Every family should have a store of food and drinking water, a battery powered portable radio for receiving emergency information and a first aid kit.

In addition, now is a good time to give our vehicles a check-up. When there is a winter storm, we should ask ourselves, do I really need to drive? Eric Lenning with the National Weather Service tells us what we should keep in our vehicles.

"A warm blanket, make sure you have a set of gloves, an ice scraper, things like that. Things that you probably wouldn't be carrying around in July, but certainly are going to need in a northern Illinois winter." says Lenning.

Now is also a good time to have our heating equipment professionally checked and cleaned. All space heaters should be placed at least three feet away from walls, furniture and other combustible items.