Emergency kits protect your family.
Disasters can and do happen without warning… damage to roads, power lines, bridges. Continuing bad weather could also mean that emergency services and personnel may not be available for up to (3) days after a major disaster. You could end up being on your own, and you need to be prepared!
We have put together a list to help you build your Emergency Family Kit to use in any serious situation. As a general guideline, for each person in your household, store (1) gallon of water per day for drinking, washing and cooking (don’t forget to include your pets). That means storing (3) gallons for each person to cover (72) hours. Buy a (3) day supply of canned food for everyone in the home, including pets.
Also remember to rotate out any batteries, water, and canned goods every couple of months in order to keep things fresh.
Basic Emergency Kit Essentials:
- Emergency Water – As a rule of thumb, store (3) gallons of water for each person and pet in your household to cover (72) hours of drinking, washing, and cooking, as emergency situations and power outages may interrupt your utility services.
- Drinking Water Tablets – Helps to purify water when a trusted source is unavailable.
- First Aid Kit – A (50) piece kit is perfect for a family of (4).
- Canned Food / Manual Can Opener / Disposable Utensils – Keep on hand enough non-perishable food for a few days. Also, remember to rotate the food out of your emergency kit and replace it after a couple of months. Spoiled food doesn’t go over well in an emergency!
- Emergency Blanket (Space Blanket) – This reflects heat and helps keep you warm without taking up a lot of space.
- Warm Clothes – Sweaters, heavy-duty jeans, insulated socks, gloves, etc.
- Sturdy Shoes – Work boots or steel-toed shoes are good to walk over dangerous terrain or debris.
Emergency Kit Tools:
- Battery-Powered Radio – If your electricity, phone lines, and Internet are down, this may be your only link to rescue information and news.
- Flashlights – Keep a few flashlights in your kit and spread throughout the house. It’s also a good idea to store batteries and flashlights separately.
- Batteries – Keep packs of batteries for your most used items (typically AA and D batteries).
- Candles – For instant light and heat, keep a few candles in your emergency pack.
- Matches / Lighter – Waterproof matches and a lighter will come in handy for lighting candles, starting a fire, or lighting a burner to cook food.
- Light Sticks – Use light sticks or glow sticks to provide some light if you suspect there might be a gas leak in the area.
- Clock – Battery-powered.
- Trash Bags – A box of trash bags are a good add to your kit, and have many applications.
- Small Tent – For emergency shelter.
- Cooking Stove w/ Propane Fuel – To heat food if power and gas lines are down.
- Heavy Gloves – For moving debris and broken glass.
- Duct Tape – It’s got almost endless uses.
- Shovel / Broom – For moving debris, digging out areas, and cleaning.
- Rope – Helps secure items and move things.
- Wrench – Something large enough to shut off your gas valve if necessary.
- Fire Extinguisher – Keep a small household fire extinguisher in your kit. Make sure to read the directions and understand how to use it in an emergency.
- Multifunctional Knife / All-Tool / Axe – Cutting implements and tools come in handy in many emergency situations. Please know how to use them, and do so safely and away from children.
- Whistle – A loud whistle may help indicate your location for help and emergency workers.
- Pry Bar -Something to lift and move debris if someone is trapped or an exit is blocked.
Medical Items For Your Emergency Kit:
- Medication – Keep a (1) week supply of family prescriptions. Also keep a list of them too.
- Eye Glasses – If you or your family needs prescription eye glasses, keep an extra pair in the kit.
- Dust Mask – Helps to reduce smoke or dust inhalation.
- Bleach – A good thing to have on hand for simple and effective disinfecting.
- Essential Infant and/or Pet Care Items – Include vaccination records.
- Hygiene Products – Tissues, wipes, hand sanitizer, etc.
- Toilet Chemicals and Plastic Bucket – In some situations, proper sanitation and plumbing may be unavailable.
Important Documents
- Currency – It’s a good idea to store some emergency money in your kit, especially small bills, as local ATMs may not be working.
- Copies of Important Documents – Important papers like deeds, birth certificates, insurance policies, etc., should be copied, with the originals stored in a safe place like a waterproof container or a bank safe deposit box.
- Map of the Area – Helps to identify evacuation routes and shelter locations.
- Copies of Important Phone Numbers – Keep a hard copy of family and emergency phone numbers.
For more info on how to be prepared for specific situations go to ready.gov. For financial preparedness, insurance comes in handy! Contact us and let’s make a plan!
