make an emergency kit for my home

www.72hours.org

www.redcross.org – the Red Cross

www.ready.gov – from the US Homeland Security Folks

• HAVE – emergency rechargeble lights – $9 each at Home Depot; one in each bedroom and bathroom – they turn on automatically when the power goes out. We can turn them off to conserve batteries and just use one at at time until the power comes back on

• HAVE – candles – lots, wide based, cheap, many fire-proof tiles to set them on. Have to remember to put them out when not in the room.

• HAVE – non-electric can opener

• HAVE – extra amo for the primary defense firearms

• HAVE – fireplace lighter – for lighting the propane stove if the electricity is out

• HAVE – emergency rechargeble lights – $9 each at Home Depot; one in each bedroom and bathroom – they turn on automatically when the power goes out. We can turn them off to conserve batteries and just use one at at time until the power comes back on

• HAVE – candles – lots, wide based, cheap, many fire-proof tiles to set them on. Have to remember to put them out when not in the room.

• HAVE – non-electric can opener

• HAVE – extra amo for the primary defense firearms

• HAVE – fireplace lighter – for lighting the propane stove if the electricity is out

• HAVE – emergency rechargeble lights – $9 each at Home Depot; one in each bedroom and bathroom – they turn on automatically when the power goes out. We can turn them off to conserve batteries and just use one at at time until the power comes back on

• HAVE – candles – lots, wide based, cheap, many fire-proof tiles to set them on. Have to remember to put them out when not in the room.

• HAVE – non-electric can opener

• HAVE – flash lights and extra batteries

• HAVE – battery backup for computer will hold the computer on line long enough for it to be shut down nicely

• HAVE – water for dogs in milk jugs. I know they will deteriorate, but I rotate them out so the water doesn’t stay in there for very long – a few days to a week. But it does give me about 2 days worth of drinking water for them if needed

• HAVE – extra amo for the primary defense firearms

• HAVE – fireplace lighter – for lighting the propane stove if the electricity is out

• HAVE – canned foods ones that can be eaten cold if need be, and veggies that are packed in liquid that you can drink

• NEED – better first aid kit

• NEED – generator

• NEED – a plan

• NEED – to clean extra blankets

• NEED – canned dog food less succeptible to varmint contamination and also contains moisture – need at least 3 days worth

• NEED – containers to store things in; stuff that can easily be loaded into the truck if needed

... reminds me that although we are somewhat prepared for an emergency, we are not REALLY prepared. Being in a rural area and 20 or more miles from any town and 50 miles from a “Big City,” we’re going to be among the last people that any services such as police or fire dept. are going to get to.

We are prone to:

• Power Outages – both in winter and summer
• Water/Well Failure – due to power outage or 20 degrees below freezing weather
• 50- 75 MPH Wind Damage

In an extremely rare event, the lake 3 miles away could flood and we could be under water.

• 2 adults, 1 teenager
• 3 large dogs
• possibly my daughter & granddaughter

Will keep an on going list of things here that we need vs have…