What is an Emergency Kit ?

 

  • 96-hour kit – Contains supplies to get by on your own for 4 days. They tend to be stored in a large tote box and has supplies for multiple people. It likely will have supplies to deal with making your dwelling safer that other portable kits won’t have.
  • Go-Bag – A portable version of the 96-hour kit.  These tend to be one bag per person, but some go-bags have 4-day supplies for 2 or even 4 people. Contents fit in a book-bag sized container
  • Car Kit – Blanket and supplies stored in each car. Less supplies than a Go-Bag. 1-2 days’ worth of supplies could come in real handy.
  • EDC – Every Day Carry.  Collection of tools that fit in a smaller pouch or purse.

Some items should be in each of the above types of kits. Having photos and documents encrypted on a USB stick takes up very little space and can be in each. A small flashlight also can be in each. Some items would not be in each. For example, putting 4 days’ worth of water in the smaller kits isn’t practical.

Along with your kit you need a plan. what if you can’t get home? Where do you meet? Create a backup meeting place in case you can’t get to the first meet up place. This is a 15-minute conversation you’ll have about an event that likely will never happen. However, if it does happen you are really going to wish you had this conversation if you did not.

Create a 96-hour kit today:

  • water
    • 1 gallon of water per person per day = 3 gallons of water
  • food
    • 4 days’ supply of food. This might be canned goods or freeze dried. High energy food like fruits, peanut butter, and trail mix.
    • Pet food and supplies if needed
    • baby food and formula if needed
  • A first aid kit.
    • Assorted bandages and gauze
    • cleanser and soap
    • antiseptic
    • safety pins
    • scissors
    • tweezers
    • non-latex gloves
    • sunscreen
    • non-prescription drugs such as anti-diarrhea and aspirin
    • space blanket
  • Tools
    • A manual can opener
    • duct tape
    • plastic sheeting
    • garbage bags
    • pocket multi-tool
    • knife
    • whistle
    • signal flare
    • dust mask
    • hand crank and/or solar radio
    • flashlight
    • work gloves
    • lighter
  • Documents (copies of originals, perhaps encrypted on a USB stick)
    • pictures of family members and pets
    • insurance papers
    • wills
    • house and car titles
    • stocks and bonds
    • immunization records, for people as well as pets
  • Clothing
    • work boots
    • other suitable clothes
    • bedding