Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, these are all disasters we see more often in the news taking their toll on people and their lives around the world. It's hard to keep up with them all and it would be even harder to keep up with them if one happened in your neck of the woods. This is becoming more probable as terrorism plays a huge role in disastrous events; one Americans hope and pray they never experience, but might possibly have to deal with as more people wander across our borders undocumented and unknown.
If you were hit by some disaster all of a sudden, would you be ready? Are you prepared? Many people, if not most, are not.
One of the best things to do to prepare for any disaster is to prepare. Emergency kits or bags filled with emergency supplies is a great way to start.
Imagine having a vehicle you can drive, but roads being so torn up from either an earthquake or a flood that you can't go to a local store to buy food and water. In this case, you'd have to live off of what you have in your home as long as your home is still standing and you have electricity. If it isn't, you'll have to live in a tent or on a boat depending on the type of disaster you're faced with. You will need to have some sort of bag filled with survival supplies; one you can quickly grab and take with you wherever you end up going because when a disaster hits, you don't really have much time to react.
Emergency kits need to be near a front or back doorway, outside in a garage or storage area or in the back of a vehicle so you can quickly and easily grab it and go.
As for what to pack in an emergency bag, here are some items you can buy and pack yourself or buy an already-made emergency bag.
Emergency Bag Items to Pack
- Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records packed in waterproof pouches or bags.
- Cash, traveler's checks and change. Gold and silver if owned.
- Matches, lighter or fire starter tools
- Paper, notebook and pencils
- Local and national maps
- Compass
- 8-hour Cyalume light stick
- 2-3 days worth of food, preferably MREs (meals ready to eat)
- Can opener
- Whistle
- Flashlight and extra batteries. Most recommended is a flashlight-stun gun for lighting and self defense. This is a non-lethal humane way to defend yourself!
- Dust mask
- Multi-tool and knife
- Battery powered and/or hand-crank NOAA weather radio and extra batteries
- Solar panel, charger, extra batteries and USB cords
- First aid kit containing bandages, compresses, tape, gauze, antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone ointment, antiseptic wipes or gel, iodine, aspirin, scissors, thermometer, tweezers, instruction booklet and non-latex gloves. Trauma Kit also good to have.
- Mylar emergency blanket
- Heavy duty work gloves
- 100 feet of parachute cord or rope
- Duct tape
- Rain poncho
- Large backpack or bag. Dry bag highly recommended
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Emergency water and/or water purification filter/system like LifeStraw
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