Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Making an Emergency Kit

It is important to be prepared, but often we don’t know the best way to get started. Here are a few good things to have prepared in case of an emergency. This is only a start! There are many additional things you could easily add to this list to make it better for you.

Your emergency kit should be located in a place that everyone in the family knows about and should be easy to access in case you must leave your home in a hurry. Included in your kit should be:

§ 72 hour food kit for each person (include formula if you have a baby)

§ 5 gallons of water for each person

§ A customized hygiene kit

§ Clothing suitable for all seasons

§ Portable stove and pot(s)

§ Fuel

§ Reliable light source

§ First-Aid kit

Here is a detailed Idea of what a person might have in their emergency kit. Keep in mind that local climates and potential disaster types would require different or additional supplies.

Hand-charged flashlight

Matches or lighter

Portable propane stove

Pot

Utensils, plate, and bowl

Extra propane

Pocket knife

t-shirt, jeans, socks, shoes, jacket, and poncho

Hairbrush or comb

Toothpaste & Toothbrush

5 gallons of water

Sanitary needs

Toilet paper

Shampoo/body wash

Nail clippers

Tweezers

Towel

Diapers (if you have a baby)

72 hour food kit (find one online or create your own)

In addition to these items, you may feel that you want to keep prized memories if your home is destroyed. It may be unreasonable to try to keep certain items (such as antiques) safe, but a good way to preserve photos and journals is to make electronic copies of them and put them in a safe deposit box, or distribute them to family members. That way, if you lose your home, you will still have those sweet little baby pictures.

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