Monday 13 May 2013

Building An Emergency Kit

By Katelynn Mochizuki


While you might never need an emergency kit, it is wise to have a kit and an emergency plan in place just in case a disaster strikes. There is no time like the present to become prepared for an emergency.

Water is an essential part of any home emergency supply kit. Although typically most people drink about half a gallon of liquid each day, it is wise to store about one gallon per person per day. So a three-day supply for a family of four would be about 12 gallons of water. Bottled water lasts a long time, especially when stored in dark area, such as a cupboard or pantry, but it does expire, so it will need to be changed out occasionally.

When it comes to food, it is wise to pick items that do not need cooking and also are lower in salt, which can cause you to become thirsty. Canned fruit and meat can be eaten without any preparation. Dry cereal, dry or canned milk, unsalted nuts, dried fruits and peanut butter are other good ideas. If you do have access to a portable stove, you also can consider storing canned items that need to be cooked, but it is wisest to have the majority of your food be immediate nutrition that requires no prep work or cooking.

First-aid supplies are also a must. Your kit should include adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes, gauze pads, antibiotic ointment, antiseptic wipes, instant cold compresses, scissors, hydrocortisone cream, tweezers, aspirin, non-aspirin pain relievers, adhesive cloth tape, roller bandages, emergency blankets and general first-aid instructions. Pre-made kits are an easy solution, and it is wise to buy one for your home, as well as one for your car.

There are many other items that should be added to your kit, such as flashlights and other sources of light. You can purchase emergency LED flashlights or LED lanterns, but make sure you have plenty of batteries on hand and replace them as they expire. There are some amazing hand-cranked items out there, as well, and it is a good idea to have both battery powered and hand-cranked flashlights. There are even hand-crankable flashlights that include a radio and cell phone charger.

If you want to save yourself the hassle and time of purchasing and organizing all of the emergency supplies, consider purchasing an emergency kit from a source such as LightGod.com. These kits contain a myriad of important supplies and can actually be less costly than buying all the items separately. Also consider buying a handy multi-tool at the same time. There are tools that contain can and bottle openers, screwdrivers, knives, saws, pliers and even flashlights. These are indispensable items that you will use all the time and not just for emergencies.

Less important items also should be considered, such as card games, travel games and paper and pens or pencils, as well as a small pencil sharpener. If you are stuck without power for several days, it is good to have some fun stuff to help pass the time.




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