Emergency
Supplies
Home Supply Kits
Workplace and Car Kits
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During a disaster normal supplies
that you use in daily life may
be unavailable or inaccessible.
It is recommended that you maintain
emergency supply kits that allow
you to be totally self-sustaining
for at least 72 hours. You should
plan on maintaining kits in your
home, workplace, and car. The size
and contents of these kits will
vary depending on personal preferences
and individual needs. But in all
cases they should contain at the
bare minimum food, water, clothing,
medical supplies, and hygiene items
for each family member.
IMPROVISE!
You cannot store all the items
you will need in the event of a
disaster, but with imagination
and inventiveness you can adapt
many things to fit your needs.
Plastic garbage bags have a multitude
of uses. They can be modified to
create tents, rain gear, window
covers, and toilets just to name
a few. Duct tape is another of
life’s miracle tools. It
can be used to secure cracked windows,
seal tent seams against weather,
secure bandages to wounds, tie
together blankets, cardboard or
plastic to form tents. Be creative! |
HOME SUPPLY KITS
Home Supply Kit Checklist
(All Perishable Supplies
Must Be Replaced Yearly!)
- Water – 1 gallon per
person per day for at least 3
days
- Food – One weeks supply
- Bleach – 1 gallon of
UNSCENTED Chlorine bleach
- Sanitation Supplies
- Hygiene Supplies
- Flashlight
- AM/FM Portable Radio
- EXTRA BATTERIES
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- Fire Extinguisher
- First Aid Kit
- Prescription medicines and
old pair of eye glasses
- Heavy clothing and boots or
heavy shoes
- Hand tools, Duct Tape, Utility
Shut Off Wrench
- Shovel
- Rope
- Camp Stove and extra fuel
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- Camping supplies, such as a
tent and sleeping bags
- Cooking and eating utensils
- CAN OPENER
- Paper plates and cups
- LARGE HEAVY DUTY Plastic garbage
bags
- Aluminum foil, Plastic wrap,
Zip-Lock bags
- Waterproof matches
- Pet supplies
- Money
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<top of page>
WATER
You should store at least one gallon
of water per family member (and pet)
per day. For example a family of
four with two pets will need six
gallons
per day or eighteen gallons for the
three day period. The water should
be stored in a sealed plastic container
and replaced yearly.
If your water supply is shut off and
your emergency supply runs out there
are several options available for emergency
sources of water. For example the intake
valve on your water heater can be shutoff
and the holding tank drained.
If you are unsure of the quality of
the water, purify it before use. There
are several methods of purification at
your disposal. Water can be boiled or
a commercially available purification
tablet can be used to purify water. Common
household bleach may also be used to
purify water. Use only pure UNSCENTED
liquid chlorine bleach as follows:
Water Purification
Water is... |
Water quantity |
Bleach
used |
Clear |
1 Quart |
2 Drops |
Cloudy |
1 Quart |
4 Drops |
Clear |
1 Gallon |
8 Drops |
Cloudy |
1 Gallon |
16 Drops |
< top of page> FOOD
When selecting food consider several
factors: Ease of preparation, ease
of storage, shelf life, and personal
tastes.
DO NOT select foods that are salty
(they promote thirst) or uses large
amounts
of water to prepare. Look for high
energy foods that the entire family
enjoys.
Your food supplies should be rotated
yearly.
Since it is likely gas and electricity
will be out you will need alternative
ways to prepare food. Barbecues and camp
stoves are excellent alternatives. Remember
to include extra fuel and matches. You
will also need various eating and cooking
utensils, pots and pans, paper plates,
cups, and a can opener. It is also helpful
to have aluminum foil, plastic wrap,
plastic bags, and garbage bags on hand
as well.
<top of page> CLOTHING
You should have one complete change
of clothing for each family member.
This
clothing should be wrapped or sealed
in plastic bags to insure it remains
dry and clean. The clothing should
be heavy enough to provide you protection
against injury and provide some measure
of warmth. Boots or heavy shoes should
also be included in your emergency
kit.
<top of page> MEDICAL
SUPPLIES
You should include any prescription
medicines taken by a family member
in your emergency
kit. Also keep a written record of
all doctors seen, their phone numbers
and
addresses, any allergies suffered by
a family member, and all current prescription
information.
At the minimum your First Aid kit should
include the following supplies:
- A First Aid manual
- Kerlex or other
brand of roller bandage (4 rolls)
- Used as a wrap over dressings
or to secure splints
- 4x4-inch gauze pads (10 to 20 pads)
- Used to cover lacerations and
abrasions
- Sanitary napkins (2 to 4 pads)
- Used to control excess bleeding
- 1” and 2” adhesive
tape (1 roll of each)
- Used to secure dressings and
bandages
- REPLACE EVERY SIX MONTHS
<top of page> HYGIENE SUPPLIES
Your kit should include a bar of soap,
liquid detergent, shampoo, toothpaste,
toothbrushes, Kleenex, toilet paper,
and feminine supplies.
<top of page> MISCELLANEOUS
SUPPLIES
You should keep a flashlight with extra
bulb, portable AM/FM radio, and extra
batteries in your supply kit. Camping
supplies such as sleeping bags and tents
go a long way in improving your comfort
during an emergency and should be included.
At the minimum a low-cost “space
blanket” should be in every kit,
as it excellent at retaining body heat.
Keep a small cache of hand tools, Duct
Tape, and a utility shut off wrench in
your supply kit to tackle small repairs
and the shut off of utilities.
All kits
should also contain a Fire extinguisher,
paper, pencils, and money. Remember
if the power goes down, so does the ATM!
<top
of page> WORKPLACE AND CAR KITS
You should keep smaller supply kits
in at your workplace and in your
car.
The emphasis of these kits should be
to enable you to survive and get to
the family reunification location.
At a minimum you should keep a change
of clothes, comfortable and sturdy
walking shoes, a flashlight, a portable
radio, extra batteries, a First Aid
kit, high-energy food/snacks, and water
in your kit.
Don’t forget to
replace all perishable items on a yearly
basis. <top of page>
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