My dad worked in the oilfields in ND, WY, UT and MT before he got transferred to West Texas. He ALWAYS kept a box of canned food (beans, tuna, vienna sausage), can opener, plastic spoons, bowls, crackers, etc....basically non-perishable foods that wouldn't be affected by the weather and had a long shelf life, 3 blankets, and a can of gasoline in the trunk of his car....even after we moved to Texas.
He instilled in me to start looking for a gas station anytime the needle got below 1/2 tank and to keep enough warm clothes/blankets handy in case you get stranded for a couple of days. When I was a youngster, I could put chains on with the best of them in addition to being a master with the ice scraper.
According to him, many cans of beans were warmed on the exhaust manifolds of the oilfield equipment. To this day, he despises the cold weather. When I was a youngster, I would pull out some of his cold weather clothing and put it on. I looked like Ralphie off the Christmas Story.
The farther South you get, the less prepared people are for snow, sleet & ice. We've had a couple of bad ice storms over the last couple of years that have shut down the area for a couple of days. Pack plenty of movies and other ways to entertain yourselves if you get stranded.
