Emergency Kits

Today, more than ever, it is important to be prepared for the worst. You never know when you may face a disaster and need to find a way to survive a few days without access necessary supplies. Because of this, one way that many people prepare themselves and their family is by purchasing or putting together emergency kits.

 

The first thing you need to consider is where the kit will be located. A kit for your car will contain different supplies than one for your home. If you are creating a kit for your car, make certain that you include some necessary tools to help you on the road. This means that you may consider road flares, a jack, and jumper cables — in addition to the more generic supplies.

 

A kit for your home can be larger than one that you take with you on the road. Emergency kits for the home may actually include basic household supplies that you keep replenished. For instance, you may want to have bottled water on hand; however, you will want to replace it regularly so that it remains fresh and delicious.

 

Some ideas for things to include in your emergency kit include:

Water — Each person will drink around a gallon a day, so you may need more than you think.

Nonperishable food- also include a can opener if necessary

Flashlight with batteries

Battery powered radio

Additional batteries

Well-stocked first aid kit

A knife, preferably a multipurpose tool

Personal Hygiene Items

Copies of necessary personal documents

Cell Phone with Charger

Contact information

Cash

Emergency Blanket

Having these items on hand will make any emergency a bit easier. However, depending on your personal and family needs you may need additional items. Keep in mind any specific medical needs or if you need special supplies for family pets.

 

Emergency kits are a very important tool to help you in times of need. Don’t wait, determine exactly what you need to survive during an emergency and purchase or put together the supplies today — you never know when it could come in handy.

 

Long Term Food Supply

For centuries people have found a way to provide a long term food supply. When the world was not privileged to grocery stores and mini marts, people dried berries and fruits and used cured meats for long term food storage. Naturally, preserved foods last for years in the form of preserved fruits and vegetables. Specialty items were not easily come by and once found, were prepared to last for long periods of time. These long term food supplies were important to survival. Buying foods that rejuvenate instantly when adding water is a great way to provide a long term food supply, instant grits and oatmeal are wonderful examples of these products. The various instant breakfast cereals and the on the go granola bars, also place a person at an advantage where long term eating supplies are concerned.

People today do not need to guess the weather, getting informed of problems with food supply and crisis around the world is only a radio wave away. The need for long term food supplies is no less important than it was centuries ago when there were no conveniences. People ordered things from far away places and it took months to get to them. World disasters may call for an immediate need for a long term food supply or cost may simply be a factor. Crops are ruined by weather or disaster and foods enjoyed can easily become unavailable or unavailable at an affordable price. Finding yourself in a financial pinch is another reason for long term food supplies. The worry about the mortgage is enough without the worry of starvation; besides buying in bulk is always cheaper.

Dried foods are now, pre-packaged, so doing this chore yourself is no longer necessary. Eat delicious fruits and deserts anytime you like no matter what the crisis. These food supplies are measured on a twice a day diet and last for varied amounts of time. Long term food supplies are used by the military and many other organizations that must store food and have it ready for any occurrence. Giving your family the benefit of emergency food is smart caring and a lot less worry for you.

A variety of food packages are available. People are packing emergency backpacks and there are 72 hour kits you can purchase to help supply food in these emergency bags. Larger packages are available. To some a long term supply of food might sound extreme but in a disaster, it takes time for government agencies to set up and the lines are long because many people are waiting for help. Banking machines may not work and bridges can block exits. A long term food supply helps you help yourself until things are sorted out.

 

How to Prepare an Emergency Kit

Emergency preparedness is on many people’s minds lately. There have been many natural disasters all over the world in recent years. One of the biggest lessons we can take away from all of these events is that when you are prepared before disaster strikes you will be much better off. All of us should have a few important items on hand at all times to help us get through an emergency. An emergency may be a storm, power outage, earthquake, or some other unexpected event that will cause you to have to survive on your own without the common conveniences that we have every day.

 

In order to have a quality emergency kit on hand you should fill it with certain items. You should always have a blanket, and extra pair of shoes, a flashlight with extra batteries, bandages, some type of antibiotic cream, water, and food. These are the minimum requirements for an emergency kit. You should have one in the trunk of each of your cars, and one in your home. A good place to store your kit may be in the garage or an outside shed. It is also a good idea to keep the tank of your car at least half full at all times.

 

Be sure that you check the batteries in your emergency flashlight monthly and replace your battery supply with fresh ones every 3 months or so. You water storage should be refreshed often as well. The same goes for your emergency food storage, be sure that you check the expiration dates on all of the food that you keep in your kit. You should obtain the best quality survival food Canada has to offer.

 

Many survivalist and experts prefer freeze dried food for their emergency kits. Good quality freeze dried food will maintain its flavor, have a long shelf life, and it is easily stored. Some of the other types of food you may keep in your emergency kit will be bulky and lose its flavor rather quickly in storage. Another reason to buy freeze dried food is that you can purchase a variety of different types of food. Many of these foods have the nutritional information on the package so that you can be sure that you are eating the right nutrients to keep you stronger in an emergency.

 

You will find survival food available at many different price ranges; do not make your purchase based on price alone. Be sure to check shelf life lengths, weight and serving amounts and nutritional values on the package. Be sure that you sample the food as well, whether you are in an emergency or not you will want to be able to have the best tasting food on hand as possible.