In case disasters come in 2016, here’s tips to starting your emergency survival kit
What happens when the electricity goes out? Is your house prepared in case a disaster may hit your hometown? Here’s a solid survival kit starter pack for all of us living in 2016.
- Water: It is recommended to have 1 gallon of water per person per day in a disaster kit, for a minimum of three days. Of course, you might not have room for all this in your home, so at minimum, just keep as much bottled water as you can fit. A bottled water supply is potentially something you can put together with everyone in your building, if you live in an apartment complex, and/or store in a basement or really wherever there’s room.
- Non-Perishable Food: Keep a few boxes of energy bars and canned foods in your kit, far away from wherever you usually keep the snacks, this way nobody is tempted to eat them before time.
- Home Toiletries: It’s also a good idea to have a backup supply of necessities at home for emergencies. Stuff like medications, toilet paper, tampons, toothpaste, maybe even a half a tank of gas in your vehicle, to name a few things you might find a real hardship to do without for a week.
- Pet Supplies: Your dog, cat, or fish will need some food and water, too. Think of them when you’re making this emergency kit. During stormy season avoid getting low on their food.
- A Flashlight: Get one or several that plug into the wall, and find an outlet where you can leave them 24/7. When the power goes out, the flashlight will be fully charged, to help you find your way around.
- Candles & Matches: The flashlight will get you far, but if you’re without power for a while, it’s nice to light candles in each room. Try to get large candles to last you longer.
- A Phone Battery: In 2001, a disaster preparation list might have said to keep a corded phone around to plug in to your landline. But let’s be honest, these days, you might only have a smartphone, so invest in a rechargeable backup battery and keep it juiced up and at the ready.
- No-Tech Entertainment: Board games, books. Something, anything, to pass the time.