Are You Prepared?

Are you prepared?

I know I am not.

More and more there are emergencies that come up. Whether it is a job loss or a real emergency that will force you out of your home for days or weeks would you be ready to leave on an instant and how would you survive?

I have lived through both a fire and hurricane so I know a little bit about survival after a disaster. Would you be prepared for a natural disaster at your house?

If not I want you to join me as I tackle getting my 72 hour kit together. I have noticed it takes time to get people help. How could you and yours survive? Well I think a 72 hour kit is one of those things that we need to have and know we should have it but often it is something we put off doing. I have had one before but with my moves I had not kept it up to date so I am tackling get it back together again. What needs to go into a 72 hour kit?

What do you need for an emergency?

Your home’s emergency survival kit should have enough supplies to look after your own family’s needs for up to 72 hours. To save time, you may want to prepare an emergency food and water kit, first aid kit, and an emergency car kit as well.

To create your own home emergency survival kit, gather the following items and store them in a duffel bag, backpack or closet shelf until needed:

• AM/FM radio (and extra batteries if not a hand-powered radio)

• Baby supplies, if required (disposable diapers, bottled milk, baby food, toys, crayons, and paper)> Make sure you are checking expiry dates and refilling as needed.

• Blankets or sleeping bags (one per person)

• Candles and matches (waterproofed)

• Cash (include coins/cards for payphones). Make sure you have small bills, and change.

• Clothing and footwear (one change of clothes per person). For kids don’t forget to change this up as they grow.

• Flashlight (and extra batteries if not hand-powered flashlight)

• First-aid kit with over-the-counter medications in the event of a pandemic

• Food(granola bars, tuna, peanut butter, crackers and others to family tastes but think easy to prepare) and bottled water( use 2 drops of bleach per 2L bottle).

• Important papers (copies of personal documents and identification paper

• Prescription medication required by any family member (1 week supply & copy of prescription).

• Pet supplies, if required (food, medications, toys)

• Playing cards, games & books

• Plastic bucket with lid (for latrine)

• Spare set of car keys

• Spare set of glasses and prescription, if required

• Toilet paper and other personal supplies

• Whistle

I would add to this list if you are a person of faith add a small bible or Quran, and if needed a prayer mat, and an extra scarf or two (after the fire on Wellesley here in Toronto these were on short supply).

Do you have an emergency kit? If so when was the last time you updated it?

* I am participating in 5minutesformom’s Tuesday Tackle