Insider Blog: Preparing the Stormtracker for this week’s storm

As we’re expecting heavy snowfall and some rough riding as early as late tonight, we’re taking this time to make sure we have the things we might need in the Stormtracker to hit the road tomorrow.

We spoke with Sharon Watson, regional director of communications for the American Red Cross in Missouri and Arkansas.

She often tells people how important it is to have an emergency kit in your car due to events like the one we are expecting this week.

“Basically, think of everything you might need if you got stuck in your car and had to sit there for a few hours waiting for the roads to be cleared or someone to come and rescue you from a slip. These are the things that will keep you going.

We took his advice and packed the storm tracker with the essentials to keep us going.

Of course, we have defroster and a scraper in the car to keep the windows clear.

In case we find ourselves in a situation where we get stuck with no traction, we have kitty litter; something to put under the tire to give us a chance to get out of a difficult situation.

We keep fixing a dish and jumper cables year round, just in case the need arises. As you may know, winter conditions are particularly difficult for your vehicle, so we check that we have them before heading out for winter events as well.

Finally, if we have to move around the car on the side of the road, which we try to avoid, we have high visibility vests that help other drivers see us.

And of course we will have phones and cables to keep them charged.

It’s what’s in our emergency kit, and it doesn’t include the snacks we’ll have in the car in case we’re stuck for a long time.

At the very least, Watson says to make sure you have a way to communicate, such as a cell phone, a full tank of gas, and even important medication in case you get stuck in your vehicle.

Share photos of your emergency kit with us!

We’ll have live coverage of snow in the middle of Missouri starting at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. So tune in and stay up to date with live road conditions.