Being prepared for an Emergency no longer is the concern of a few whose homes are located in earthquake prone Californian or those that may live in Tornado Alley.

For Americans preparedness now also means possible man-made disasters as well as natural ones. First response teams have stated that it may take 24-72 hours before they are able to assist you while in need.

For this purpose it is important that we as individuals, families and communities prepare ourselves. One of the best ways of doing this is by building our own 72-hour emergency kits.

When putting together your kit there are a few things you should know.

1. Make sure your kit is portable in case you need to exit your house. If it's for you individually a sturdy backpack will do. But for a family it is very possible that the entire family may not be home when the disaster happens so it needs to be portable for those left at home. We have opted to place our family kits inside of two portable (with wheels) garbage cans.
2. Each family member should have their own kit that you update with new sizes of clothing on a yearly basis.
3. It also may be advisable to pack your clothing in Ziploc bags just in case the problem is a water problem.
4. Do not make your kits too large to carry for some distance. You never know what conditions will be like.
5. Distribute heavy items between kits. Items such as pans or stoves can be broken up between several packs or bags.
6. Put your light source at the top of your pack for quick accessibility.
7. Make sure that your kit is personalized to your special needs.
8. Once again make sure and inspect your kit one to two times yearly to update water, food and clothing.

This is just a guideline to help you think of the basics and also to help you put together a 72-hour kit that fits your needs personally. What you may consider a necessity another not.

A good sturdy backpack is great for adults. One with a frame makes it so you can tie on sleeping bags or clip containers etc to the sides. For small children a school pack is just fine.

Buckets- a bucket is another way of packing and transporting your 72-hour kit. It's a great way of packing some kitchen supplies as well as it can come in handy as a toilet.

Make sure and pack extra plastic garbage bags as liners as well as some TP.

Garbage can on Wheels- This one is the one we've used. We've placed all our individual packs inside the garbage can. If we are able we can take the entire thing with us, if we're able to leave by car we have stored all our gear in a waterproof place or we can place the packs on our backs.

This is by far the most vital element to have in an emergency. You can live a long time without food but you won't without water. The recommended amount is one gallon per day per person for drinking and washing.

Jugs- 1-5 gallon jugs are easy to carry if on the run.

Jugs 15-55 are a great way to store water if staying put.

Individual water bottles- are easy to store and easy to use. Place a few in every pack. They won't cover all your needs but are a great way to have some water if you're in a hurry.

Water purification tablets- these are inexpensive and easy to carry just in case you run out of water.

There are a lot of options for food

High Calorie bars- these take up little space and can last up to 5 years in your kit.

MRE's- also known as Military meals. These will also store up to 5 years.

Dehydrated food meals- these meals are packed in Mylar bags and they store well. All you do is pour-boiling water into the pouch and they're ready in 15 minutes. These meals will store indefinitely. But you do need water.

Comfort food- I would also recommend including a comfort food in your 72-hour kit. If you're using the kit it typically means there is an emergency. It would be wise to have some comfort food if not for you at least something for the kids.

Make sure and have either a mess kit or paper supplies for every member of your family.

Also if cans are part of your food supply don't forget a can opener.

Warmth

This is about comfort. Make sure that you pack things that will keep not only keep you warm but also comfortable.

Emergency Space Blanket or sleeping bag- this takes up very little space and stores well. Look for the highest grade available.

Sleeping bag- now days even the heavy-duty sleeping bags are fairly light. If possible include sleeping bags in your 72-hour kits.

Additional warmth and cooking

Butane stove and fuel- these are a great way to heat food and water. The fuel canisters can be stored in your packs.

Hand Warmers- These are chemically reactive and last up to 6 hours.

Waterproof matches and butane lighter- these are a good idea to keep on hand.

Shelter

Lightweight tent- for the least expensive and easiest to store all you need is the kind you can rig between two tress with a rope. A tarp will work as well.

Ponchos- Make sure and have plenty of these in case it rains. If you don't have a poncho you can cut a hole in the end of a garbage bag and use that.

2-4 man tent- If you have the room then a nicer tent would be great.

Light Sources

Battery operated flashlights- Make sure to change the batteries of your 72-hour kit flashlights every 6 months.

Wall flashlights- these are great for using to find your battery operated flashlights. These flashlights plug in the wall and when the power fails they turn on.

Multi function flashlights- these flashlights typically have a radio a siren and a light.

100-hour candles. These are good for lighting, heating and cooking and they last for 100 hours.

First Aid kit

Assemble your own or get a pre-assembled first aid kit

Suggested items:

• First-aid manual
• Tweezers
• Gauze
• Soap
• Scissors
• Pain Reliever
• Band-Aids
• Calamine Lotion
• Ace Bandage
• Adhesive Tape
• Plastic Gloves
• Safety Pins
• Antibiotic Cream
• Thermometer
• Medication
• Alcohol Wipes
• Disposable cold packs
• Sunscreen
• Small bottle of disinfectant
• Mouthpiece for CPR
• Repellant
• Snake Bite Kit
• Carbon Filter Mask

Communications

Radio flashlight - These come in many varieties. A good one comes with both AM and FM reception, bright flashlight, thermometer, siren, compass, battery powered, has a hand crank, solar or car charger. Some even come with short wave capacity.

Whistle- this can be very important to give children right after a disaster. Have them carry it with them at all times in case of further problems or they become lost.

Basic tools

• Portable hatchet
• Pocket Knife
• Portable shovel
• Bucket opener
• Duct Tape
• Can Opener
• Sewing Kit
• Compass
• Wire Saw
• Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
• Flares
• 50 ft. nylon rope
• Needle nose pliers
• Wrench- for turning off gas if you need it
• Straight edged razor blades-

Customize this according to the needs of your family.

• Roll of TP placed in a zip-lock bag Plastic bag
• ties or closures
• Hand soup in reusable container
• Laundry detergent
• Comb or brush
• Shampoo
• Dust Mask
• Surgical or rubber gloves
• Disinfectant (bleach)
• unbreakable mirror
• Napkins or paper towels
• Scrub pads
• Dish soap
• Cloths pins
• Large Trash bags
• Bath or hand towel
• Lime for waste treatment
• Contact solution
• Pre-moistened towelettes
• Extra contacts
• Shaving razor
• Feminine hygiene items.

Extra Clothing

One or two extra sets of clothing- rotated regularly as your children grow. In the middle of the summer it's easy to just cut off sleeves or pant legs if you need to.

• Hat with visor
• Work gloves
• Sturdy shoes
• Bandannas or large handkerchiefs
• Goggles
• Extra Shoelaces

Money

Make sure and have some money in your kits. Small bills and coins are best since vendors may not have change. Make sure kids have quarters in their kits in case they need to make a phone call.

Important papers

• Birth Certificates
• Phone numbers of out of state family or friend
• Marriage License
• Credit card information
• Will
• Medical and contact information form

Insurance forms Photos of each family member with vital statistics Sharpie Marker - this may seem extreme but you can use the sharpie to write a young child's name and the phone number of an out of state relative on his arm. That way if he's separated from you and his pack, he can be identified and returned to you by contacting the relative.

Stress relievers

I would recommend you think of several things for the kids to do while you are away from home. Some suggestions are:

• Ball
• Scriptures or other books
• Chess game
• Crochet
• Paper and crayons
• hard candy
• Travel Games
• Puzzles or crossword
• Toys
• Pencils and pens

The best thing that you can do in an emergency is to already be prepared. And the best way to do this is to have a 72-hour kit. The second best thing is to talk to your children about possible emergency situations so if and when it happens they are calm and not frightened more than is necessary.