A disaster kit is your Murphy's Law repellant. The kit can be the thing that goes right if disaster strikes. A carefully assembled disaster kit can make life bearable when you need it and provide great peace of mind when you don't. Basic disaster kits don't require a lot of time, money or effort to put together, so prepare your family for disaster by following these five steps:
- Involve everyone. Involving those who will be using the kit is essential to preparedness.
- Create multiple kits. You never know where you will be during a crisis; have an emergency kit for your home, office, school and vehicle.
- Include survival gear first. Put the comfort supplies second.
- Store kit items properly. Maintain and replace food and medical items as they expire.
- Make a family emergency plan. See the Publications section at Ready.gov for more info.
Military families are stationed all over the world and don't always have family nearby to help when disasters strike. There's no time like now to build your disaster kit. Include the following essential items in your kit:
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Survival gear
- Food and water*
- Food and water for your pet*
- Infant formula and diapers*
- Manual can opener (to access your food)
- Radio (battery powered or hand crank)
- Cell phone (include chargers, inverter or solar charger)
- Flashlight and batteries (check size and number of batteries needed)
- Wrench or pliers (to shut off utilities)
- Whistle (to call for help)
- Dust mask (to filter contaminated air)
- Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter-in-place)
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
- Maps of your city or region (to seek higher ground or find help)
- First-aid kit (to help repair or stabilize the injured)
*Store a three-day supply of nonperishable food, water, formula and diapers. For water, allow for one gallon of water per family member (including pets) per day.
First-aid kit contents
- Sterile gloves, dressings and adhesive bandages
- Soap, antiseptic, antibiotic and burn ointments, petroleum jelly
- Eye wash solution and prescription glasses
- Thermometer, scissors and tweezers
- Prescription medicine and supplies (glucose or monitoring equipment)
- Over-the-counter medicine (pain reliever, anti-diarrhea, antacids, laxatives)
Comfort supplies
Add some or all of the following items to your disaster kit for greater comfort and convenience for your family during a crisis.
- Cash or traveler's cheques and change are good to have, as ATMs may not work.
- Important documents such as those listed in the FEMA Emergency Financial First Aid Kit.
- First aid book and other emergency-related instructions are handy to have in a pinch.
- Sleeping bags and other bedding appropriate to your area's climate will increase comfort.
- Change of clothing including one outfit per person, appropriate to the climate.
- Matches are helpful as long as you store them in a waterproof container.
- Feminine and personal hygiene items along with toilet paper make for a happier crew.
- Paper towels, disposable cups, plates and utensils will make meals less complicated.
- Paper, pen and pencil present more communication options.
- Books, card games or puzzles can help pass the time when there is no power.
Storage and maintenance of your kit
Disaster kit preparation doesn't end when you have all your supplies assembled — there's a little maintenance involved too. Your disaster kit will do you little good if the contents spoil or expire before you need them, so take care of the kit that might someday take care of you.
- Store canned food in a cool, dry place. Discard swollen or dented cans.
- Store boxed food in tightly sealed plastic or metal containers. These will keep out the pests.
- Store all disaster kit items in airtight plastic bags inside a larger, portable container.
- Rotate medicines and be sure to use them before they expire.
- Replace food and water when they expire or every six months.
- Label storage containers with the expiration dates for easy tracking and restocking.
- Choose a date to re-evaluate. Your family's needs and disaster kit supplies could change.
Military OneSource and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Ready websites provide more information regarding disaster preparedness. We often joke about how convenient gadgets or services are "lifesavers," but in an extreme situation, a disaster kit can truly save lives.