September is National Preparedness month and as part of the Organized Life Series this week, we’re talking about Home Supplies. You need to have a plan and a kit for any natural or other disasters that could befall your area.
#1 – Pick Your Disasters
What do you want to be prepared for? You can take a general approach or go all out and build a fully stocked bunker. But do a little research and find out what disasters are most likely to happen in your area.
Here in Lexington, KY, the closest real terrorist target would be Fort Knox. I live about 75 miles from there. We’re a landlocked state and it’s VERY unusual for a hurricane to hit us. They’re usually tropical depressions by the time they get to us. We do get tornadoes occasionally. We get a lot of thunderstorms. Flooding is rare in my part of town. We’re not close enough to the river or any tributaries. Earthquakes are rare in Kentucky, especially Central Kentucky. There are no nearby nuclear plants or major chemical plants that could fail and cause evacuation. We rarely get any blizzard that traps us at home. The worst disaster in my memory is a major ice storm that took out electricity in most of the city for around a week. Home fires can strike us as well as any area. So realistically, in my area we need to plan for:
- House Fires
- Tornados
- Ice Storms
- The Zombie Apocalypse / Complete Civilization Breakdown (if you listen to talk radio or the news, you know that these are distinct possibilities if you don’t vote for…)
Decide what you need to plan for.
#2 – Consider Emergency Plan Actions
Emergencies usually require you to take an action. Actions include:
- Evacuation – You must quickly take valuables and emergency supplies from your home to another area.
- Home Survival – You are unable to leave your home for some period of time (say 72 hours) and need to remain safe and await assistance or the weather to clear
- Go to your designated Meeting Area – If your house catches fire, your family needs a safe place to meet. If a disaster hits your area and your family members aren’t in 1 place, there needs to be a meeting plan. Communications could be down.
- Car Emergencies – Emergencies can happen while traveling. You need to have a small kit in your car.
#3 – Special Considerations
If you have someone in your family with special medical needs, an elderly family member, children, or pets, you need to be prepared with special supplies to protect and care for them. Here’s a great brochure from FEMA (don’t laugh) about caring for your pets during an emergency.
#4 – Shutting Off Utilities
Natural gas leaks and explosions are responsible for a significant number of fires following disasters. It is vital that all household members know how to shut off natural gas.
Because there are different gas shut-off procedures for different gas meter configurations, it is important to contact your local gas company for any guidance on preparations and response regarding gas appliances and gas service to your home.
When you learn the proper shut-off procedure for your meter, share the information with everyone in your household. Be sure not to actually turn off the gas when practicing the proper gas shut-off procedures.
If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and get everyone out quickly. Turn off the gas, using the outside main valve, if you can, and call the gas company from a neighbor’s home.
Caution: If you turn off the gas for any reason, a qualified professional must turn it back on. NEVER attempt to turn the gas back on yourself.
#5 – Build a set of Emergency Kits
Kits you may need:
- At-Home Kit
- Evacuation Kit
- In-Car Kit
- Pet Kit (you may want to keep this separate or include it in the above.)
At-Home Kit
The At-Home Kit is a set of emergency items to sustain your household for 72 hours in the event of a disaster that traps you in your home. Additionally, you may want to consider having supplies for sheltering for up to two weeks.
Location – This kit should be located in your emergency shelter location, or as close to it as possible.
Contents – Store these items in your kit:
- Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation. Don’t forget your pets.
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Remember to stock baby food or pet food if necessary.
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Two pairs of Latex or other sterile gloves if you are allergic to Latex
- Sterile dressings to stop bleeding
- Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes
- Antibiotic ointment
- Burn ointment
- Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
- Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminate
- Thermometer
- Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
- Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies
- Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Antacid
- Laxative
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
- Whistle to signal for help
- Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Manual can opener for food
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
- Prescription medications and glasses
- Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or free information from this web site. (See Publications)
- Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
- Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
- Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
- Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
- Paper and pencil
- Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Evacuation Kit
The Evacuation Kit is a set of emergency items to sustain your household for 72 hours in the event of a disaster that forces you to leave your home and/or your area. Time is usually of the essence when evacuating, so being prepared is key.
Personal Documents – Hopefully, you’ve already digitized all of your documents, photos, and music and backed up all of your files online, so although you may want to grab your laptop, you don’t have to take all of your computers.
Personal Items – if there is time to grab jewelry and other sentimental items, you should plan ahead what you think will be important so that you aren’t panicking when the time comes.
Location – This kit should be located in your garage, entry, mudroom, or as close to the exit as possible.
Contents – Use old backpacks to hold your kits. Store these items in your kit:
- Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least 72 hours, for drinking and sanitation. Don’t forget your pets. (Note – 4-16oz bottled waters = about a gallon, so 12 bottles per person)
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Remember to stock baby food or pet food if necessary.
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit. Consider:
- Two pairs of Latex or other sterile gloves if you are allergic to Latex
- Sterile dressings to stop bleeding
- Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes
- Antibiotic ointment
- Burn ointment
- Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
- Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminate
- Thermometer
- Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
- Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies
- Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Antacid
- Laxative
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
- Whistle to signal for help
- Cash or traveler’s checks and change
- Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Manual can opener for food
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
- Prescription medications and glasses
- Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or free information from this web site. (See Publications)
- Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
- Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
- Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
- Fire extinguisher
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
- Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
- Paper and pencil
- Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
In-Car Kit
In case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car.
Location – This kit should be kept in your car – in the trunk or in the far back of vehicles with no trunk. You will rarely (if ever) use this, but it still needs to be there.
Contents – Use old backpacks to hold your kits. You want this kit to be small and out of the way. Store these items in your kit:
- Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least 24 hours, for drinking and sanitation. Don’t forget your pets. (Note – 4-16oz bottled waters = about a gallon)
- Food items containing protein such as nuts and energy bars; canned fruit and a portable can opener. Remember to stock baby food or pet food if necessary.
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit. Consider:
- Two pairs of Latex or other sterile gloves if you are allergic to Latex
- Sterile dressings to stop bleeding
- Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes
- Antibiotic ointment
- Burn ointment
- Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
- Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminate
- Thermometer
- Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
- Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies
- Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Antacid
- Laxative
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
- Whistle to signal for help
- Jumper cables
- Cat litter or sand for better tire traction
- Shovel
- Ice scraper
- Warm clothes, gloves, hat, sturdy boots, jacket and an extra change of clothes
- Blankets or sleeping bags
- Cash or traveler’s checks and change
- Local maps
- Flares or reflective triangle
- Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
- Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or free information from this web site. (See Publications)
- Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
- Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
- Paper and pencil
- Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Update: If you’re looking for a good list of foods to stock your emergency kits, check out this article on Real Simple.
