone for help, whether family, friend or road-side service, your breakdown could prove a minor inconvenience. But you’ll want to plan beyond a cell phone.

Here is a list to consider when you set about applying the principle of preparedness for the McHenry winter ahead:

• Cell phone and charger: The aforementioned cell phone is no good at all if the cell phone isn’t charged. Unfortunately, you’re still at the mercy of good reception.
• Warm layers of clothes: You’ll want a jacket/coat, hat, gloves and boots. It won’t hurt to have layers of clothing you can put on in an emergency. As they say, better to be overdressed and take a layer or two off or find yourself desperately cold with too-few layers.
• A blanket: Even with layers, on the colder days and nights of winter, you could find that you want a little more to keep you warm. A clean blanket bagged in the trunk of your car or SUV, or behind the seat of your pickup truck, can prove a true comfort at a trying time.
• Road flares/signs: A starless, moonless night in winter presents a potentially deep-dark environment. If you’re broken down on or along the road, you want other vehicles that are passing by to see you; you want flares or road signs you can put out to alert other drivers to your presence.
• Water: Even in winter, dehydration is a bad thing. Besides, if you’re a little thirsty while waiting for help to arrive, a bottle of water is quite welcome.
• A candy bar or snack: If you’re stuck and waiting for help to arrive, there’s no reason you should find yourself feeling a little peckish in the meantime. A candy bar, a protein bar or some other snack can help keep your inner engine running.
• Jumper cables: If you’ve had your vehicle winterized, you shouldn’t have to worry about finding yourself somewhere with a dead battery. But maybe you’ll be able to help someone else. A set of jumper cables are a comfort to friend and family.
• A few tools: This isn’t to assume you’re a mechanic and can rebuild your transmission on the side of the road in winter. But, something relatively minor may strand you on the side of the road where a screwdriver, hammer, adjustable wrench or pliers would come in handy.

None of these things will do you any good if you wait until you’ve broken down somewhere to put them in the car. Preparation means that you’ll take the time to assemble them and neatly put them somewhere you can find them when needed.

McHenry winters can get darn cold. Winterizing can go a long way to keep you from getting stranded on the side of the road in your car, SUV or truck. But, just in case, preparing for the worst never hurts.