Emergency Preparedness Kit Checklist
Sep 12, 2012 Uncategorized
Perhaps one of the easiest things to overlook in everyday life is having an actual emergency preparedness kit at your home. Many folks will even scoff at the idea, maintaining that they have an easily accessible flashlight and food in the fridge.
How often do you really need it…so why make such a big deal about it?
Most of us have endured severe weather where the weatherman/weatherlady tells us we could experience power outages…and then the power outages never happen and we all joke about how being a meteorologist must be the easiest job in the world because you don’t have to be right. You just have to be close enough.
True…you may not need an emergency kit very often in your lifetime, but it’s one of those things that when you do need it, you sure wish you had planned ahead. A good example of this is the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Sometimes we’re caught by surprise.
In the case of Katrina, it wasn’t the wind damage or flooding normally associated with hurricanes. The people of Louisiana have endured these things for years. It was the fact that a weakness in the levees allowed water to pour into the “bowl” of the city of New Orleans. Although it had been predicted as a possibility for decades, no one was truly prepared.
While Katrina is admittedly an extreme example, it serves as a cautionary tale that we should be prepared for the unexpected. Getting an emergency preparedness kit together is really quite easy. Here’s a checklist to help you:
- Flashlight with spare batteries
- First aid cream/Antibiotic ointment
- Band-Aids and bandages
- Blanket
- Extra pair of durable shoes
- Non-perishable food items to last at least a week. Freeze-dried food is a good idea and is preferred by most experts.
- Can opener (non-electric)
- A gallon of water for each person per day for a minimum of 3 days.
- Wet-naps
- Garbage bags
- Duct tape
- Disposable dust masks
- Local maps
- Cell phone with extra cell phone batteries and/or a solar charger
Store your emergency preparedness kit in an easily accessible location in your basement or garage. Of course, have a flashlight on hand in your kitchen or other easy-access area, as well. You may never need it.
We hope you never do.
But if you do need it, you’ll be prepared if a natural disaster occurs in your area by following this simple checklist:)
By Ray Boeyenga+ emergency preparedness and self-reliance advisor who regularly blogs and can be found on Twitter Too!
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