Essential Emergency Supply Kit Checklist: Be Prepared for Anything
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A week before Hurricane Florence hit back in September 2018, not many people were aware that she was headed straight for the Carolinas, which is where we were living at the time. I happened to be flipping through the TV channels and saw a small blurb that a hurricane was developing and could possibly head for North Carolina. In my head, I thought, “What if this storm really does develop? Are we prepared?”
This situation reminded me a lot of Hurricane Harvey. There was a lot of notice for the areas that the storm did not actually end up hitting and none at all for the areas that were devastated by it. After the crazy pre-panic that Harvey caused in Texas, I was not about to live that out again. I laced up my favorite running shoes for an afternoon of emergency preparedness shopping at Target. This was back in 2018, and our emergency preparedness been has made every single move with us! I still go through this bin and check expiration dates and keep a list of what needs restocking. Are you prepared to weather a storm with little notice? If you answered no, read on! If you answered yes, let me know what you keep in your emergency preparedness kit!
When starting your own kit, you should start with at least one plastic, weather tight bin with a lid to store all your supplies. If you have special family photos, paper goods that you would be devastated if they were ruined by water, then I suggest you purchase a second bin that is heavy duty/water-proof to protect any precious photo albums. If you have to evacuate for any reason, you have these two bins to grab and pack-up in your car. Keep in mind, the majority of these can be stored in your bin, but there are a few items you already use daily will need to toss in last minute.
The Basics:
First Aid Kit: This goes without saying. Any sort of over the counter meds you may need would also be a good idea.
Candles, lighters, & matches. I included matches because a friend told me in the last storm that she went to grab her lighter, and realized it was out!
Flashlights and Extra Batteries: I know this is elementary knowledge, but I wanted to make sure it is on the list! There are also hand crank flashlights available these days!
Battery-Powered or Hand-Crank Radio: Speaking of hand crank, to stay updated on possible emergency information, be sure to have access to a radio.
Tool Kit: This is helpful for turning off water supplies, house valves, etc. It can also help when repairing any possible damage.
Whistle: If you are in need of assistance, this will ensure someone will hear you.
Fire Extinguisher and/or Fire Blanket
For your Hygiene:
Hand soap, as well as an antibacterial gel. Hand soap if your water is still working, antibacterial gel in case it isn’t.
An extra supply of paper towels & toilet paper. The great thing about keeping these around is that you can dip into your emergency supplies when you have one of those weeks where life happens and you get down to your last roll of toilet paper (not speaking from experience or anything…ha!). Just remember, if you do take away from your supplies, replace it on your next grocery store trip. In my experience, paper towels & toilet paper are some of the first non-food items to go during pre-inclement weather panic shopping.
Paper plates & disposable utensils. You never know if you are going to have running water, and you may not feel like washing dishes at this time, even if you do have water.
Anti-bacterial surface wipes. You never know what you are going to have to clean up. After all, this is an emergency preparedness kit, so of course I am going to prepare for as much as I can.
A roll of trash bags. This one is self explanatory.
Ziplock baggies (I have sandwich and gallon zippers ones). These can be used to store snacks that you open or act as a barrier against water.
Masks that can filter dust/contaminated air.
Extra Toothbrushes. Include one per family member. I also include these steripods in my box.
Food & Water:
Water: According to Ready.gov, you should have at least 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days (for drinking and sanitation).
Non-Perishable Food: A supply of ready-to-eat canned goods, protein bars, dried fruit, and nuts. Through my research, 3 days worth of supplies is the consensus. Think jerky, Ensure protein shakes, crackers, dried fruit, nuts, nut butter, & frozen bread. You can grab regular bread, but the frozen bread will stay ‘fresher’ longer.
Manual Can Opener: If you typically use an electric one, ensure you add a manual opener to your kit.
Baby Food/Formula
Extra pet food, snacks, training pads for your furry friend.
An ice chest & a bag of ice. While our refrigerator does make ice, it sure will not if we lose electricity. This is where an ice chest & bag of ice will save all of your perishable items. We keep a bag of ice in our fridge at all times for this specific reason, plus it is something you can use for things other than weathering out a storm.
***One thing to note is that food will stay at a safe temperature for four hours maximum. Once your power has been out for longer than that, it is a good idea to transfer your most beloved perishables that you don’t want to have to replace into your trusty ice chest. This method has saved us multiple times.
Personal Items
Portable Phone Chargers to charge your phones during power outages. We actually love these chargers so much we use them daily at home! Another great rule of thumb is to charge your phone hours before a storm is predicted to even set foot nearby and keep it charging as long as you have electricity in your home.
Important Documents. Store in a waterproof container.
Cash/Checks
Treasured Photos, Albums, Heirlooms, etc.
Your prescription medications including contact lenses & glasses
Additional Clothing
Blankets for warmth
Miscellaneous
Gas: One of the many great things my father taught me growing up was to never let my car’s gas tank get lower than 1/4 of a tank. (Honestly, I am guilty of filling-up even if I hit half). This way, if gas stations are packed on your way out during an evacuation, then you have gas to get you a little further to another gas station. However, it is always a good idea to fill-up as soon as you even hear that there is a chance of a hurricane, fire, fill-in-the blank, etc., then you are that much more prepared.
Portable Power Generator: The one we have is powered by a lithium battery, so there is no issue with us using it indoors. I love that this is small, easy to charge in a wall outlet, and safe to use indoors. I make sure to charge this at least a day before inclement weather is predicted to hit us. If you do decide to use one of those mega back up power generators, be sure not to use it indoors. If you choose to use it in your garage, be sure to keep your garage door open for proper ventilation.
When our kit is fully stocked, I don’t feel panicked when I hear of a strong weather advisory heading our way. I check our inventory in our box to make sure we aren’t low on anything or that anything hasn’t expired.
Pro Tip: Keep a notepad and pen in your box and keep tabs on any foods expiring soon or what you end up using during your use of the box. This way, you can replace everything once all power is restored and roads are safe to drive. It is always better to stock up when there isn’t an emergency, rather than when the “bread and milk” are flying off the shelves and gas stations are out of gas. Because of the prep work I put into our box, I rest much more easily when I hear of something crazy heading our way.
While we may not be able to build your kit for you (maybe we should offer this…ha!), we can hold your hand during a very therapeutic decluttering session, and then send you off to live your wonderful life while we put together a maintainable organized system at your home! Send us a message to get started today!
Did you know you can easily shop my favorite household items in one place? From candle warmers to my favorite upholstery vacuum, I have got you covered! Simply click here to check it out! I will continue to update this page, so be sure to check in every week!
