Surviving the Storm - What should be in an Emergency Survival Kit?

Prepare before the weather forecast.
As we saw with Hurricane Irene, being prepared before the storm hits can make evacuation, rescue and repair efforts go more smoothly and with less casualties.  Being prepared before the storm is even predicted can take a lot of stress off of you and your family, and make evacuation more comfortable.  Having the emergency survival basics already packed up and ready to go at a moments notice can provide you with extra time to do other preparations such as boarding up your windows and packing up the car with other items you want to bring with you.  For those of you who choose to stay and weather out the storm, having an emergency survival kit would be CRUCIAL to your survival should the storm take a turn for the worse and you are left to fend for yourself.

What should be in an Emergency Survival Kit?  Here is a basic list of items so that you can compile one of your own, or save yourself some time and money by purchasing a pre-assembled kit that already has all of the items contained in a handy bag or bucket (like the ones we sell HERE and HERE).  There are many different items you could add to your kit, these are just the basics,

1.  Food and Water

• Compact food bars are a great food solution because they take up little space, require no utensils and are easy to share.  Look for ones with a high calorie count.
• Freeze-dried and Dehydrated meals are VERY lightweight, come in waterproof packages and maintain most of their nutritional value.  They only require water to prepare and most are very delicious and taste just like a home-cooked meal.
• Water. Drinking water boxes or pouches, plus water purification tablets or water purification device in case your emergency is prolonged and you run out of drinking water.  This water bottle is really cool - it has water filtration built-in, so you can have filtered drinking water wherever you are! 

2. Warmth and Shelter

• Rain Poncho - one for each family member
• Emergency Blanket or Sleeping Bag
• Source of heat or fire - waterproof matches, warming pads, emergency candle
• A simple, compact tube tent is a nice bonus
• A pair of dry socks for everyone in your family
• Warm gloves for everyone in your family

 

3. Light and Communication

• Flashlight. I prefer flashlights that do not require batteries so you don't have to pack batteries and risk them running low when you need them most.  Shake Flashlights are really cool - you simply shake it to charge it up, no batteries required!  There are also wind-up flashlights, squeeze flashlights and solar-powered options as well.
• Radio. I like the ones that run on both batteries and also an alternate form of power such as solar or wind-up, so that you don't have to worry when the battery runs low.  Choose one that also has the Weather Band.
• One of the above could also be a multi-tool that includes things like a compass, knife, emergency flashing light, etc.
• Glow sticks. These are handy in case you need to flag down an emergency crew, or to tie onto you, your child or your pet so that you all can be better spotted at night.  Especially helpful because kids and animals are known to run off, and if you are in the dark it might be hard to find them again.

4. Helpful Tools

• Knife.  This can be a army multi-tool, or something more advanced like a hunting knife.  A knife is useful in many situations and can help you prepare food and shelter.
• Multi-Tool.  This will save much space in your kit.  A tool that has things like a compass, a knife, a light, emergency siren, even a radio all-in-one would be very helpful.
• This multi-function survival shovel is AWESOME
• Nylon Rope.
• Duct Tape
• Gloves
• Dust Mask

5. First Aid, Hygiene and Sanitation

• Compact or portable basic First Aid Kit
• Wet naps and/or hand sanitizer
• Bags for infectious waste
• Compact toothbrush and travel toothpaste
• Pocket Tissues (can also be used as toilet paper)