Winter getaways are in full swing and that can mean fun in the mountains or out with friends at a Christmas party but are you prepared if you end up stranded or in the ditch?

If you haven't packed a winter emergency preparedness kit, the Okotoks Fire Department have a few must have items in theirs that could help.

Fire Chief Ken Thevenot says when temperatures drop deeply below zero there's a few items you have have that you may have not even thought of.

"A set of jumper cables, multi-tools, first aid kit, flash light, of course duct tape you got to have duct tape," he says. "A shovel is a good idea, water, some protein bars and an extra good sized blanket possibly two blankets."

While keeping everyone in your vehicle warm to and from your destination Thevenot recommends that if you're warming up your vehicle, actually put it outside and lock it while doing so as the garage can keep in dangerous carbon monoxide.

"Even if the garage door is open a lot of times the wind will blow that carbon monoxide back into the house. So do not start your vehicle to warm it up inside the garage, start your vehicle, drive it outside if you're going to do that."

If you hit the ditch for whatever reason in your travels, before you try to stay warm with the assistance of heat from your vehicle Thevenot says make sure your exhaust pipe has nothing blocking the airways out.

"It can be plugged up at anytime and if it continues snowing and you're in the ditch for a while you're exhaust pipe could get plugged which would then create carbon monoxide that would flow back into your vehicle because it's not exhausting properly."

Lastly Thevenot adds if you are stranded, call for help and stay close to where your vehicle is as that will be the best way for first responders to find you instead of wondering off.

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