The importance of putting together a home emergency kit to help you and your family through a disaster is pretty obvious. Hurricane Sandy caused a major problem for those who were not prepared for a disaster and had no power in their homes temporarily. Could you survive such a situation?
With any luck, you won't have to. Even though the chance of this may be low, you should still have an emergency kit available in case you suddenly need it. These are some of the basic items that you should have ready:
Get a flashlight. Don't skimp on the flashlight, get a high quality one that is not rechargeable. Don't forget that days could go by with no power at all to your home. Have plenty of spare batteries in the kit, and replace them periodically if they are close to their expiration dates. Kerosene lamps are another good idea if that is something you are confident about caring for properly. Candles should be included, and in order to light them or build a fire, matches are essential.
Hand sanitizer is another important item. Washing your hands may not be something that you can do for a while if the water system has been contaminated. Keep a large bottle of hand sanitizer and some paper towels on hand to keep as germ-free as possible.
Be sure to purchase a car adapter as well. When there is no power available, you can use this to recharge your smartphone or other items, and you will have your lines of communication open.
You are going to need bottled water. Contaminated water is not fit for drinking or washing, so make sure there is enough. Staying hydrated is crucial, so be sure there is at least one extra case of water in your home. If a hurricane or other kind of disaster is imminent, gather as much drinkable water as possible.
The generally accepted recommendation is that you should have a food supply in your kit that will last at least 2 weeks. Non-perishable food items are essential - canned goods, peanut butter, and energy bars are good to add. It will help if you have a way to cook as well - a gas grill will do just fine. Keep an extra container of gas around if you can. The other important thing is to have a manual can opener. You'll also need a supply of paper plates, some plastic bowls and cups and some plastic utensils.
Have a first aid kit with plenty of supplies inside. You will need gauze, bandages, allergy pills, gastrointestinal medications, antibiotic ointments, pain relievers, and any other supplies that your family may require. You should also have all your prescriptions in order.
Sleeping bags are convenient and most of us have them already. Your bed may not be accessible for a long time, keep that in mind. You and your family can stay warm and comfortable if there are sleeping bags for everyone ready in case you need to evacuate the home.
None of these will make time without power pleasant. But they can help you and family survive the worst of times until power is restored and you're back in your home.
With any luck, you won't have to. Even though the chance of this may be low, you should still have an emergency kit available in case you suddenly need it. These are some of the basic items that you should have ready:
Get a flashlight. Don't skimp on the flashlight, get a high quality one that is not rechargeable. Don't forget that days could go by with no power at all to your home. Have plenty of spare batteries in the kit, and replace them periodically if they are close to their expiration dates. Kerosene lamps are another good idea if that is something you are confident about caring for properly. Candles should be included, and in order to light them or build a fire, matches are essential.
Hand sanitizer is another important item. Washing your hands may not be something that you can do for a while if the water system has been contaminated. Keep a large bottle of hand sanitizer and some paper towels on hand to keep as germ-free as possible.
Be sure to purchase a car adapter as well. When there is no power available, you can use this to recharge your smartphone or other items, and you will have your lines of communication open.
You are going to need bottled water. Contaminated water is not fit for drinking or washing, so make sure there is enough. Staying hydrated is crucial, so be sure there is at least one extra case of water in your home. If a hurricane or other kind of disaster is imminent, gather as much drinkable water as possible.
The generally accepted recommendation is that you should have a food supply in your kit that will last at least 2 weeks. Non-perishable food items are essential - canned goods, peanut butter, and energy bars are good to add. It will help if you have a way to cook as well - a gas grill will do just fine. Keep an extra container of gas around if you can. The other important thing is to have a manual can opener. You'll also need a supply of paper plates, some plastic bowls and cups and some plastic utensils.
Have a first aid kit with plenty of supplies inside. You will need gauze, bandages, allergy pills, gastrointestinal medications, antibiotic ointments, pain relievers, and any other supplies that your family may require. You should also have all your prescriptions in order.
Sleeping bags are convenient and most of us have them already. Your bed may not be accessible for a long time, keep that in mind. You and your family can stay warm and comfortable if there are sleeping bags for everyone ready in case you need to evacuate the home.
None of these will make time without power pleasant. But they can help you and family survive the worst of times until power is restored and you're back in your home.
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