Practical Emergency Preparedness

• What would you take?
• Where are your medications?
• How would you get water?
• What if the power is out?
• What if your phone can’t connect?
• What if everyone in town is trying to buy the same supplies?

Imagine being told you have 10 minutes to evacuate and leave your home!

A 72-hour emergency kit is a collection of items you may need in the event of a disaster or emergency. Typically, a small backpack is used to hold these items so you can take it with you if you have to evacuate your home.

Here are three reasons to have a 72-hour emergency kit ready before you need it.

Reason 1. Emergencies happen when you least expect them

Natural disasters and other emergencies are common occurrences. Hurricanes can force millions of people to evacuate, while wildfires can require tens of thousands of people to leave their homes with little warning.

When you are told to evacuate, it is too late to start putting together an emergency kit.

Preparing ahead of time means you don’t have to panic when deciding what to take with you. Instead of scrambling to find food, water, medications, important supplies, and other necessities, you can simply grab your kit and go.

You may never know when an emergency will happen, but you can be ready when it does.

Reason 2. You may not receive help for several days.

Depending on the extent of an emergency or disaster, help may not reach you immediately. First responders may be overwhelmed and will need to focus their efforts on people with critical injuries and other immediate needs.

That is why you should have enough food, water, and other necessary supplies to provide for yourself and each member of your family for at least 72 hours.

A 72-hour kit is a starting point. Ideally, you will eventually want to have enough supplies to cover your family’s basic needs for an even longer period, such as 14 days.

Being prepared means you can take care of yourself and your family while emergency responders and other aid organizations focus on those who need immediate assistance. Instead of adding to the problem, you can be part of the solution.

Reason 3. When you need an emergency kit and have it, you will feel calm and peace instead of fear, anxiety, and panic.

When an emergency happens, having an emergency kit can help you feel calm and prepared instead of helpless, fearful, or panicked.

Many people become interested in preparedness after experiencing an emergency unprepared. When an emergency or disaster occurs, they learn the hard way that they should have taken the time to prepare beforehand.

If you start now and build a kit, you can avoid some of the stress and helplessness that comes from not knowing what you will do when an emergency happens.

What Should You Put in Your Emergency Kit?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends starting with the following items:

• Water: One gallon per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food: At least a three-day supply of nonperishable food
• Radio: A solar-powered or hand-crank radio, preferably including NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert.
• Solar flashlight
• First-aid kit
• Whistle for signaling for help
• N-95 or KN-95 masks to filter contaminated air
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape for sheltering in place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers for turning off utilities
• Manual can opener, if the emergency food supply includes canned food
• Local maps, including evacuation routes

This list is a good place to start. Most people are not even this prepared. Other articles on this website will help you take additional steps to get prepared once you have your basic kit in place.

Take the First Step Today

Don’t let the size of this list keep you from getting started. You don’t have to build your perfect emergency kit in one day.

Start with a backpack or other sturdy bag and put five basic things in it today: water, food, a flashlight, a first aid kit, and a way to communicate.

That’s it. You’ve started.

Over time, you can add the other items your family may need and improve your kit as you learn more about emergency preparedness.

The goal isn’t to be perfectly prepared. The goal is to be more prepared today than you were yesterday.

Pre-built Kits

If you want to start quickly with a pre-built kit that comes with a red or camo backpack, food that lasts 25 years, water, a portable stove, fuel tablets, a first aid & hygiene kit, 5-in-1 survival whistle, playing cards, squeeze flashlight, waterproof matches, and a stainless steel cup, this is a great option at a reasonable price.

READYWISE Emergency Survival Gear Tactical Backpack, 64 Piece, Red