No one knows when disaster will strike, or how much they will be impacted. The key to handling any major event is preparedness. Building a home emergency kit can provide much-needed relief following a disaster and can be tailored to fit the specific family’s needs. To start off with the essentials:
- Water – make sure to stock up 1 gallon per person per day. It is important for people to stay hydrated and have access to clean water.
- Non–perishable food items – Items would include anything that is pre-packaged such as protein bars, canned goods, and other grocery items that do not need refrigeration or require cooking time.
- Radio – keep a radio to access the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather channel and to stay up-to-date on activity going on in the area.
- Flashlight – make sure the flashlight is able to provide enough light to effectively illuminate an area.
- Backup batteries – keep a set of backup batteries for the radio and flashlight, as well as anything else that may require them.
- Cell phone with charger and external battery – keep a backup charger for each type of phone kept, and invest in an external battery. Once charged, these batteries can be used multiple times over a few days.
- First Aid Kit – keep the essentials such as bandages, Neosporin, pain medication, and other essential first aid items.
- Dust mask – in case of falling debris or particles in the air, keep enough dust masks in the kit to outfit the family.
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags, plastic ties – keep these in the kit for personal sanitation use.
- Manual can opener – Keep one on hand to open any canned food items, as they do not need an external energy source.
- Basic utensils – Plastic utensils are recommended as they can be disposed of, eliminating the need to clean them.
- Multipurpose tool – a compact tool, this can be good to keep on hand just in case. One common reason to keep it in the emergency kit is the pliers can be used to turn off the utilities in necessary.
- Blanket – keep a blanket or sleeping bag for each person to provide warmth and bedding.
- Important documents – these will include birth certificates, insurance, social security cards, and all other papers that are important and cannot be easily replaced.
- Extra cash – keep enough cash to cover emergency use in case anything happens to your credit/ debit cards or other means of monetary exchange.
- Extra set of keys – Take the time to have copies made of important keys, such as car keys, house keys, and safe keys, in case retrievals of the originals are made difficult or impossible.
Additional resources may be included in each kit – remember, an emergency kit is intended to aid the person or person(s) creating it. There may be some items necessary for survival that aren’t on the basic list. Some of these items could include:
- Prescription medicines – have at least three days’ worth of required prescription medicines on hand.
- Pet food and extra water – if you have pets, make sure to keep enough food and water for them to survive three days as well.
- Additional bedding in cold weather – include extra bedding and blankets in the kit if living in an area that is colder or experiences colder weather.
- Change of clothes – keep a change of clothes that are versatile in the kit as well. Consider something layered and easy to move in.
- Matches – store them in a waterproof container. They can be used to provide light and heat during an emergency.
- Personal hygiene items – Keep the basics in a small travel bag for easy use. Recommended items include toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, dry shampoo, and deodorant.
Keep the kit fresh and up-to-date, storing in a large, waterproof container. Revisit the kit every few months to check on expiration dates, make sure everything is working properly, and replace or add any other items. Stay up-to-date on weather alerts for your area as part of being prepared, and follow national services on social media for current news.
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Sources: [Center for Disease Control, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Ready Campaign (Homeland Security) ]
