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Every car should be stocked with an��emergency kit, just in case you encounter hazardous winter roads.��To find out exactly what belongs in it, I called��Tod Pritchard, the public information officer for Wisconsin’s emergency-preparedness campaign. Here are his top gear suggestions, plus a few of my own.

Flashlight

“Most of us don’t carry a flashlight in the car,” Pritchard says. “But light becomes a major issue if you're��stranded at night.” An inexpensive flashlight or headlamp will do the trick, but we like the $60 ,��because it runs on��either��AAA batteries or��a stock��rechargeable one. With those two options, you should never be stranded without a light again.��

Warm Clothing

Most of us don’t dress for a winter emergency everytime��we walk out the front door, so it’s always good to have extra “oh-shit” clothes in your car. I like to carry a blanket, gloves, and an extra jacket at all times. Pritchard always packs��a pair of snow boots in his vehicle, too:��I personally��like ($120) because they’re waterproof and rated to 40 degrees below zero.����

Cellphone Charger

If you get stranded��off the side of the road, you’ll need to call for help. Make sure your phone always has enough juice by carrying a spare charging cord plus a cell��charger that works in a��car. I like the ($40), as��it plugs into my cigarette lighter and has two ports, letting me��charge my phone and another gadget (like the��BD headlamp)��simultaneously. It also has an internal battery that's good for one complete phone charge.��

Food and Water

“Have some food that you don’t need to refrigerate or heat up,” Pritchard says. Also, carry at least one liter of water per person. For food, I like the ��($39��for a case) because they’re delicious but also pack��350 calories in each serving.��

First-Aid Kit

I like to carry a basic first-aid kit with bandages and pain medicine.��Pritchard also suggests that people who need��daily meds pack along a few extra doses. “If you don’t [pack extras] you all of a sudden aren’t just talking about a car in a ditch situation:��it’s a medical emergency,” he says. ��

Shovel

There’s nothing more useful than a shovel when your car gets stuck in the snow. If you don’t have room to carry a full-length garden shovel, check out something like the ��or pick up a folding model��at your local army-surplus store.��

Chains

You’ll rarely use chains, but they can be a game-changer if conditions get rough, especially if you have��a two-wheel-drive car. They’ll help you get un-stuck—or just ensure you��get past that highway-patrol checkpoint on the way up to the ski hill.��