Home Emergency Kit - Checklist
(the emergency kit is below, but you should read the following information for helpful tips and hints that can make this process easier.)
For those of you who live in areas where natural disasters occur - these kits are a life saver. If you have ever had to leave your home in an instant due to a hurricane, tornado, fire, flood....you should invest in making an emergency kit for yourself. Below you will find items you can use to create one for you and your family. Keep in mind that these shouldn't be too heavy and weighed down with unnecessary items. You should have vital necessities in your bag - and realistically - it should sustain you for 3 days, or 72 hours. These are also good to have if you are taking a road trip. A day long or week long - having these items can help if your car breaks down or you run out of gas. In some states (like Colorado) where the weather is always changing, the kits are good for traveling on the road in case you get delayed by snow, hail, ice or avalanches.
If you are able to take a vehicle and are given some time to pack things - then there are a few more items that can be added that will be at the end of the list. In this case - you should have important papers at hands reach, such as: marriage license, title deeds to homes and properties, birth certificates, driver's license, credit cards, social security card, etc. (It's good to invest in a fireproof safe to store these items all the time.) These should all be taken with you if you need to leave your home in the case of an emergency.
Again, you have to be realistic when making an 'emergency kit' and they will all be different depending on the size of your vehicle (if you have one) and how fast you have to leave your home. Maybe you just have a motorcycle or bike. In that case - you can't carry many things. Maybe you can leave some of the bigger items at a friends or family members. So, when going through the list below - pick what is going to suit you best.
Always the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to keep you and your family safe - first. If you don't have time to get your 'kit' - don't put yourself in harm trying to get it. It will be easiest to keep all these items in one spot - close to an exit. Storing them in a basement or attic will not be convenient nor realistic if you have to leave in a hurry. Keep the bags or containers you use light enough to carry (and light enough if you have to walk fast or run a little).
If you have notice that you will need to be evacuating your home - put the items in your car or whatever transportation you have, and do what needs to be done to keep your home 'safe' while you are gone - for example: close and lock all your windows and doors; boarding up windows is a good idea if you have time, shut off your water lines (it's a good idea to leave one or two faucets turned on even while the lines are off), shut off natural gas lines; unplug appliances or completely turn off the electricity. Turn your furnace down, shut your computer down and unplug it to avoid your hard drive being ruined. Unplug any curling irons or hair dryers as well to avoid a fire risk.
And if you have time, it's good to remove from your house anything that is valuable to you and your family (photo albums, pictures, home videos, family heirlooms, etc.) There is a new product out on the market, a DVD recorder, and it is a wonderful idea to get one of these and record all your VHS home videos onto DVD's and make a couple copies of each one. Not only are they great to condense your video library, but also in the case of an emergency, they take up less room and are easier to pack and grab at a moments notice.
TIPS:
- Use a large backpack, duffle bag or easy to carry suitcase (soft is better).
- Don't over pack your bags and containers. Make them light enough to carry.
- Make sure you use nonperishable food.
- Keep food in a separate container or bag then other items so they don't get ruined.
- Always check expiration dates on food packages and replace if not used in time.
- Unopened bottled water is the best for these kits.
- If your weight changes or children are growing, make sure the change of clothes is in the current size.
- Keep these items stored near an exit or in the garage.
- If possible, you can use a dolly or a wheel barrel to make loading the items into your vehicle faster and easier.
Your Kit Should Have The Following:
this is a list of suggestions, you don't need everything that is listed - as that would be way to much stuff to haul around
FOOD (non - perishable items)
- sunflower seeds
- cereal (packaged in the bags are more convenient)
- canned foods (chili, tuna, chicken, corn, ravioli, soups, etc.)
- granola bars
- bouillon cubes (good to mix with water to help with hunger)
- crackers
- beef jerky
- candy
- drink mixes that will mix with water (hot cocoa, tea, coffee, punch, etc.)
- dried fruit or fruit roll ups
.
FOOD PREPARATION ITEMS
- can opener
- single burner stove with propane (camping size)
- paper towel and napkins
- camping pot/pan
- stirring spoon
- plastic eating ware (spoons, forks, knives)
- aluminum foil
- bags for trash
- pot holder for hot pans
- paper/styrofoam plates and/or bowls
- plastic cups
- straws
.
CLOTHING AND WINTER ITEMS
- Tee-shirts
- tank tops
- sweatshirts or sweaters
- sweat pants or running pants
- jeans (if it's cold, it's best not to wear jeans because the cold will get locked in and your legs will be cold and stay cold, so it's better to wear pants that have a flannel lining, like running pants)
- socks - warm
- change of underwear
- walking shoes / hiking boots that are comfortable if you will be doing a lot of walking around for long periods of time
- fleece blankets
- wind - breakers
- fleece pullovers
- coats
- scarves
- fleece hats
- fleece gloves / ski gloves
- fleece head band
ITEMS FOR BABIES OR SMALL CHILDREN- fleece blankets
- good diaper supply
- formula
- umbrella stroller
- carrier / car seat
- small, soft toys (a couple)
- baby food in unopened jars
- spoons
- hat, gloves, scarf
- warm cloths (if it's the cold season)
- small pillow
- bottled water
- (most of these will fit in a backpack)
MISCELLANEOUS
- first aid kit
- cell phone and charger
- lantern (you can get them now that use fluorescent lights and batteries)
- flashlight (make sure batteries aren't old...replace them often)
- candles
- lighters or matches
- whistle (each member of the family should have one - these are good in the mountains in case someone gets lost) ( you can also use balloons for noise...blow it up and as you let the air out, pull the opening apart until you hear the whistling sound)
- compact mirror (good for signaling with the sun or light)
- compass (good if you're in the mountains or a place where you will lose sense of direction easily)
- bug spray
- towellettes
- kleenex
- toilet paper
- travel toothbrush and toothpaste
- dry shampoo
- dry washcloths
- towels
- feminine hygiene products and accessories
- body lotion
- chapstick / lip balm
- comb or brush
- hair elastics for long hair
- baseball cap
TOOLS / TOOL BOX- small, army shovel (you can get these at stores that sell camping equipment)
- rope (nylon is good for long lasting, but is harder to work with when it's cold)
- heavy duty scissors
- pocket knife (multi-purpose is best)
- duct tape
- bungee cords
- small ax (for chopping firewood, etc.)