Building a Disaster Preparedness Kit

Disasters happen every day! Hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes, alien invasions, zombie apocalypse! It is so important to be prepared. This means a disaster preparedness kit! These items should be put into this kit and stored to ensure that in a case of emergency, you and your family are prepared.

Water

There should be enough water for 1 gallon, per person, per day, for 3 days. So if there are 4 people in your family, you should store at least 12 gallons of water. Other water sources that are available to you are the potable water in your toilet tank, and pool water. It is also wise to invest in a portable water filter.

Food

Non-perishable food should also be stored. There should be enough food for each member of your family for three days. These foods can consist of canned foods, nutrient protein bars, and other non-perishable food items. *If you do include canned foods in your kit, don’t forget a can opener!

First Aid Kit

A robust first aid kit is vital in cases of emergency. Be sure to find a kit that has a broad range of supplies, including moleskin, gauze, antibiotic cream, gloves, tweezers, Benadryl, glucose packets, and more.

Flashlight & Batteries. Candles & Matches

During a disaster, light is necessary to see. So be prepared to face the darkness with a flashlight and extra batteries for that flashlight. To conserve batteries, also pack some candles and matches.

Bathroom Supplies

Include toilet paper, bathroom wipes, and menstrual cycle supplies in your kit. Consider how much of these supplies to include based on the number of people in your family.

Waste Cleanup

Various sizes of trash bags and sanitizing wipes will certainly come in handy when trying maintain a clean environment in the midst of a disaster!

Plastic Sheeting & Duct Tape

In the event of an airborne attack of some kind, keep plastic sheeting, duct tape, and dust masks in your kit in case you must seal of air vents.

Cell Phone Charger

Keep up to date with updates from your local area with your phone and keep it charged.

Work Gloves & Wrench/Pliers

Work gloves are a great addition to your disaster preparedness kit, as you never know when you will need them! It is also wise to include a wrench/pliers in order or turn off valves, etc.

Legal Documents

Legal documents, such as birth certificates, social security cards, etc should be copied and placed into plastic bags in case they are needed.

Medications

Be sure to include some extra medications in your kit. This includes an extra pair of prescription eyeglasses!

Cash

Keep some cash in your kit in case of emergency. There may not be functioning ATMs amid a natural disaster!

Radio

A hand crank radio can be very helpful in getting updates about what is going on in your area.

Paper Map

A paper map of your area may be necessary if GPS systems are not functioning.

Clothes

Including a change of clothes for each member of your party may be particularly helpful.

Infants

Babies need diapers and formula! Do not forget these essentials!

Activities for Children

Including a pack of cards, a puzzle, or board game may be the difference between calm, occupied children, and bored, frustrated children.

Pets

Include pet food and enough water, in addition to a coat of some kind in case of inclement weather. An extra leash is also a great thing to include!

We hope that this article has given you the right tools to create your own disaster preparedness kit. Creating one of these kits could be a fun family activity and a great opportunity to teach children about what to do in case of an emergency.

 

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