PLATTE COUNTY – In Wyoming, severe weather can be expected and though there are real dangers for residents and travelers alike, the risk can be minimized through careful planning and deliberate preparation for possible scenarios. As we head into the winter season, the risk of becoming stranded in severe weather increases. To minimize the risk to yourself and your family, there are things you can do to prepare.
Platte County Emergency Management, in cooperation with Wyoming Homeland Security, has compiled information and recommendations to prepare for surviving two weeks on your own. The kits, called “2 Weeks Ready” recommend having two full weeks of supplies in your home, but to prepare smaller kits for work, every family member, pets, and a vehicle safety kit. And make sure the members of your household all know where these kits are and how to use the things in them. The informative build kits are available at the PCEM office at 718 9th Street in Wheatland, or online at hls.wyo.gov/wyoming-ready.
In severe weather events, especially when it is a regional event such as a blizzard, emergency responders and even electricity can be delayed in response or service to your home, and rescue may not be immediately possible if you are stranded on the roadways. PCEM coordinator Tony Krotz emphasizes being prepared is essential in these cases, and preparedness should be common practice for anyone living or traveling in Wyoming.
Wyoming Homeland Security recommends writing down important phone numbers and have the list in an emergency go-kit – you never know when you may need to use a phone other than your own in an emergency. Know public safety locations and community gathering points, choose an out-of-town friend or family who can be your point of contact to distribute their information to your family, have important medical information for household members and pets in case you are required to leave your home after a disaster, have an extra phone charger and batteries, talk with your neighbors how you can work together to make it through an emergency situation, and learn basic survival skills.

In the winter, have a plan to survive without electricity for heat. Whether you have a ready kit in your car or home, make sure to have water (and a plan to keep it from freezing), non-perishable food (and can opener if needed), first aid kit, extra batteries, flashlight, warm clothes / extra blankets, fire extinguisher, tools, cash, toilet paper, identification and important documents, NOAA radio, eye care / glasses, sturdy shoes.
If the roads are closed, do not use GPS to find an alternate route. The main roads are the main arteries kept open in severe weather, and alternate routes often are not cleared of snow frequently during large snow events and you may become stranded. If you are stranded, it is safest if you stay in your car until help comes and contact emergency services. Don’t try to walk to another location, as it is easy to become lost in a landscape that has changed from snowfall, and exposure to windchill and cold can quickly put your life in further danger than staying in your vehicle.
Let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll return, know your evacuation route and alternate transportation routes, travel with a companion when possible, keep an eye on the weather, and keep a supply kit available in case the weather changes or you get delayed. When help and resources may not be available for days, preparedness is important.
In an infomercial recorded by Wyoming Homeland Security, Governor Mark Gordon said, “We can’t always predict when a disaster will strike, but being prepared can make all the difference. Be ‘2 Weeks Ready.’”
Consider signing up to alert services. Many Wyoming communities now have systems that will send instant text alerts or e-mails to let you know about bad weather, road closings, local emergencies, etc. Sign up by contacting your local emergency management or homeland security office.
Krotz encourages anyone with any questions or needing assistance in putting together a preparedness plan or 2 Weeks Ready kit, to feel free to contact him at his office at 718 9th Street (the Coleman building) in Wheatland, call 307-322-1356, or email akrotz@plattecountywyoming.com.