How to Assemble an Emergency Disaster Kit for Your Home

Watching the footage of the earthquake in Haiti or the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, you can't help but wonder how you would survive such an event. Are you prepared for a natural disaster?

A disaster kit could save your life during a natural disaster. It should contain the food, water, basic medical supplies and necessary tools to carry you through at least a 72-hour period following the disaster, until utilities can be restored and emergency responders can reach victims. Also give consideration to the types of natural disasters that are most common in your area, and add additional supplies specific to that type of disaster (such as extra clothes, shovels, and ways to stay warm in areas where blizzards occur).

Don't make the mistake of putting a disaster kit together and then forgetting about it. Food and supplies in a disaster kit must be kept updated and fresh. Rotate supplies in and out of your disaster kit as part of your normal shopping routine. For example, out of bandages in the bathroom? Purchase a new box, but put it in the disaster kit, and take the box from the disaster kit for your medicine cabinet. Just remember to never "borrow" from your disaster kit when you are short on something in the kitchen. Only remove something from the kit when you are rotating in new supplies.

This rule is especially important when it comes to food. Don't buy food for your disaster kit that you don't normally eat. Buy extra quantities of the easy-to-store food that you do normally buy, and rotate it in and out of your disaster kit and kitchen each time you shop.

Essentials for your disaster kit include:

• 1-1/2 gallons of water per day per person for drinking, cooking and sanitary purposes. Each person needs 2 quarts of drinking water per day.

• Boxed or canned foods - juices, vegetables, fruits, soups, peanut butter, hard candy, dried fruit. Keep in mind that the power will probably be out. Buy foods that can be eaten or prepared without cooking.

• Personal hygiene items - shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, feminine hygiene products.

• First aid essentials - bandages, antibiotic cleaners and ointments, antiseptics, pain relievers, laxatives, antacids, vitamins, anti-diarrhea medication, syrup of ipecac, prescription medications.

• Needles, thread, scissors, tweezers, extra pair of reading glasses, a manual can opener

• Flashlight, radio, alarm clock, and extra batteries for everything

• Tools, including a hammer, pliers, nails, screwdriver, and a shutoff wrench.

• Small pail with a tight lid, disinfectant, matches, bleach, aluminum foil, duct tape, trash bags, plastic sheeting

• Extra clothing

Set aside a special location for your disaster kit. It should be conveniently located, but also protected from possible damage during a disaster, such as water damage during a flood. Being prepared for a natural disaster with a well-stocked disaster kit could mean the difference between life and death.

Sources:

FEMA: Are You Ready?
http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/assemble_disaster_supplies_kit.shtm

American Red Cross: Disaster Supplies Kit

http://www2.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_3_,00.html