It's that time of year again!
Are you and your vehicles ready for the winter months?
November is here and the cold weather has begun to blow. Here in Minnesota it can be 70 degrees on day and Snow the next so you always have to have your vehicles ready for the weather.
The last thing that you want is to be late, or miss an event because of car problems.
He is some common sense items to have done to your business vehicles to keep them running through out the winter months.
1) Oil Change
2) Transmission Fluids changed.
3) Tires rotated and inflated to proper settings.
4) Battery checked and replaced if necessary or over five years old.
5) All headlights and signal lights checked and replaced if necessary.
6) Windshield washer fluid filled with the “Winter” fluid.
9) Lock deicer ready.
10) Have a can of the windshield spray on deicer ready.
11) A pale with sand and/or cat litter to get tire traction when needed.
12) Brakes checked and repaired if needed.
12) Have axel and tires greased on trailers. Old grease has a tendency to get dirty/rusty and cause wheels not to turn properly and possibly completely stop.
13) Antifreeze changed every year.
14) Heating element check and repaired if needed.
15) Have a snow shovel in vehicle in case of emergency.
16) Always keep your gas tank as full as possible; you don’t want to get stuck in a ditch and run out of gas waiting for help to arrive.
Other items you should have in the vehicle in case of emergency.
1) Extra blankets to keep warm.
2) Those foot & hand warmer packages that will help keep you warm.
3) Extra set of gloves.
4) Winter Hat.
5) Flashlight & spare batteries.
6) A large bucket with a top that can hold the following items.
A) Canned food that has a pull off top and can be eaten without cooking.
B) Candles, lighters & matches and a small can to place lit candles into for safety.
C) Bottled water.
D) Snacks, Candy, Granola bars.
E) Plastic spoons, forks, knives to eat the food.
F) Glow sticks.
G) First Aid kit.
H) Note Pad and pencils. (Pens may freeze in cold)
On a typical winter day I will add on an extra fifteen to thirty minutes to my drive time to ensure proper arrival time. The worse the weather the more drive time I will add on. It is much better to arrive one hour early than ten minutes late.
Be prepared to shovel the walk to load your equipment in and out. It is also good to keep the sidewalks clear of snow and ice for the guests arriving so that no one gets hurt before the party even begins. A fall of an elderly family member can really hurt the mood and make your job even tougher to handle.
Jeff Richards: Party Time Productions