How to Make an Emergency Preparedness Kit

Depending on where you live, you may have different weather emergencies that affect your area. However, no matter where you live, you need to have an emergency preparedness kit on hand. If you don't think you need a kit, think about what you would do if you didn't have access to food or water in a weather emergency. Now, imagine how dire this situation would get if it went on for days. To make sure you and your household have everything they need in case of a weather emergency, you should create an emergency preparedness kit today.All photos featured in this article are my personal photos.

When you are creating your emergency preparedness kit, you should make sure the kit could sustain your family/household for at least three days. For this reason, you may need to adapt the items in the list to meet the unique needs of your family.

• A List of Emergency Contacts (remember your cell phone may not work or be charged, so it is important to have this information on paper, in your kit)
• Non-Perishable Food
• A Manual Can Opener (there may be no electricity, so a manual can opener will be necessary for eating non-perishable food)
• Cash (if you can get to a store, credit/debit machines may not be operational)
• Wind-Up Radio
• Wind-Up
• Flashlight
• Spare Batteries for Anything that isn't able to be wound up (It's important to make sure that you check the batteries on a regular basis to make sure the batteries haven't leaked or been destroyed)
• Water (you should have two liters of water for each person in your household)

In addition to the necessary items to include in your kit, you may also want to add these optional items to your emergency preparedness kit.

• Blankets
• Duct Tape
• Whistle
• Camp Stove
• Fuel for Camp Stove
• Matches (make sure to pack waterproof matches)
• Candles
• Tools (hammer, screwdriver, basic tools)
• Eating Utensils
• Toothbrush, Toothpaste
• Toilet Paper
• Hand Sanitizer
• Garbage Bags
• Changes of Clothes for Each Person
• Bleach
• Water Purification Tablets

To make sure you can access the kit in an emergency, you should pack it in an easy to carry suitcase or duffel bag. Make sure that you don't make the bags too heavy. If you must, make several smaller kits, so that they can be easy to transport in an emergency situation. While you should only have to pack each kit once, it is important to check the kit at least once a year. This way you can replace expired food, batteries, and check to make sure no supplies have been ruined in storage. If you need to choose a time that is easy to remember, schedule your kit check-ups during season changes or time changes. Doing this will ensure you never forget to make sure your emergency preparedness kit is ready to go.