FEMA recommends keeping a 3 day supply of basic supplies of water, food and other necessities just in case you need to survive on your own after a disaster. Make sure that all household family members are aware of its location. The kit you prepare should be portable to that you are able to carry it with you at a moments notice in case of a disaster.
Why keep a kit handy?
1. Disaster personal and rescue workers may reach you in only a few hours or it may take a few days. It is important to keep a sufficient amount of supplies to last you at least 3 days.
2. Basic services may be suspended: During disasters basic services like water, telephones, gas, electricity and sewerage may be cut out for days or even weeks.
3. Evacuation: You may be ordered to evacuate at a moments notice. Having basic supplies at arms reach will be invaluable to you as you will likely be unable to shop for these necessities once a disaster strikes.
Disaster Supply kit Essentials:
Water, food, first aid kit, basic equipment & tools and items for people with special needs (infants and the infirm).
Do I need to have additional kits:
It’s a good idea to keep a similar kit in your car and at work as you never know when or where a disaster is likely to strike?
Work: food, water and a pair of comfortable walking shoes.
Car: food, water, first-aid kit, jumper cables and flares.
How to store and maintain your kit:
Keep kit in a cool dry place.
Make your kit portable by storing it in a backpack or another easy to carry container.
Download the Emergency Disaster Kit Checklist here. 
(Adobe PDF, 173k)
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Water and Food for 3 days
Water:
It is recommended that you make allowances for 1 gallon per person per day
__No. Household members x 3 =__
Food:
- Non-perishable pre-packaged food is recommended.
- Boxed/Bottled: juice milk soup
- Dried/powdered foods: Cereals, Soup, milk, Sugar
- Canned vegetables meat
- Seasonings: Salt and Pepper
- Comfort foods/Sweet treats: cookies, hard candy and coffee.
- High energy snacks: trail-mix, granola, fruit preserve, peanut butter, and low-sodium crackers.
- Special Needs foods for elderly, infants and pets.
- Vitamins
Basic Hygiene and sanitation
- Toothpaste and Tooth brushes
- Toilet paper
- Soap
- Shampoo
- Hand sanitizer/ wet wipes
- Washcloth, drying towels
- Feminine supplies
- Deodorant
- Razor
- Shaving cream
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Lip Balm
- Mirror
- Chlorine bleach and household bleach for disinfecting ( fragrance free)
- Small shovel to dig a latrine
- Heavy duty garbage bags and ties
- Medium sized bucket with tight lid
- Label maker to mark dates on kit
Special Needs
Children:
- Baby food/ formula
- Diapers
- Wet wipes
- Pacifiers
- Powdered milk
- Comfort medicines: Tylenol, Mylicon (gas drops) and Ocean Spray (for nasal congestion)
- Nursing water (a special cleaner water for babies)
- Blankets
- Binkies/’special toys’
Sick or Elderly:
- Denture needs
- Hearing aid batteries
- Adult incontinence aids
- Prescription medications
Pets:
- Wire cage or carrier
- Collar and leash with identification tags
- Muzzle if required
- Up to date copy of immunizations. Rabies-immunization info attached to collar tag if necessary.
Basic Equipment
- Flash light (wind-up rechargeable ones are available)
- Compass
- Tube tent
- Matches water-proof container
- Swedish fire steel (flint)
- Work gloves
- Small sewing kit
- Small travel alarm clock battery operated)
- Plastic sheeting
- Water tight storage containers
- Water tight drain plugs
- Medicine dropper
- Keep fuel takes filled
- Keys
Medical supplies
- Prescription medications and a detailed list on how to take them
- Pain relievers (Aspirin and non-aspirin)
- Antacids
- Laxatives
- Cough medicine
- Vitamins
- Anti-diarrheal medications
- Contact lenses solution
- Spare hearing aid batteries
- Bug repellant
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Cooking utensils and storage
- Small cooking/camping stove
- Fuel
- Cooking utensil
- Jack knife or all-purpose-knife
- Manual Can/bottle Opener
- Paper plates and cups or mess kits
- Plastic utensils
- Aluminum foil and plastic wrap
- Re-sealable plastic bags
- Household liquid bleach( attach medicine dropper to bottle if you will be using bleach to disinfect water) to treat drinking water, iodine tablets
- Water purifier
- Storage containers for water.
First Aid Kit
* New emergency laws allow you to get 30 day supply of prescription
- First aid manual
- CPR breathing barrier
- Bandages in assorted sizes.
- Conforming roller gauze bandages
- Sterile Gauze pads: 3”x3”, 4” x 4”
- Cotton balls/pads
- Antiseptic wipes (Wet wipes)
- Anti-bacterial ointment
- Antibacterial hand sanitizer like Purelle
- Thermometer
- Tongue depressor blades
- Cold pack
- Adhesive tape 2” width
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Gloves: Non-latex medical grade (size- Large)
- Safety pins
- Sunscreen
- Tube of petroleum jelly or lubricant
- Compression stockings
Important documents
Make photocopies of all important documents, and store them with a friend or in a safety deposit box outside the hurricane zone. An alternative is to store an electronic copy online in a secure account.
- Emergency cash- enough for 2 weeks, coins
- Personal identification
- Drivers license
- Birth Certificate
- Social security card
- Immunization records
- Passport
- Marriage license
- Medical records
- Will
- Deed to properties
- Stocks and bonds
- Insurance documentation
- Inventory of household items and goods (visual or written)
- All banking and credit account numbers and details.
- Emergency contact list of phone numbers.
- Map of evacuation zone and numbers of nearby shelters.
Tools
- Nails
- Hammer,
- Screw drivers,
- Shut off wrench to turn of gas and water
- Axe
- Crow bar
- Box cutter
- 5 gallon gas cans (at least 2)
- Funnel for gas can
- Fire extinguisher (small ABC-type)
- Compass
- Plastic sheeting
- Duct tape
Communications
- NOAA Weather Radio
- Note Paper
- Pen/Pencil
- Solar powered charger for iPod, and mobile phones flashlight is available
- Whistle
- Signal flares
Bedding and Clothing
- Waterproof storage bag
- A change of clothes
- Rain gear
- Hat and gloves
- A hardy pair of boots/walking □shoes
- Extra socks
- Thermal underwear
- Bedding: sleeping bags and □pillows
- Sunglasses
- Space blankets
Activities/Comfort
- A pack of cards
- Games
- iPod Mp3 player and charger (stock with audio books)
- Toys for children
- Books
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Written by Leanne Naidoo
Holidays and Seasonal Inspirations
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