earthquake emergency kits What is the best earthquake emergency kit to buy?
Looking for a good comprehensive kit to buy in case of emergency- in this case earthquake. Would like a kit that has EVERYTHING I need.
You do not BUY a comprehensive emergency kit, you MAKE one yourself.
I looked at questions you have previously answered, to see where you live. Looks like you live in California.
Since you live in an earthquake zone, with a LARGE population, you should be prepared to care for yourself with zero outside help for a one month minimum. That means your water, food, fuel, transportation, medicine, sanitary and a way to protect all of your supplies for a one month period of time.
Think I'm kidding? Look at Haiti, or New Orleans, or anyplace else hard hit by a natural disaster. Would a three day kit do the job? Or do you think it's going to take an entire month before there are enough roads cleared, and supplies brought in to make a difference?
You probably don't have the space to store an entire months worth of water. Besides, it weighs a lot (you probably live in an apartment). Buy a Big Berkey, so you can filter your own water. Even water out of a ditch would be safe to drink after being filtered through a Big Berkey.
Go to Ready Made Resources for the best price on Big Berkeys.
Link:
http://www.readymaderesources.com/
Water is your number one concern. You could go an entire month without eating, and survive. Water is first and foremost.
Take any prescription medications? That includes eye glasses, or contacts. You need to keep at least a month supply on hand at all times if they are important to maintain life (heart, blood pressure, diabetic, epileptic, ect). Do you wear contacts? Get extra eye glasses with your Rx. It will be unsafe to wear contacts after an earthquake due to all the dust.
Go to Zenni Optical for extremely inexpensive (but good quality) prescription eyeglasses. They are as inexpensive as $8.
Link:
http://zennioptical.com/cart/home.php
Buy several wool blankets. Wool blankets retain 80% of their heat holding abilities, even if they are soaking wet. You can use a wool blanket to put someone on fire out. Synthetics just melt to the body if used to wrap someone on fire in.
Stock up on canned foords, enough to last you an entire month. That is 90 meals. Remember the water used in canned foods is perfectly safe to drink, and adds to your water supply. Most canned foods do not have to be cooked, and are safe to eat right from the can. This eliminates fire danger, especially important those first few days when all the gas leaks will not yet be shut off. Peanut butter, crackers, jelly, hard candies, powdered juice mix, powdered milk, and those sort of items are also good to have on hand. Don't forget extra can openers.
Have copies of all of your important documents, like insurance, credit card info, social security, mortgage, birth certificate, ect. Some people like to make a CD of those papers. Great idea...if you can get to a working computer to print out, and prove who you are. However in the aftermath of an earthquake that may be a problem.
A really good bike, with outstanding tires, that have tubes, and a patch kit. Remember there will be glass and rubble everywhere to puncture the tires. A bike may be the only way to navigate about, cars and motorcycles will be too big.
Good leather gloves, and good boots, with ankle support, and thick soles. You do not want to puncture your foot at a time like that.
A tent large enough for you, and your supplies. Remember a tent can be set up inside a house if it's still safe to be in the building. The tent will help keep you warm, and the bugs from bitting you, if all the windows fell out of your home.
Sanitation. You cannot count on a flush toilet. Five gallon buckets, with lids. Line the bucket with contractor grade plastic bags (those are extra thick). You can even set a plastic toilet seat on top of the bucket. Throw baking soda on top, after you use, to help keep the smell down. Keep the toilet covered at all times when not in use. This keeps smell down, and keeps flies out. Remember flies will not be transfering diseases, like Hepititis from open sewage. Enough TP to last you at least a month.
First aid supplies. Wound will be extremely common. Have rubber or latex gloves to protect yourself against HIV, AIDS, Hepititis, or other blood born diseases. Women's Kotex make extremely good bandaging material for wounds loosing a lot of blood. I saved the life of one of my horses, when she cut open an artery on her leg and was spurting blood 20 feet out. It was during a howling blizzard, and the Vetrinarian could not get to the farm. Women's Kotex, and pressure bandages (like ace wraps) stopped the bleeding, and saved the mares life.
Light source. I sugest the LED flashlights that go on your head. Yes, they look dorky. Dorky means nothing when it gives you two free hands. I also sugest other types of LED flashlights. Smoke detector. Even if you are inside a tent, take one with you. People are idiots and always setting things on fire after earthquakes as they light candles and fire up grills.
Battery/wind up/solar radio, so you can listen to news reports.
Here's the link to where I got mine:
www.emergencyessentials.com
You can browse through any of the web sites I've given to you, and get an idea of the kind of items you should have on hand.
I have personally purchased from every company I gave you a link to. They are all reputable companies to deal with.
~Garnet
Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years
Two years food storage in our pantry (for three adults).
Emergency supplies enough to care for my neighborhood
2 Comments
Just to add to the lists already made.
Deodorant
Bottled Water
Tums or other medication for heartburn (stress = heartburn)
mints or gum – keeps breath fresh and helps with dry mouth
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