8 Reasons to Invest in an Emergency Kit

An emergency kit is a collection of supplies designed to support you and your family for days or weeks after any type of catastrophe, whether that disaster strikes at home, work or elsewhere. It’s important to have one on hand in each location – at home, work and your vehicle.

Start by gathering basic first aid items like bandages, gauze pads, bacteria-killing ointment and pain medication. Consider also stockpiling more advanced items such as burn cream or tourniquets for optimal care.

1. Keeps You and Your Family Ready

After an emergency strikes, it could take days before emergency workers can reach you. By keeping some basic supplies on hand – like water and food – for yourself and your family’s safety, emergency responders may arrive much more quickly.

Start by gathering supplies to last you and your family at least two weeks, including non-perishable food items, water, pet food as well as basic necessities like sanitary products and blankets.

Consider including energy bars and beef jerky in your kit for quick energy boosts during stressful situations. These will give your body the energy boost it needs to cope effectively with whatever comes your way.

Create a grab-and-go bag for each of your homes, offices and vehicles so you can quickly leave any dangerous situation should the need arise. Make sure this bag is stored somewhere convenient, and update it every six months if necessary. Include items such as dust masks and duct tape which may come in handy from keeping warm to making temporary repairs.

2. Keeps You and Your Family Comfortable

Depending on the severity of a disaster, evacuation could become necessary. Being prepared with grab-and-go bags ahead of time makes evacuating quickly easier while keeping everyone comfortable.

Include blankets, water and food in your emergency kits. Include emergency supplies like dust masks to protect from air contamination. Select food that everyone likes eating such as energy bars or beef jerky for easy consumption during an emergency situation.

Be sure to have kits ready at home, work and car – easily found by all family members – so when disaster strikes. Rotate items regularly between kits ensuring fresh supplies. Also consider including medical equipment specifically tailored for infants and people living with disabilities in your kits.

3. Keeps You and Your Family Healthy

An emergency kit will ensure the health and well-being of you and your family during an unexpected crisis. A basic emergency kit should include water, first aid supplies, emergency food and over-the-counter and prescription medications organized. Your kits should be stored in a cool, dry location; additionally you should make updates every six months to keep them current.

Your emergency supplies should include a manual can opener to open non-perishable canned foods. A whistle may help signal for help during an emergency situation and a radio will keep you updated with local news and alerts.

Add protein-packed snacks such as peanut butter, nuts or energy bars to your kit for long-lasting hunger relief and portability. Also be sure to include water purification tablets so that you can make water from any source.

4. Keeps Your Family Safe from Criminals

An emergency kit is one of the best ways to protect you and your family in times of disaster or other emergency. These kits usually include items like food, water, first aid supplies, tools, copies of important documents and clothing to provide security during times of distress.

If you don’t already have an emergency kit, the first step should be putting together some essential items. Consider buying a large bin or duffel bag to hold everything and label it. Store it somewhere easily accessible. Alternatively, you could also get a free emergency kit for your house from the government.

Consider creating a small survival kit for your car, office or any other location where you spend time – this could save your life in case of emergency or roadside breakdown. Also keep a well-stocked first aid kit like this canteen medical kit in your vehicle as this contains essentials like bandages and splints.

5. Keeps Your Family Safe from Natural Disasters

Government agencies and relief workers will do everything possible to reach all affected people quickly following a disaster, but it could take hours or days before assistance arrives at your home. Therefore, it is crucial that your family prepare for this possibility so you can take care of yourselves until assistance arrives.

Be sure to keep emergency kits handy at home, in the workplace and in each vehicle – in each location including food, water and essential medicines such as pain relievers. Incorporating communication devices like battery-powered or hand-crank radios as well as whistles and compasses. Don’t forget about pet supplies either – keep these updated every six months with new supplies if possible so family members know where their emergency kit can be found quickly in an emergency.

6. Keeps You and Your Family Safe from Medical Emergencies

Your emergency kit must include enough supplies to keep you and your family safe for at least 72 hours, until local officials can come out and restore services in your area.

Your supply kit should include medical items like sterile bandages, aspirin, allergy medicines and first aid kit; prescription medications; copies of important documents and copies of prescriptions as well as tools such as flashlight, battery powered radio/alarm clock combination unit as well as multifunctional knives/trash bags/duct tape etc.

Start planning now for any potential disaster by having kits ready at home, work and your children’s schools/daycare facilities. Make sure these are well stocked with food and other supplies easily carried around. Keep portable kits handy in each vehicle as well – over time you can add to your supplies gradually.

7. Keeps You and Your Family Safe from Fires

As part of your emergency preparedness strategy, creating an emergency kit can protect both you and your family in the event of a wildfire. Tailor it specifically to meet your needs so it will be accessible when it is time to evacuate.

Radios can keep you informed about disaster news and shelter information, while manual can openers for non-perishable food, flashlights or lanterns, whistles to signal for help and face masks or goggles can protect eyes from smoke inhalation are essential items to have handy during an emergency situation.

Keep your emergency kits accessible by placing them in containers with easy-grab handles, like tubs or chests on wheels. Each person should also store emergency supplies in backpacks to easily grab when leaving quickly if the need arises. Finally, it’s also a good idea to be familiar with evacuation routes in your area as well as having an emergency plan ready.

8. Keeps You and Your Family Safe from Other Emergencies

An emergency supplies kit provides peace of mind during any crisis or disaster, from pandemic flu outbreaks to natural catastrophes. Your kit will allow you to stay hydrated, obtain food and shelter without leaving home and ensure your safety when times get tough.

Your emergency kit should include first aid items and tools to promote warmth and survival, such as emergency water, survival food and breathing protection devices. In addition, additional items like hand-crank radios or signaling whistles could come in handy during an emergency.

Financially, you can make sure that in an emergency you receive your paychecks by setting up direct deposit with your employer or bank and having enough savings in an emergency fund to cover hotel stays, food expenses and insurance deductible payments.