Be Prepared: Part 5

Here we are during the final week of preparing your Emergency Kit. Here are a few other essential items to include in your kit:

- manual can opener and other cooking supplies (utensils, camp stove, propane, etc.)
- plates, utensils and other feeding supplies
- warm clothes and rain gear for each family member
- a copy of important phone numbers and documents
- heavy work gloves
- disposable camera
- unscented household liquid bleach and an eye dropper for water purification
- personal hygiene products including toilet paper, feminine products, hand sanitizer and soap
- plastic sheeting, duct tape and a utility knife for covering broken windows
- tools such as a crowbar, hammer & nails, staple gun, adjustable wrench and bungee cords
- blankets or sleeping bags
- large heavy duty plastic bags and a plastic bucket for waste and sanitation
- Any special needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities
- matches

Now your emergency kit is ready to go! As noted before, this is a basic kit that will get you through 72 hours. If you've been watching shows like Doomsday Preppers, they are planning for months of survival. If that is what you are also looking into planning for, I encourage you to look into purchasing MREs or freeze dried food made specifically for emergency storage. I have seen buckets available for purchase through Costco and various sites online.

Most of the information I've included can be found on www.72hours.org. FEMA has also supplied a similar list of items that can be found on www.ready.gov

I hope you have found this series of posts informative and if you haven't started preparing your kit, please do so. You can never be too prepared!