You know it was not all that long ago that I did not have an Emergency Preparedness kit for my home and car. The reasons for years I convinced myself that things will not happen to me and the idea of preparing a kit seemed so over zealous prepper that it was not a priority for me. Don’t get me wrong it’s not like I don’t have a basement full of outdoor gear believe me I do. After spending 20 years in the outdoors you build quite a collection of goodies from my rock climbing gear, whitewater kayaking gear, skiing equipment, backpack stoves, headlamps, sleeping bags and tents I always thought I was prepared for something and so with that came complacency with arrogance to think I was ready anything.
Canned, dehydrated and dry food
It was not until I went on one of Cody’s courses that I realized that indeed besides not being able to help other people I could not even help myself out of a brown paper bag. However, I was not spurred into helping myself until the big Earth Quakes started happening and the Natural Disasters that seemed to ever grow bigger these past few years that I must face the fact that something could easily happen to me at any given time and that’s it, we don’t ever want to think that something bad might happen to us but it does and that is the first step in having some sort of control of a bad situation.
With a new found sense of wanting to not find myself in panic in a bad situation I went about and gathered supplies for my home and car. I have also found that being prepared as enabled me not to feel to useless and defeated about such disasters as I feel I more control over my destiny if a natural disaster does come my way.
Here is what I have for my home and car. I prefer that I can be flexible enough that I can leave if I needed to and have plenty of supplies as well has having enough food for a few months.
Home Kit:
- 3x 10 gallon water jugs
- Steripen (UV light for water borne pathogens)
- MSR ceramic water filter
- Water containers (plenty of them)
- Bleach
- Iodine (liquid)
- Maps (local and national)
- 2 headlamps and spare batteries
- Emergency candles (to last 2 months)
- Solar Radio(Red Cross has a phone charger with it)
- Sleeping bags
- Rice in water tight storage containers(2 months worth)
- Pasta (2 months worth)
- Dehydrated food supplies
- Power bars (one month supply)
- Canned food (does not need extra water and lasts along time)
- Duct tape (can never have enough)
- Bandanas
- Cash
- Crazy glue and super glue
- Portable Solar panels with chargers and cables
- Solar power adapter to store power
- Backpack stoves, one that is a multi-fuel stove and the other is a canister
- Backpacks from a 50 liter and day packs
- Knifes (Mora) and a leatherman and knife sharpener
- Survival can opener
- Wool blankets
- Matches in waterproof containers
- Flint and steel set with wire wool
- Bars of soap (these can be used for so many things besides washing yourself)
- Utensils
- Aluminum foil
- Rope (can be a simple 7mm x 45 meter)
- First Aid kit that has the usual and syringes and Stitches
- Cipro – stomach medication (prescription only)
- Vegetable seeds (buy new every season)
- Spare pens and paper
- Gun
- Camping supplies for cooking
- Garbage bags – 55 gallon ones
- Feminine hygiene items
- Waterproof jacket, fleece and thermal hat, gloves, thermal layers
Car:
- Crow bar
- Spare a flat
- Wool blanket
- Headlamps
- Camping stove
- First aid kit
- Waterproof matches
- Wire wool
- Aluminum foil
- Duct tape
- Solar Radio
- Day-pack
- Water containers(Nalgene)
- Iodine (liquid)
- Multi-purpose pocket tool
- Booster cables
- Knife and sharpener
- Survival can opener
- Dehydrated food
- Power bars
- camping pot, spork
- Waterproof jacket and pants
- Thermal hat and gloves
- Fleece hat
- Extra warm clothes
- Pen and paper
- Zip lock bags
- Pliers
- Maps and compass
- Garbage bags – 2×55 gallon
- Orange piece of cloth for rescue
- Chemical light stick
- Snow shoes
- Bowdrill set with tinder
- Bandanas
- Gas canister (5 gallon)
- 10 Gallon water container
- Winter Shovel
- Car mats (these are awesome to get traction under tires)
Some people will have less or more but you get the jist. There is no need to panic and and think this is just way to much stuff, build up slowly and it’s better than waiting until you need an Emergency kit and then it’s to late.
You only have to look at Katrina to see people’s reactions in a disaster and understand human nature with people rushing to grocery stores and gas stations trying to get the last of supplies. It also does not need to be doom and gloom, its just about being prepared if, yes if something happens that is all. Now time to get on with my life.
By Sharon Page All Rights Reserved 2011 @
February 17, 2012
Survival, Survival