Emergencies happen almost always without warning. Once one hits your family, it’s always unexpected, and the situation can get a lot worse if you are caught unprepared.
Be it earthquakes, hurricanes, losing power for multiple days or something else, disaster preparedness is a must. Every home must have a personalized family emergency kit that’ll sustain you in the event of an emergency.
Your kit should include items that can address your essential needs and keeps you going until help arrives. But what exactly goes into an emergency kit? Discussed below are the main things to include in your kit.
1 – Light
For emergencies brought about by natural disasters, lighting is essential. You can get enough lighting from sources such as a bright flashlight which makes it possible to illuminate the environment and, in some instances, keep you safe.
Additionally, you can increase your illumination by getting tactical flashlights. Unlike regular flashlights, the alternative has few modes and quick access to high outputs.
2 – A First Aid Kit
A first aid kit is an important part of an emergency kit as it can come in handy during an emergency. With proper supplies, a first aid kit can help clean cuts, limiting the risk of infection and aiding an injury. And with natural disasters comes different injuries that might include blood loss, thus making a well-stocked first aid kit crucial.
3 – Prescription Medication And Painkillers
In your family emergency kit, pack documents such as doctors’ prescriptions, photocopies of some sort of identification, updated medical history, and documents you see fit. These medications will come in handy if you lose or forget the medication during the chaos.
In addition, you’ll need to stock up on painkillers if the need arises. As you pack the medication, ensure that you place it in water-tight containers. And for medication that needs refrigeration, have a cooler available.
4 – Water
When emergencies arise, treated water tends to be scarce, thus posing the problem of dehydration. And in the cases of natural disasters, most water sources tend to be contaminated and not fit for drinking.
As a result, as you put together your emergency kit, ensure that you load up on water. You can step forward and add a portable water filter that’ll make contaminated water drinkable.
5 – Emergency Weather Resistant Blankets
Weather-resistant blankets will be instrumental in keeping your family warm or cool during an emergency. Ensure that the blankets you get are sufficient for all your family members. You can also opt for waterproof blankets that are easy to clean, especially during emergencies.
6 – Non-Perishable Food
Being stuck in a situation where you can’t make a meal can be hard. And during an emergency such as a natural disaster, you can survive by eating non-perishable food.
This food can safely be stored at room temperature; thus, you don’t have to worry about the food going bad. So, choose non-perishable foods that don’t require any cooking. If you have a pet, you’ll also need to stock up on their food.
7 – Personal Hygiene Items
Even during emergencies, you may need to keep up with your hygiene. And especially for women who may end up receiving their periods, being prepared is important. In addition, you and your family members may need to maintain certain normalcy; taking care of your hygiene is one way to achieve this.
8 – Import Documents
Nothing prepares you for a disaster that may need one to have some sort of identification. So, pack documents such as doctors’ prescriptions, photocopy of some sort of identification, updated medical history and documents you see fit.
9 – Multi-Tool Army Knife
Having tools might come in handy during emergencies, and a multi-tool army knife can be used in more than thirty-three different functions. Some might contain blades, screwdrivers, wood saws, can openers, and bottle openers, amongst many more. It’s also easy to carry and fits into small spaces.
10 – A Battery-Operated Radio
Knowing what’s happening and getting updates might be instrumental in keeping you safe during a disaster. However, you might not have access to WIFI during an emergency, so you may need a battery-operated radio. Stock up on batteries just in case the one you have gone out.
Bottom Line
As seen above, an emergency kit is essential in every household. So, keep your household size in mind when packing items and pack accordingly. And once in a while, rotate the supplies and keep them fresh and in water-tight storage. In addition, ensure that you keep the kit in an accessible place where every member knows.
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