Why Haven’t You Packed A Disaster Kit Yet?

I realize that many readers will immediately smirk at the title of this article and think “You’re kidding, right?” And if you lump in the idea of disaster kits with survivalist compounds in rural Montana (no offense to Montana), then this article may not be for you. But if you believe we are vulnerable to natural and manmade disasters, maybe you wear a slightly guilty expression instead of a smirk. You watch the news and you know that you probably should have some kind of emergency plan. You just haven’t gotten motivated enough to do the research or slog through Wal-Mart to buy supplies.

A disaster kit means different things to different people, but it boils down to a pre-packed bag full of necessities that will sustain you and your family for three days. Three days is the generally-accepted length of time it should take to get to a safe location, away from the threat du jour. This bag is ready to go at a moment’s notice — a family can literally grab it and run out the door (presumably to escape wildfires, mudslides, or imminent terrorist attacks). The United States has certainly suffered enough crises in the last 15 years to justify a practical approach to emergency preparation. However, the Federal Emergency Management Agency released a statement in April 2015 claiming that 60% of Americans do not have any disaster precautions in place. So why haven’t more families taken the safety advice of their Government? What’s the hold up, America?

I think many of us would like to have a disaster kit at home, but just haven’t gotten around to packing one. The excuses may be varied and creative, but most of them probably fall into a few general categories: we’re not convinced enough that a crisis will actually strike; we’re not sure exactly how to put a disaster kit together; and/or we expect it will cost a lot of money and time to assemble a kit. So let’s talk about these roadblocks. We can skip issue number one; this article is not about convincing you that we are vulnerable to natural or manmade calamities. You either believe that or you don’t. I’d rather chat about the other reasons you haven’t packed a disaster kit.

I started my research for this article by reading through the advice of several survival and preparedness writers. This journey led down some interesting rabbit holes — there are some unique personalities out there discussing the preparedness culture (be careful which Websites you review from your work computer). I found that the “experts” consistently agreed on the Survivor’s Rule of 3 and it goes like this:

● You can survive for 3 Minutes without oxygen or in icy water

● You can survive for 3 Hours without shelter in extreme environments

● You can survive for 3 Days without water

● You can survive for 3 Weeks without food

The interesting part of this mantra is the order of importance for the key survival elements. Here is the BIG TAKEAWAY: shelter is more important than food and water. Remember that your disaster kit is only designed to support your survival needs for three days, and the human body can survive on very limited food and water for at least that long. You might not get your usual 2,500 calories and 2 liters of water per day, but you would make it.

So based on the Survivor’s Rule of 3, I’ve made you a list of items for a simple disaster kit. Here’s the good news: most of this stuff is already in your house! You can find everything else on this list for a few dollars at your local Wal-Mart or Costco.

SHELTER:

● Rain poncho ($1 per person) and emergency blanket ($2 per person): Keeps you warm and dry. Just like your house.

● (3) lighters and (3) candles ($4): Cut each candle into three pieces to make easy fire starters, keep this all together in a Ziploc bag.

EMERGENCY CARE:

● Basic first aid kit ($7): Throw out most of the tiny band-aids that come with the package and fill that space with useful things like: ibuprofen tablets for pain ($3); Neosporin ointment for disinfecting cuts ($5); Benadryl tablets for allergic reactions ($4); add any necessary prescriptions and an old pair of eyeglasses, if you have them handy.

● Feminine products ($4): Pack enough for (3) days per female.

FOOD/WATER:

● Bottled water ($2 for 12): Water is heavy, so don’t carry too many bottles in a backpack.

● (3) days of high calorie foods ($5 for a box of 24 power bars/granola bars): Alternatives include peanut butter, beef jerky, and trail mix. Keep the selection light, you’re not packing a picnic.

● 1 liter water bottle ($5) with water purifier tablets ($6): You scoop water with the bottle, dissolve in a tablet and drink. One tablet purifies one liter of water = easy math. NOTE: the tablets taste like hell and you must follow the directions — this is for extreme circumstances only.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS:

● Backpack ($10): I recommend the clear, waterproof plastic backpacks that many schools now require so you can easily and quickly find the stuff you need.

● (2) flashlights with extra batteries ($5): Good to have redundancy in case you break one, right?

● Swiss army/multi-tool knife ($17): Includes plenty of extra gadgets to make evacuation easy and fun.

● Basic sewing kit ($4): In case your backpack or your rain poncho rips!

● Duct tape ($4): Yes, I know we made fun of the DHS duct tape alerts, but it’s useful stuff.

● Written Plan: Choose a local place to meet your family within the first 4 hours of a disaster; identify an alternate location a bit further away in case the local spot isn’t safe; identify (2) emergency contacts outside the area with whom everyone can check-in; include copies of driver’s licenses and insurance cards. Store all this info in a Ziploc bag.

That’s it, that’s all there is to it. Print out this article, take it with you to Wal-Mart, and you can knock this little task out in an hour. Or you can order a ready-made disaster kit from www.amazon.com for $100-$200 plus shipping. I can’t guarantee a national crisis to justify your efforts, but taking a few steps to keep your family safe is never a wasted effort. If you’re interested in further reading and practical ideas on this subject, check out FEMA’s www.Ready.Gov Website. Of course, if you only read this article to prepare for the zombie apocalypse, I suggest you take a look at Max Brooks’ novel, World War Z. The author recommends a number of additional survival tips and tools, but you’re going to need a bigger backpack. And some good running shoes.

This article was submitted by Sherwood, who works full-time in the law enforcement industry and blogs for the Home Sweet Homeland Team.