72 Hour Emergency Kit

[SmilingRedhead]

I have been inspired to get my act in gear and put together my family's 72 hour kit.

I was wondering if you had any good tips?

I don't need a full list of items to build the kit with as I have found numerous on the net. However some of the lists include different items so I was wondering if anyone had any helpful ideas such as the do's and don'ts, any useful extras to include or what can be substituted for what etc etc...

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

[MorningStar]

I was most intimidated by all the water we would need to carry, so I bought a water purifier in addition to the amount I think we can carry realistically. With this being Washington, I'm sure I can locate some water nearby and purify it. I heard for double protection, you can use the purifying tablets first, then filter it to get rid of the taste.

We discovered pudding snacks last a good while, so we put some of those in our kits. Cup of Noodle it good, but you have to make sure you'll have some water available. We like the pop top soups, but those are heavier, so we alternate what we put in there so it won't be too heavy or require too much water. I get overwhelmed when I read about everything we need to put in 72 hour kits because I have no idea how we're supposed to fit everything in there.

One thing I was thinking - If we had a camping trailer, we would store everything in there. Right now we have a big Rubbermaid container in our van because we don't have a good place to store it in our apartment. If we had a backyard, a shed would be an option too. I should dig up the documents I prepared when I was helping my husband with his emergency prep calling. There was one I liked about making your own first aid kit rather than the ones you buy that give you a few useful items and a million band-aids.

[havejoy]

Any good 72 hour kit should contain chocolate. Heck, any good first aid kit should contain chocolate.

[Iggy]

Several of the elderly couples in my ward use the rubbermaid containers that have wheels. There is no way they could carry a back pack. My husband and I each had three wheel bicycles with large baskets on the back- but we went and sold them.

I am seriously thinking of 'borrowing' a shopping cart from one of the stores! They will not let you purchase one, so I am reduced to 'borrowing' it. Use it like a street person does.

If I could find a cart that has the big wheels on it - those are better for rough terrain - that can be pushed or pulled- and that the items can be stored inside out of the weather and away from eyes - then I would be happy.

Here in Arizona, water is crucial to store. We only have cases of .5 ltr of bottled water. We drink that- and I take a water to work to drink. I also have a point of use filter on my faucet and a filter pitcher. The filter pitcher is in the fridge. I don't like real cold water- so I drink room temp or from the tap. Thus we would need to carry a lot of water too- a cart or wagon that we can pull or push would be good.

Originally Posted by SmilingRedhead

I have been inspired to get my act in gear and put together my family's 72 hour kit.

I was wondering if you had any good tips?

I don't need a full list of items to build the kit with as I have found numerous on the net. However some of the lists include different items so I was wondering if anyone had any helpful ideas such as the do's and don'ts, any useful extras to include or what can be substituted for what etc etc...

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

The minimum items to have in a 72 hour kit is the following ...

Food, Water, Heat, Light and an Emergency Radio

Food: You can choose canned food, if so, make sure you have a very good can opener. Also granola bars will work. Basically, food items that require little or no preparation, have a long shelf life and a large water content (for most meals). I use those Hormel Compleats (see my review on my website) which are very similar to Military MRE's but less money. They are like those little frozen meals, but they are not frozen. They have a shelf life of over a year! And you don’t even need to heat them up if you don’t want to. Also, those new single serving soups by Healthy Choice and Campbell’s are perfect as well.

Water: I have a one day supply of water in my 72 hour kit, and then I also have a very good MSR waterworks filter. If I am really in a crunch, I also have water storage of 60 gallons in 5 gallon containers which I get from my local filtered water vendor. I can use one of those in a 72 hour situation if I need to take it with me. Purified Water To-Go and also Aqua One have very good delivery and water products. If you want to store your own water you can very easily. (I've got more info on that if you wish)

Heat: Of course, A good winter coat, gloves and a hat are very important. I have my coat ready to go, and a knit hat and work gloves in my kit. I also have a space blanket in my kit. There are some new items by Coleman to consider in this department. They have the new Catalytic heaters that run on Propane that produce NO harmful carbon monoxide. In an emergency situation, this might be good to have on hand for some indoor situations. The units do use oxygen, so, you have to make sure you have some ventilation. In our apartments here in our branch, we have plenty of ventilation. You can go to the Coleman website under emergency products to see the heaters.

Light: I have several kinds of light sources. I have a very durable anodized aluminum LED flashlight that has a very long run time. I have also purchased a candle lantern. The flashlight is very good when you are looking to light a path, but they are not good for lighting a large area, which is why I have the candle lantern. The candle lantern can be found at Wal-Mart for about $15 and come with one long life candle, they work great and are safer than bare candles. As a back up, I have three chemical lights.

Emergency Radio: Get a radio that has AM and FM with NOAA weather radio reception. Its better if you can find a radio that takes the same battery size as your flashlight - less kinds to store in your kit! Don’t get something huge - it has to fit in your kit! Don’t demand a radio with TV sound reception - Analog radios that pick up TV sound wont work after February 2009 anyways due to FCC changes. Find out what the local stations are in your area, and label your radio with those stations so you can easily find the station that has your local emergency info.

Other things to consider: Documentation (deeds, titles, insurance, drivers license, Etc), personal hygiene items (TP, Tooth Brush - Tooth Paste, Deodorant, soap), Cash on hand - $25- $75 dollars in smaller bills, Leatherman Tool, FRS Radios, Wash cloth and small towel, disposable utensils.

Things not to have: Don’t put in food items that are dehydrated or completely dry like Top Raman noodles. Water is hard enough to store for drinking, you don’t want something that will take away from your precious water supply. Don’t store dehydrated fruit in your kit, it will just make you thirsty and there goes your water supply! Plan not to do any dishes; again that will also use up your water. Find kits items that are small and light. Don’t get a huge flashlight with huge batteries - smaller LED ones are better and take less space. Be careful of 72 hour kit scams - its better to build your own with quality products.

How to store the items: You can use plastic tubs if you have a family. I use a carryon flight bag for mine. My friend that works for FEMA uses a larger flight bag with wheels. If you store water, make sure you change it out every six months and store in a dark bag. I have lots of water tips.

More info: I have all of the FEMA videos on my website as well as the videos from READY.GOV. You can view any of them from my website at this link ..... Video Page

The vids I recommend on this subject are listed below. All of them are found on my video page at the link listed above.

FEMA - Disaster Supplies Kit
FEMA - Food & Water.
READY - Instructional Video

[SmilingRedhead]

Wow thanks everybody! This is amazing and you've all given me some really useful info!

WordFLOOD - I'd like to have you on speed dial for when a disaster happens...! (I'd greatly appreciate any more tips you can give me. If you'd rather mail me than posting it all then just do that - although I'm sure many would benefit from your vast knowledge!)

If anyone else has any more tips I'd love to hear them!

[pam]

Originally Posted by Iggy

Several of the elderly couples in my ward use the rubbermaid containers that have wheels. There is no way they could carry a back pack. My husband and I each had three wheel bicycles with large baskets on the back- but we went and sold them.

I am seriously thinking of 'borrowing' a shopping cart from one of the stores! They will not let you purchase one, so I am reduced to 'borrowing' it. Use it like a street person does.

If I could find a cart that has the big wheels on it - those are better for rough terrain - that can be pushed or pulled- and that the items can be stored inside out of the weather and away from eyes - then I would be happy.

Here in Arizona, water is crucial to store. We only have cases of .5 ltr of bottled water. We drink that- and I take a water to work to drink. I also have a point of use filter on my faucet and a filter pitcher. The filter pitcher is in the fridge. I don't like real cold water- so I drink room temp or from the tap. Thus we would need to carry a lot of water too- a cart or wagon that we can pull or push would be good.

Wouldn't "borrowing" be stealing? There are some website for store supplies that sell shopping baskets.

Originally Posted by SmilingRedhead

WordFLOOD - I'd like to have you on speed dial for when a disaster happens...! (I'd greatly appreciate any more tips you can give me. If you'd rather mail me than posting it all then just do that - although I'm sure many would benefit from your vast knowledge!)

Red,

Its not a problem. The best thing to do is what you are doing - ask questions and start to build your kit. Put it together and plan on changing it once in a while as your needs change. I highly recommend putting something in there that you rotate. For example, I actually eat the Hormel Compleats for lunch on occasion, which helps me rotate them. But remember, if you take an item, make sure you replace it!

I dont mind answering questions here, this way everyone can see the answer and benefit from it.

Good Luck! Let us know when your kit is done!

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by pam

Wouldn't "borrowing" be stealing? There are some website for store supplies that sell shopping baskets.

Nah, because after the disaster and when I no longer needed it, I would return it to the store- IF the store was still there and operational.

Pam, did you not see the " marks surrounding the word borrowing? That means I really don't mean it. Of course I would not steal it. Nor would I borrow it. The store supplies places don't sell them by the each.

[Alaskagain]

Wheeled luggage works - the kind with the collapsible handles. Wheeled duffel bags and tool bags are even better! Some are very expensive, but many can be found at reasonable prices. The duffels can hold bulkier items, and the many pockets and partitions in the tool bags help hold smaller related items in one area together, such as first aid, or extra batteries and flashlights, or even food.