So it has been several months since we met at the Stake Emergency
Preparedness activity, and I realize that I really have procrastinated
this for far too long, and I apologize, but I hope that you might
still find some of this useful. The plight of the folks in Haiti has
caused me to pause and consider my preparedness level. General
conference is when my family pulls out our kits and goes through them,
replacing what needs to be replaced. Here is my list of contents for
my emergency/72-Hour kit.
This list is not necessarily complete or perfect, and it is quite
possible that you won’t like some of my food choices, or some of my
equipment. That’s ok, substitute for something that you like, or
leave something out if it doesn't fit your plan. Also, please realize
that you don't need everything that I have collected in my kit, focus
on the essentials first, and add to your kit as you are able. I tend
to be a bit over-prepared. If you are putting together several kits
for yourself and your spouse and/or children, remember that you don't
all need to have the same equipment, because hopefully you are going
to stay together. Each person should have, to some degree, the
critical survival elements though (food, water, shelter).
Honestly I would be interested to know if anyone’s experience has
suggested ideas for additional items that could be added to the list.
My kit is intended to be portable. If you are planning a stay-at-home
kit, then you can really get creative because you won’t have to worry
about everything fitting into a backpack (but you should still select
a good container). Remember that for the critical survival elements
(water, food, shelter) redundancy is desirable (eg. Carry water with
you, but have a way to purify additional water as necessary). If you
have any questions, send me an e-mail - as you all discovered in our
meeting, I enjoy talking about this stuff (still a boyscout at heart,
I guess).
-Backpack or other sturdy, reliable, transportable container. Those
of you who lifted my back pack know that it is quite heavy - about
45-50 lbs. If you are concerned about being able to carry all of this
on your back, consider a container with wheels so you can pull it
behind you. If you want your kit to be portable, it won't do you any
good if you can't take it with you.
Water
-6 quarts water, or as much as you can carry (water is heavy, and
bulky, so plan accordingly)
-Water purification pump, available at Cabelas, REI, etc.
-Small dropper bottle of bleach for emergency water purification. You
can also use water purification tablets or similar (also available at
Cabelas, REI, etc.)
*Emergency urban water sources include swimming pools and toilet tanks
(the tank, not the bowl)
Food (I try to think simple, high-calorie, high-protein, moderate to high-fat)
-3 Cup-O-Noodles
-3 small cans fruit (pop-top-lids)
-3 small cans Vienna sausage (pop-top-lids)
-3 small containers beef ravioli (pop-top-lids)
-6 packages instant oatmeal
-6 packages fruit snacks
-6 granola bars
-Beef Jerky
-6 packets peanut butter (available at Sprouts)
-3 packages Gatorade powder (available in packets that will mix 16oz.
of Gatorade - check near the Koolaid at the grocery store)
-3 envelopes hot chocolate powder
-6 fruit juice boxes
-Package of hard candy, chewing gum
-Small sterno stove (not critical – all food should be consumable
without needing to cook, open and eat or just add water and let
hydrate).
-Stainless steel cup
-Spoon
Shelter
-Waterproof or water-resistant wind breaker
-Fleece or knit hat
-Leather gloves
-Large, heavy-duty black trash bag
-Nylon poncho or groundcloth (military surplus, Cabelas, REI, etc.)
-Thermal reflective blanket
-Chemical hand warmer packs (open them and a chemical reaction causes
them to heat up – get at Cabelas, REI, etc)
-2-3 large bandanas or rags
-1 extra pair socks
-1 extra pair undergarments
-Strong cord or thin rope (I use paracord, which is used in making
parachutes - used by itself it is rather strong cord, and if you pull
the strings out of the middle you end up with several smaller-diameter
but strong strings)
-Fire starting implements (matches, lighter, magnesium block)
Communication Equipment
-Two-way radio (my wife and I each have a decent quality, hand-held
"walkie talkie" powered by AA batteries, with pre-arranged frequencies
in our emergency plan). You can get these radios at Walmart, Fry's
electronics, Cabelas, etc.
-Signal mirror
-Smoke flare (available at Cabelas, Bass Pro Shop, etc.)
-(Don’t have one yet, but would like to have an emergency short-wave
radio for news and weather reports)
-(Don't have one yet, but would like to have an emergency flare gun -
available at some Wal-marts, Cabelas, etc.)
Sanitation
-Hand sanitizer
-Anti-bacterial wipes (can be used on hands and body)
-Toilet paper
-My wife’s kit has enough feminine supplies for 72-hours
-My youngest daughter's kit has 9 diapers (3 per day) and a
travel-size package of wipes
-Folding trowel
-Toothbrush & toothpaste
Light
-LED Flashlight
-Spare batteries
-3 chemical light sticks
Other
-Copy of the family emergency plan, including emergency contact
information, meeting places, hand-held radio freqencies, etc.
-Emergency cash supply ($100, in small bills - 1's, 5's, 10's) plus a
couple of dollars in quarters
-Children should have a document stating their name, age, address, any
allergies (food or medicinal), etc. In an emergency, it is likely
that our church buildings will be staging areas for emergency relief
coordination. Consider putting the address of your ward building on
the document also.
-Vial of consecrated oil
-Mini Book of Mormon (like military personnel carry. I believe that
these are now available to general members of the church through the
distribution center)
-Deck of UNO cards, playing cards, ROOK cards, PHASE 10 cards, etc.
Just something to pass the time
-First aid kit
-3X5 cards or paper for writing
-Pen or Sharpie marker
-Duct tape
-N95 dust mask
-Medical rubber gloves
-Multi-tool (tool has pliers, knife, screw-drivers, etc.)
-Plastic zip ties
-Wood saw (cable type)
-large sewing needles (I store them in the container with my matches)
-dental floss (can be used as sewing thread, etc.)
-Firearm (.357 magnum revolver) – **Including a firearm in your kit is
not a decision to be taken lightly. Consider making it a matter of
prayer. If you’re going to include a firearm, I strongly recommend
making an investment in formal firearm safety/use training classes
from a qualified instructor. If you would like to discuss this
further with me, I'd be happy to.**
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