Emergency Essentials
No one wants to think about that 8.7 earthquake or another Hurricane Katrina. But the reality is that natural disasters happen. And when they do, being prepared will hopefully make it a little easier to overcome and get your family back to normal. While we hope you never have to use it, here are several items to get you started in assembling a DIY emergency kit for your home, car and office.
Food and Water
Sustenance will be key, especially if a natural disaster stalls accessibility to running water and the grocery store. According to Ready.gov, it's recommended to have enough food to last you for 72 hours and a gallon of water per person for at least three days. If you don't have enough space to stash gallons of water, consider getting Lifestraw, which can filter 1,000 liters of contaminated water. Some smart food sources to store include nuts, energy bars or dried and canned fruit (just don't forget the can opener). Also, don't forget to put aside enough food for your pets, as well as any formula for babies.
Trash Bags
Pardon the ick-factor here, but if the plumbing is down, you'll want a way to deal with waste in a sanitary way. Ready.gov suggests keeping trash bags with plastic ties for handling any human waste along with a stash of toilettes or hand sanitizer. Also, if you have any family members who aren't potty-trained, make sure you have a few days' worth of diapers handy as well.
Blankets
Heat can become a hot commodity when the power goes out. At home, keep a sleeping bag (maybe a couple, depending on the number of people in your family) with your emergency food stash. At the office or in the car, keep a warm blanket. Even if it's summer or you live in a warm climate, you'll want warmth once the sun goes down.
Cash
Guess what won't be at the top of your list in the event of a disaster? Finding an ATM (assuming you can find one that's working). And since credit card machines will likely be down, it won't hurt to have some spare cash on hand. Keep it in a waterproof/fireproof box with your important documents. For your car or office, store your cash in something like an iWallet, which requires your fingerprint to unlock. (Plus, it never hurts to have some cash in your car anyway, in case you are running on empty and forgot your wallet at home.)
Extra Gas
Let's say you need to get out of town as fast as possible. Unfortunately, you're low on gas and, judging from the gas station lines, it looks like everyone else in the city is too. Keep a container of gas in your trunk in case a moment like this were ever to occur (regardless, it's helpful if you were ever to run out of gas on the road). Or, an equally effective tip is to get in the habit of never allowing your gas tank to get more than halfway empty at any time.
Walking Shoes
Especially at work and in the car, keep a pair of walking shoes in your emergency kit or bag. In the event that you have to evacuate your office or that your car breaks down, wearing heels or going barefoot are two options you don't want to decide between.
Cell Phone Charger
As much as the cellphone has become a daily necessity, an emergency can turn it into a lifeline. Always keep an extra phone charger in your car. It will come in handy even when the emergency is that your cellphone died and you need to let daycare know you'll be late picking up the kids. For home or office, you may want to consider getting a solar-powered cell phone charger, since a regular one wouldn't be useful during a power outage.
A Wrench
The force of a natural disaster could potentially wreak havoc on your pipes. And if one of those is a gas pipe, turning it off will be priority No. 1. Keep a wrench or a pair of pliers in your kit in case you have to manually shut down utilities.
First Aid
A must-must-have? A first-aid kit. Again, here's hoping you'll never have to use it, but if you need it, you—or anyone who needs it nearby—will be glad you do. A few items to keep in the first-aid portion of your emergency kit: Band-Aids, gauze, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol wipes and instant ice packs.
A Flashlight and Matches
While you may have fond memories of lighting the candles when the power goes out, in an emergency, you're going to want access to light as soon as possible—especially if it's nighttime. Keep a flashlight in your kit, along with extra batteries. Matches are also wise to have on hand in case you need to light a fire for warmth or an SOS signal. To keep your matches waterproof, store in a waterproof container or coat them with clear nail polish.
