In light of the recent COVID-19 (or Coronavirus) and events such as the Nashville tornado, it is always a great reminder to make sure you are as prepared as possible for such disasters. Growing up in California with the looming threat of earthquakes, we have been taught from a young age to have a plan, have a pack, and be prepared. Which, along with my mother’s traumatic experience in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake and my stepfather being a firefighter, it’s safe to say disaster preparedness is a hot topic for us. I am not a doctor, a first responder, or any sort of disaster specialist so I’m not going to say that you need to run out and get all these things today, BUT I 100% believe you should have an emergency kit and plan and maintaining it could and should be part of your every day, so let’s talk about that. Also, if we were all just prepared no one would have to freak out, which makes me want to freak out. So can we just all agree to be prepared?
What do I need to be prepared for?
The goal of a supply kit is really to be able to care for your household in the first few days (minimum) when aid may not be available. Again, a few days is the minimum, so for this list, we are going to look at two weeks. If you have space and ability to build a bigger kit, all the more power to you.
The Basics
Water
It is recommended to have a gallon of water per person per day available. It is a lot to store, but this probably the most important item. These stackable cubes are an easy way to remember how much you need. One cube per person per week. One thing to note is that if you live in an area with disasters that come on without warning, you have to have these filled and ready to go. For disasters like hurricanes where you have a little time to prep, keep half filled and half empty to keep the water fresher. If you have any time to prep, it is also recommended that you fill tubs with water in advance. It is also not a bad idea to have a LifeStraw for disasters or camping.
Food
Food is a tricky one. You should build your stockpile keeping in mind the degrees of disaster. There are cases like shelter-in-place or social distancing requirements where you can assume you will have water, power, and electricity which would allow you to access to use items like your freezer and stove. Alternatively, there are disasters that would render your utilities useless and you must focus on only non-perishable food that is open and eat.
- Canned fruit and veg
- Canned soups and stews
- Canned meats (tuna, chicken, etc)
- Dehydrated Fruits
- Crackers/Chips
- Nuts and Seeds
- Jerky
- Granola or Meal Replacement Bars
- Instant Coffee
- Can opener
- Hardcore Prep: Emergency Rations
- Note: Keep the fridge and freezer doors shut if you lose power. You have about 2 hours for fridge items and 48 hours for freezer items when it comes to food safety.
- Note: Rice, grains, beans, and pasta should be part of your normal pantry. Keep in mind these dry items need water and heat to cook, so plan accordingly from your water supply
First Aid Kit
Lighting
Make sure you have a flashlight and extra batteries. Store these items apart so your batteries are not draining while not in use. This will also deter you from using this flashlight every day and misplacing it when you really need it. Candles and waterproof matches or a fire starter are a good idea as well for the simple power outage to a major disaster. Bonus: a lantern or this all in one radio flashlight.
Radio
Funny to think that something we bearly use for entertainment might be the only form of mass communication in an emergency situation. For emergencies, you don’t want your 1990s Barbie boombox and your car radio is not a sustainable option. You should look for a hand-crank powered, NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert (solar power is a bonus).
Face Masks
If we all had proper emergency kits, the panic and shortages we see now would not be a thing. Face masks are a great addition to your emergency kits. From wildfire smoke to dust-filled air and to help stop the spread of infections you should look for an N95 mask that is well-fitting and approved for these use cases. “Fitted” is key for these masks so if you have children, make sure to find masks fit for their face size.
Shelter
In the event you can’t stay in your home, you will want some items to make a basic shelter. A large plastic tarp, rope, and duct tape will get you pretty far.
Health & Sanitation
If you or your family has special medical needs, talk with your doctor about the best methods to prepare. That might mean having additional medication on hand, backup supplies, or learning alternate techniques for care. It is also a good idea to have basic medicine in your kits like aspirin and antihistamines. TMI, but nature will still call in an emergency. Have moist towelettes, toilet paper, feminine supplies and garbage bags at the ready. Hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes are good to have for keeping your space clean, but please remember these are not to be used to keep yourself clean.
Tools & Accessories
There are some things you just need to basically make sure you can use everything in your emergency kit.
- Can Opener (for canned goods)
- PAPER Maps (Google Maps/Internet might be down)
- Contact list. Again, your cell phone might not work and you won’t be able to look up information. Have the numbers of your loved ones and emergency contacts like doctors and local services (police, fire department, hospital). Bonus is to have an agreed out-of-state contact who will act as your family’s operator. Cell services can get jammed with too much traffic, but calling outside your network might work.
- Recent photos in case of separation.
- Fire Extinguisher
- Whistle. Single for help like Rose did after the Titanic sank. (That’s a joke, but also helpful. Right?)
- Chargers. Pre-charge batteries and keep extra charging cables in your kit. Look or portable chargers that can power your phone at least 4x.
- Pocket Knife
- Cutlery and serving ware
Additional Considerations
How to Store Your Emergency Kit
Your kit needs to be in an easy to access place. If your main disaster is earthquakes, your kit can’t be in a place where it might get trapped. If the disaster you are preparing for is tornados, it should be kept where you plan to take shelter. My favorite is a large trash can on wheels. It’s durable, mostly waterproof and mobile if needed.
Clothing and Comfort
- Complete change of clothing for each person
- Shoes (toss your old sneakers in here, not the trash)
- Space blankets
Children’s Needs
- Formula
- Diapers
- Extra Clothes
- Distraction and comfort items
Pet’s Needs
- Pet food
- Pet Medications
- Leash and harness
Car
- Always have at least a half tank of gas
- Comfortable Shoes (especially for women, don’t get trapped in your heels)
- Water
- Space Blankets
The Plan
This is probably the most important part. You need to have a plan. It should consist of the following
- Researching likely disasters
- Choosing several meeting places based on disaster type
- Plotting escape routes in your home and practicing them
- Your out of state contact
- Discussing your go, no-go points for evacuation. Make sure you agree.
I know this can be overwhelming to think about, but it is way more reassuring to know you have a plan and supplies in place than the feeling of being unprepared. Make this your next weekend project. If it all seems too much, start here with a ready-to-go kit.
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