Why the need for a 72-hour emergency kit? The truth is, you never know when a disaster is going to strike, threatening your well-being or the safety of your family. Given the increasing instances of changing global weather systems, it could even be tomorrow. Often, once these emergencies arise, it’s often too late to take the precautions you need to keep your family safe. So, it is important to maintain a state of preparedness till help arrives. Here in Florida, we do not need to be reminded about the devastating effects of hurricanes. And the need for emergency preparedness in dealing with them.
Why Have A 72-hour Emergency Kit?
When a natural disaster or other emergencies occur in Florida, thousands of individuals are forced to evacuate their homes at short notice. Have you ever wondered if the situation arose, would you be able to quickly pack everything your family will need to survive for several days? By having your 72-hour emergency kit at all times, you can rest assured that your family and you will always have ready access to the essential survival supplies at hand.
Following U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Ready.gov) directives, every family must prepare for disasters and sudden evacuations in advance. You can create a basic disaster kit with appropriate essentials that will last at least three days. This emergency kit should have the basics like food, water, medicine, and other necessities. While many prepacked emergency kits are available for purchase off the shelf, most are expensive. And they do not usually include specific supplies to suit your family’s particular requirements. Therefore, the practical and affordable alternative is to create your own trusted and reliable 72-hour kit.
Preparing Your Kit At Home.
So how does one go about making an emergency kit? For ready reference, there are guidelines on how to create a basic emergency preparedness kit on Ready.gov. You can print this list as a starting point for your family’s 72-hour kit. For starters, you will need a way to store and carry your items securely and to keep the elements out. A duffel bag, backpack, or plastic bin is the easiest option. But only after you secure these items in airtight plastic bags to keep items safe and dry.
Once you have a safe way to store and transport your emergency kit, you can start adding essential items like water and emergency rations. A good rule of thumb is to have at least one gallon of water per person per day in your kit, plus a three-day supply of non-perishable food items for each person. Non-perishable canned food is an excellent choice, given the variety and ease of use. However, when adding canned goods, don’t forget the can opener. Even though most canned food packaging features an easy-pull ring to open cans, it helps to be prepared. Especially since can openers sometimes feature other useful tools built into them.
Adapting Your 72-hour Emergency Kit To Changing Situations.
Other primary survival supplies to include in your 72-hour emergency kit are flashlights, extra batteries, matches, or a lighter, a first aid kit, moist towelettes, and garbage bags. And don’t forget the all-important, prescription medications for each member of your family. In addition to commonly used general medical supplies your family may need, should an emergency arise. Space permitting, consider one change of garments for each person, and a blanket or sleeping bag.
Now that the basics are in place, you can start adding items that are of particular importance to your family’s circumstances. For instance, if you have infants or pets in your family, remember to include baby supplies and pet food in your kit and any over-the-counter medications they may need regularly. Finally, add copies of important family documents, identification records, and cash or traveler’s checks to your emergency kit. Just make sure to store cash and ID documents, along with any other important documents, in waterproof storage bags or re-sealable plastic packs.
Why Updating An Emergency Kit Makes Sense.
Families will usually invest hard-earned time and money to create the all-important 72-hour emergency kit. But many tend to neglect the most significant part of their carefully created kit! Which is to check and replace expired food items, ensuring that they remain usable over time. Also, as the necessities or priorities of your family change, these evolving requirements should be reflected in your kit. Changing medical prescriptions will require you to add or delete items to meet the requirements of changing medical situations. The arrival of newborns will place their own demands, such as stocking up on formula milk, baby food, and other requirements of infants.
And last but not least, you will need to figure out where to store your kit. You should choose a convenient and easy-to-access location in case you need to move immediately. And ensure that every family member knows its location and how to access the contents. Brightly colored and easy-to-identify packaging is always a good idea. Sometimes, it makes sense to create a smaller and more portable version of the 72 hr emergency kit for your car. If you are unable to access the main emergency kit, or if an emergency arises while you are away from home, your mobile kit can help.
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