These days, preparing for an emergency doesn't just mean being ready for a storm or an earthquake. Forces of nature aren't the only things we need to account for; we also need to account for the unexpected, intentional attack on our sense of peace. Still, whatever the source of an emergency, you'll always be in better shape if you've done something to prepare for the unexpected. Knowing your environment will help you determine exactly what you need, but there are some things that just about everyone agrees you should have available during an emergency. Here's a quick list of items that you should keep in an emergency kit:
- Flashlights – more than one if possible – but always have extra batteries. LED flashlights are among the toughest, brightest, and longest lasting flashlights you can get.
- Radio – if you have to evacuate, it's easier to rely on radio than on any other medium. For an emergency kit, pocket or weather radios would be best. Our best recommendation is the CCRadio Solar BT, which is an emergency radio that can be powered from many sources (sun, batteries or by the windup crank) and it also has an LED light built into it. If you're more technically inclined, and willing to spend a bit more, you might also want to keep a portable scanner or ham radio handy. You don't need a license to listen to either one and, during a crisis, they can be great sources of information – particularly when other modes of communication are down. Listening in on police and fire frequencies can alert you to immediate road conditions and emergencies. Listening to ham radio operators on a scanner can also be very informative – especially since hams are often the people most experienced at finding and sharing relevant information. On most scanners, you can listen to what's called the 2 meter band between 144 and 148MHz and the 70-centimeter amateur band between 420 and 450MHz. Scanner coverage may extend beyond these amateur bands into other VHF and UHF frequencies. After listening enough, of course, you might also decide to get your license and join the amateur radio community.
- First Aid Kit – be sure to include any medications you may need, particularly prescription medications. Consider the individual medical needs of everyone in your household when putting your kit together.
- Extra batteries – We mention this twice because it's important. Your radio and flashlights should run on the same size batteries, that way it's easier to stock up on backup batteries.
- Whistle – a simple whistle can be useful for signaling for help, especially if you're unable to call out for an extended period.
- Cell phone charger or backup battery – your phone can be an important communication and information tool during an emergency. Keep a charging cable and a charged portable battery available as an additional source of power. The CCRadio Solar BT can also provide emergency USB charging to a cell phone, which may provide enough power to make a call in a pinch.
- N95 respirators – keep several properly fitting N95 respirators in your emergency kit. They can help reduce your exposure to airborne particles from wildfire smoke, ash and dust, including dust that may be present after an earthquake or other disaster. N95 respirators filter particles but do not protect against gases or vapors.
- Tools
- Pliers and a knife blade – both are important, so you might want a compact tool that has both.
- Duct tape – you won't see duct tape on many emergency kit lists, but it is important to have on hand. As most duct tape fans know, you can fix almost anything with duct tape, even a wing on a plane (at least in the movies) - but more importantly, duct tape can be used to seal windows if there's a chemical attack and you're required to stay indoors.
- Water – Water is very important, but it's also one of the heaviest, most cumbersome things to store and carry. Since you need water to drink and to wash, just one person could easily go through about 4 quarts a day. Carrying around that much water might be impractical, so it would also be useful to have some additional water purifying methods. You could invest in some iodine pills - they taste terrible, but they're an easy way to make water potable. Or you could go with a water purifier.
- Nonperishable food – We recommend keeping enough nonperishable food on hand for several days. Choose foods that are easy to store and prepare and be sure to include a manual can opener if any of your emergency food is canned. It's a small item that can be easy to overlook but very important when electricity is unavailable.
Of course, all these supplies won't be very helpful if you don't know where to go or you're not dressed right (wear sneakers or other sturdy shoes, long sleeves, and pants). Putting together an emergency kit is only the first part of dealing with an emergency. Once you've got specialty items assembled, toss in blankets, toiletries and toilet paper, and an extra pair of eyeglasses. If you have pets, remember to plan for them too. Keep pet food, water, medications, carriers or leashes and other necessary pet supplies with your emergency preparations. You also have to take care of other issues like securing important documents ahead of time (in a fire resistant safe) and making sure that you know your area's evacuation route.
If you're on vacation, commuting to another town or have just moved to a new place, it's also a very good idea to keep an area map in your emergency kit. If required to evacuate, however, don't try to find your own way out of town. Follow the prescribed evacuation routes, since, in the event of debris on the roads, etc., those routes would be cleared more quickly than others.
Finally, stay alert. Keep your radio on, stay clear of any heavy objects that could fall, and do your best to keep calm. In terms of preparing for anything that could happen in your vicinity, get in touch with your local emergency centers. You may want to visit some of the following websites and print out some of the check lists and preparedness advice that applies to you, in terms of where you are, or where you might be going.
- FEMA / Ready.gov – Basic Disaster Supplies Kit – recommendations for building and maintaining an emergency supply kit.
- American Red Cross – find out the location and number of your local Red Cross – useful for volunteering and getting update information.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – information on preparing for and responding to public health emergencies.
That's a lot of information to digest, we know. If you want to come back and reread some of the items on this page, please add it to your favorites or bookmarks now. One last thing, be sure to go over your preparations with your family. Set some meeting places, one in town and one out of town, and agree on someone out of town that everyone in your family can contact if necessary.