Tips for Preparing an Emergency Bag for a Baby or Small Child

It's easy to pack an emergency bag for an adult and older kids, but families with babies or small children need to give extra thought to their emergency bags. If you don't have what you need for your children in an emergency where you're forced to leave your home, your children will be miserable at the least. In the worst case, it could be a matter of life or death.

If you have a baby or a toddler, you will need to make the most consideration of your preparations. I live next to the beach, in a tsunami zone. If there is a tsunami warning, or an earthquake, I have ten minutes to get from my house and up the hill. That's it. I don't even have time to stop to get the kids dressed appropriately for the weather. I have to leave immediately.

I am completely prepared for this and other, less timely emergencies. While you may not live in a tsunami zone like I do, you should still be as fully prepared as possible. Perhaps you need to leave your home because of wildfire, hurricane or man-made disasters, or perhaps you are vacationing at the beach. Millions of tourists vacation at beaches every year, yet I'll bet there is only a small percentage who would know what to do in the event of a tsunami or earthquake.

You should first have away to transport your children if you need to leave by foot, which is the recommended way to evacuate in a tsunami or earthquake situation. I keep a stroller, set up and ready to go, near my back door. In the large basket underneath, I keep a folded up plastic tarp, which I can use to set on the ground, or use as a tent if needed.

Also in the basket, I keep a bag that has basic necessities. This includes one change of clothing for each of my children, including shoes and jackets. If there is a tsunami warning, I won't have time to get them dressed if it's in the middle of the night, and they're in their pajamas. I can just put them both in the stroller and go. Also in the bag is a couple of water bottles, a container of powdered milk, and some easy to prepare food, and other basic necessities.

There are some basics you may want to consider putting in you're emergency bag. A small first aid kit is a good idea. Include some hand sanitizer, as you may not have anywhere sanitary to wash your hands, and your children's. If you have a baby, you will want to have a bottle and formula if you aren't breastfeeding. Also, some diapers and baby wipes. The baby wipes can come in handy for more than just changing the baby.

A few books and toys is a good idea as well. If you're stuck away from home, the kids might get bored after a while. You will also need to consider any medical needs you're kids might have. Does your child need insulin or use an inhaler? You also need to think about any medical equipment your child uses that needs to be plugged in. They make certain medical equipment that runs on batteries as well, like nebulizers. This could be life-saving to a child with an asthma attack.

You might also want to put a blanket in with your emergency supplies. A good place to put it is in the basket of your stroller. Even if it isn't cold outside, you can have it handy to set on the ground so your kids are more comfortable, or to use as a sun shade.

These are just some tips of what you should think about having ready in case of an emergency. Everyone's need are different, so you need to think about you're own particular situation when deciding what to bring along in an emergency.