Emergency Preparedness Kit

(This list is taken from many sources and is always a work in progress.)

Question – Where do I keep my supplies?
If you are more likely to have a flood, then upstairs would be the best idea. If a tornado is more likely, the the basement might be the best place.

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Last  Minute Grab Bag

When a severe line of thunderstorms or possible tornado is heading our way my wife and I have a box we use to put in our last minute stuff before we head to the basement. I keep this list in my box so I can make sure I have everything

Here are the items we grab.

• Backup hard drive
• Camera
• Checkbook
• Flashlight around neck
• Keys
• Knife
• Laptop and Charger
• Phone-charger (plug it in to make sure it is fully charged)
• Medicine/Pills/Vitamins
• Portable usb charger
• Shoes-Clothes
• Tablet and Charger
• Wallet-Purse

 

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• Aluminum foil
• Bathtub plastic water container– probably needed most for Hurricane areas.
• Bear repellant – for personal protection.
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Bleach – chlorine – Bleach as a disinfectant (diluted nine parts water to one part bleach), or in an emergency you can also use it to treat water. Use 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Blue Tarps
• Bolt cutters? I saw this on one show to “procure” needed items.
• Camera to document loss
• Car – keep gas tank full as much as possible. Have the oil, water and tires checked. Gas pumps cannot operate during power outages. Place emergency items inside like booster cables, tire repair kit and spare tire and flashlight with extra batteries.
• Car Power Inverter – I keep mine under the drivers seat.
• Carbon Monoxide Tester – you may have to use inside heat sources and you want to be protected. Note – this is one of those things you need on an every day basis any way.
• Cards/Games – you may have time on your hands and no power.
• Cash and change – small bills also.
• Chain and lock for generator
• Chain Saw
• Chain saw oil for gas.
• Charcoal – to purify water. Natural only.
• Coleman stove + propane
• Coleman High-Pressure Propane Hose and Adapter – this way you can attach your BBQ propane to the Coleman stove.
• Clothing – Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person. In cold weather include cold-weather gear and bedding.
• Coleman stove
• Compass
• Drugs – Prescription
• Drugs – non-prescription – tylenol etc.
• Duct tape
• Electrical converter – from car DC to AC
• Emergency reference materials such as a first aid book or a print out of the information on http://www.ready.gov
• Entertainment–games and books.
• Family Documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
• Feminine supplies
• Fire extinguisher: small canister, ABC type
• First Aid Kit
• Flashlight + extra batteries.
• Food-popup cans are convenient.
• Food-Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
• Food-Comfort/stress foods–cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee, tea bags
• Food-Foods for infants, elderly persons or persons with special dietary needs
• Food-Gloves
• Food-High energy foods–peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix
• Food-Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
• Food-Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
• Food-Staples–sugar, salt, pepper
• Food-Vitamins
• Food-manual can opener
• Galoshes/rain proof shoes – there’s a good chance that things are going to very wet around you.
• Gasoline – extra.
• Gloves – Work
• Goggles – safety type
• Insurance policy numbers and phone numbers in cell phone
• Keys for car and house.
• Knife
• Latex gloves ?
• Laptop + power cord + USB connector for phone
• LED Lights – puck type – uses 3 AAA batteries. These should last a long time.
• Map of the area (for locating shelters)
• Mask for dust/disease – N95 –
• Matches
• Matches/lighters in a waterproof container
• Medications – extra – also look up fish amoxicillin. – 2 –
• Medicine dropper
• Mr. Heater propane tank heater.
• Multi­purpose tool
• Mylar blankets
• Needles, thread
• Paper towels
• Paper, pencil
• Personal hygiene items
• Pet supplies
• Phone – cell (charged obviously) + charger + car charger
• Phone – charge your phone from AA batteries
• Phone – corded – if you have this service. Many times even if you don’;t have power, your regular phone line will work. Phone tips – when you don’t have power – Make sure it’s charged. Have the USB charger cord for your computer to charge it up. Have a car charger. Turn it off when you’re not using it. It will last a lot longer. Set the brightness down to low. Keep your use to a minimum. Have one contact person not twenty. Send text messages – not phone calls. Turn off wifi, bluetooth, push settings – anything that uses power.
• Plastic sheeting
• Plastic storage containers
• plywood – exterior grade to cover windows – use 2 x 4’s on the inside and bolts to connect the plywood and 2 x 4’s
• Propane tank
• Propane tank hose to connect to coleman stove.
• Radio – Hand Crank Radio – this model also has a solar option and a phone charger.

• Radio – battery operated + extra batteries or the one below
• Rain gear/Poncho
• Rope
• Shoes – sturdy
• Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water
• Signal flare
• Soap, liquid detergent
• Supplies for securing your home
• Tape
• Tent
• Toilet Facilities – You can just use a 5 gal. bucket, but there are also lids for the same or buckets and lids made for this purpose. Also cat litter, 13 gallon bags and TP
• Toiletries Bag – basics like tooth brush/paste, soap, TP, etc.
• Toilettes – moist.
• Tools – basic
• Towels
• Trash bags – large.
• Two-way radios
• Wallet-Purse
• Water – 1 gal/person/day. (In our family during the winter months – we use approximately 83 gallons of water per person/day.)
• Whistle
• Wrench to turn off utilities

Websites

• FEMA – videos and photos