You may need to survive on your own after a disaster. Basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even weeks. A Disaster Supply Kit for your home is a collection of basic items that members of a household may need in the event of a disaster.
6 Basics for Your Disaster Supply Kit include:
Water
Food
First aid kit
Portable, battery-operated radio or television and extra batteries
Flashlight and extra batteries
Manual can opener
Foods For Your Supply Kit
Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
Canned juices and powdered milk
Sugar, salt, pepper
High energy foods–peanut butter, granola bars, trail mix
Vitamins
Foods for persons with special dietary needs
Special Items for Babies
Formula
Diapers
Bottles
Pacifiers
Powdered milk
Medications
Special Items for Adults
Prescription drugs
Heart and high blood pressure medication
Insulin
Denture needs
Contact lenses and supplies
Extra eye glasses
Hearing aid batteries
Sanitation Supplies
Toilet paper
Soap, liquid detergent
Feminine supplies
Personal hygiene items
Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)
Plastic bucket with tight lid
Disinfectant
Household chlorine bleach
Tools for Supply Kit
Paper cups & plates and plastic utensils
Cash, including some change
Fire extinguisher
Matches in a waterproof container
Plastic storage containers
Signal flare
Whistle
Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water
Plastic sheeting
Important Family Documents
Keep these records in a waterproof, portable container.
Will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
Photo IDs, passports, social security cards, immunization records
Bank account numbers
Credit card account numbers and companies
Inventory of valuable household goods, important telephone numbers
Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)
Photocopies of credit and identification cards
Disaster Supply Kit Maintenance
Just as important as putting your supplies together is maintaining them so they are safe to use when needed. Here are some tips to keep your supplies ready and in good condition:
Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is cool.
Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers to protect from pests and to extend its shelf life.
Throw out any canned good that becomes swollen, dented, or corroded.
Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies.
Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in the front.
Change stored food and water supplies every six months. Be sure to write the date you store it on all containers.
Re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your family needs change.
Keep items in airtight plastic bags and put your entire disaster supplies kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers, such as an unused trashcan, camping backpack, or duffel bag.