Bigfoot in Squatch Survival Gear treating black ice on winter steps outside a dark house with Christmas lights and a blanket-fort warm zone inside, showing cold-weather survival and power outage preparedness.

Cold-Weather Survival: Fire, Ice, and Blackout Safety

Winter Hazards You Can't Ignore: Fire, Ice, Blackouts, and Cold Weather Survival

At Squatch Survival Gear, we give away free knowledge because preparedness isn’t about fear — it’s about awareness, confidence, and staying calm when things go sideways. Christmas and winter bring their own set of risks, and while we covered home break-ins in our last post, here are the other dangers people overlook every year—and how to stay ahead of them.

🎅 1. Quick Reminder: Holiday Break-In Awareness

(Full breakdown available in our last post — link here.)

Here’s your fast reference for staying secure:

  • Don’t display gifts in windows

  • Use timers for lights

  • Motion lights outside

  • Don’t post your travel plans publicly

  • Stop mail if leaving town

  • Keep your home looking “lived in”

👉 Read the full break-in safety article here (link to the previous Christmas Security blog).

🔥 2. Christmas Tree Fire Danger (A Quick but Critical Reminder)

A dry Christmas tree can ignite in 10 seconds and flash over a room in under a minute.

Stay safe by:

  • Keeping the tree watered (check multiple times a day if you live in dry areas)

  • Using LED lights

  • Checking cords for cracks (please repair or replace it's not worth the risk)

  • Keeping heaters 3+ feet away (Turn off when  no one is in the room)

  • Turning lights off before bed or leaving

For more fire safety resources:

❄️ 3. Ice & Winter Accidents: The Silent Threat Around Your Home

Winter ice doesn’t just live on roads — it lives where you walk.

Black Ice on Roads

Black ice forms when the ground stays frozen, but the air warms just above freezing.
You can’t see it, can’t predict it, and you don’t realize it’s there until your wheels slide.

Slow down.
Add space.
Avoid bridges, shaded areas, and early-morning commutes when possible.

Use Chains or steel cables for better traction. 

Ice Around Your Home

People fall on:

  • Frozen front steps

  • Tile porches

  • Driveways

  • Wooden decks

  • Sidewalks

It only takes a thin, invisible glaze to break a wrist, dislocate a shoulder, or crack a hip or worse yet, to cause a head or brain injury.

Simple fixes:

  • Sprinkle sand or traction grit

  • Keep a small shovel by the front door

  • Pour hot water sparingly — then add salt

  • Wear shoes with real tread when taking out trash or walking the dog

Hypothermia Happens FAST

You don’t need below-zero weather.
You only need:
Cold + Wind + Wet Clothes.

It can start in 10–15 minutes.  Even in the mild symptoms of Hypothermia, mental confusion can set in, causing people to get lost, making problems even worse.

Keep gloves, a warm spare layer, and a flashlight in your vehicle or in an admin pouch near your entryway.

⚡ 4. Winter Power Outages — Lessons from the San Antonio Blizzard of 2020

If you lived in Texas during the winter disaster of 2020, you remember it:
Days without heat.
Pipes bursting.
People running out of food, water, and battery power.
One of the most practical survival tricks we shared with people was:

The Blanket Fort Method

When your whole home is freezing, you shrink the space.

  • Hang blankets to isolate one small room

  • Use furniture to help hold them in place

  • Add blankets or comforters over doorways

  • Keep everyone together in that warm zone

  • Leave a small airflow vent — you need CO₂ to circulate not build up

  • Use battery lanterns, not candles

  • Wear hats, gloves, and socks inside

This simple trick helped families — especially with kids — stay warm and reduce panic.

What to Keep Ready

  • AGM 30,000 mAh Power Bank

  • Headlamps or camp lanterns

  • Dry layers stored in an Admin Pouch

  • Extra water (pipes froze in alot of places in 2020

If a winter storm hits again, don’t rely on the grid. Have backup power, light, and warmth ready.

More winter references:

🎁 5. Why We Give Away This Knowledge (And Why It Matters)

This isn’t fearmongering.
It’s the opposite.

Preparedness reduces fear.
It creates confidence, comfort, and calm decision-making.
It keeps panic away when things go wrong.

Most emergencies aren’t dramatic.
They’re inconvenient until they suddenly aren’t. Think slowly growing until you go over the waterfall very fast. 

Knowing what to do gives your family time, safety, and options.

Squatch Survival Gear is a veteran-owned, American-made company — and giving away this knowledge is part of our mission. We want people to stay safe, stay ready, and stay American strong. When you’re informed, prepared, and equipped, you’re harder to break — and that’s the whole point.

💥 Final Thoughts

Winter can be beautiful, but it’s unforgiving when you underestimate it.
A little preparation goes a long way:

  • Check cords & heaters

  • Water the tree

  • Watch for black ice

  • Prepare for outages

  • Build a warm zone during extreme cold

  • Keep critical gear within arm’s reach

  • check coats for proper fit and no holes. (especially kids they grow fast)

If you’re ready to gear up with American-made equipment built to survive the cold and the chaos, start here:

Stay safe, stay warm, and stay Squatch Strong.

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