As the cold weather season quickly approaches, motorists should maintain their cold weather car survival kit.

According to the National Weather Service, the following items should be in your kit:

• Jumper cables
• Flares or reflective triangles
• Flashlights with fresh batteries
• First Aid kit and essential medicines
• Baby, special needs gear
• Non-perishable food
• At least 1 gallon of water per person a day for at least 3 days
• Basic toolkit
• Pet supplies

Battery or hand cranked radio

• Cat litter or sand for better tire traction
• Snow shovel
• Ice scraper

Extra warm weather clothes

• Warmers
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Charged cell phone and a phone charger/battery pack

Make sure your car has at least half a tank of gas in case you become stranded on the roadway.

Dress for the outdoors even if you don’t anticipate being outside.

If you have pets or farm animals, make sure they have plenty of food and water, and are not overly exposed to extreme cold. If the animal is outside, ensure they have access to a warm and dry place to escape the elements and periodically check water to ensure it has not froze over. Place food in a warm, dry place out of the elements.

For homeowners, take precautions to ensure your pipes do not freeze.

According to the American Red Cross:

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe — even at a trickle — helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.

If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

Much like severe thunderstorms, cold weather has the potential to be fatal if not properly prepared for. Protect yourself and your family this cold weather season.