Everyone has seen how disasters can happen quickly and change the lives of thousands of people. Emergency Preparedness should not be taken lightly. An emergency situation can happen anywhere, so a good idea is to have 72-hour kits prepared that will aid in survival for three days. A 72-hour kit should be made for each member of a family and be tailored to their specific needs. If there are children too young to carry their own 72-hour kit, then their essential items should be placed in their guardian’s 72-hour kit. It is also very important to keep the 72-hour kits up-to-date, as people are constantly growing and food goes bad.
Food and Water
Food and water are the most important items in a 72-hour kit because a person cannot survive without them. There are a variety of different food items that can be purchased specifically for 72-hour kits and they are similar to the items recommended for regular home food storage. They need to be nonperishable and high in calories. Here is a list of common items that are used:
- 1 gallon of water (more if there is space)
- Granola or energy bars
- Canned food like fruit, beans, and tuna
- Canned juice
- MREs (Meals, Ready to Eat)
- Candy or gum
Change of Clothes
A change of clothes should be included in everyone’s 72-hour kit. Include extra socks and a jacket as well. It is impossible to know what a person will be wearing when a disaster happens, so a change of clothes is a great way to ensure that a person will be warm when it strikes. Here is a list of miscellaneous clothing items that should be included:
- Change of clothes (include long pants, a shirt, underclothes, and socks)
- Poncho
- Hat and gloves
- Extra shoes (if available)
Equipment and Shelter
The key here is to remember that the equipment in a 72-hour kit needs to be portable. Also remember that adults and older children can carry more things, so they can carry more than the basic items. This is a list of equipment that should be included in everyone’s kit:
- Rechargeable flashlight
- Basic first aid supplies
- Personal prescriptions and contact lenses
- Emergency heat blanket
- Dishes and utensils
- Pen and paper
- Pocket knife (with can opener)
- Travel size soaps, toothbrush, etc.
- Other important personal items
This is a list of other equipment that can be included if there is space:
- Small tent or tarp
- Shovel
- Rope
- Radio
- Waterproof matches
- Emergency candles
- Common medicine (pain killers and cough drops)
- Basic tools (scissors, hammer, duct tape, etc.)
- Portable stove
- Small toys and games (deck of cards)
- Anything else that might be useful
- Emergency supplies for the family pets
Important Documents and Money
Sometimes during a disaster, important documents can be destroyed or lost. A good idea is to make copies of anything that is important and store them in a 72-hour kit. These could include legal documents, marriage certificates, immunization records, family histories, cds with pictures, or anything else that is important.
It is also a good idea to include cash in everyone’s 72-hour kit in case ATM machines or stores are unable to process credit cards. $50-$100 in small bills per person should be good. Also include a pre-paid phone card and an identification card in every 72-hour kit.
Cara Stromness - Cara holds a BA degree in English from The University of Utah where she minored in Human Development and Family Studies. She enjoys ...
