After the '03 Power Outage, my father decided that our family should put together an all purpose emergency kit. This kit could have some long run time torches, nuclear food, band-aids, etc.
I would like to know if any of you fellow CPFers have any emergency kits and if so what is in them. If you don't have a kit, then could you please post what you would put in them. Thank you for your time in posting this and helping me/my family with this project.
Water, Flashlights with extra batteries (get long-running LED's) Emergency food/rations (the ones that look like silver bricks) Any medications, Pet supplies, Toiletries (optional), First Aid.... hmm, thats all I could think of right now. Good luck on your kit!
Here in earthquake country a large percentage of people have some sort of kit (bet it's the same with people in Hurricane/Tornado areas)
One suggestion that is often made out here, is to keep everything in a plastic garbage can with wheels. Very helpful for someone who can't carry a heavy box, might have limited injuries or needs to drag/pull it out of a partially damaged building.
Matter of fact I believe the Red Cross quake disaster info sheets even show a graphic on how to pack the supplies inside. They have great info.
The wheeled carry case/trash can is an idea that I haven't thought of. Thank you for your suggestions so far, the list is started and probably will never be complete, you can always add something... And please continue posting your ideas.
The Equipped website indeed is full of info! I did a little "Emergency Kit" search back for a year on the CPF and came up with the following links. Some are for personal carry, car, field, and home...lots of info:
(These links may not take you to the beginning of the applicable threads, but will probably dump you right in the middle somewhere...there may be additional info here within the CPF also...feel free to use the search function!)
Hi brite one, [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif[/img]
Echoing the other commentary regarding Equipped.org It is a great site with helpful members on the forums. On the opening page, look on the left hand side and scroll down a bit to find the forum button. Many great links and vendors sites are listed.
Many of the members of CPF are also members of Equipped, and there is a certain amount of "cross pollination" of information between the two sites.
You'll be amazed as the quality and quantity of information there. Equipped is a real non profit entity and provides unbiased reviews of all sorts of items.
This thread is actually very timely. Winter is coming in a few months so NOW is the time to start getting those emergency kits/supplies back in order for winter snow/ice storms. We had some pretty nasty events last year. Although things can go wrong anytime, winter is when the probability of problems really increases for most folks.
Often left out items are tweezers and antibacterial soap.
For all purpose storage, I recommend 5 gallon buckets restaurants get mayonnaise etc. in. These are food grade plastic so it is safe for water. They are MUCH thicker than those leaky flexible things people use for camping. They are heavy-duty enough to stack. They also stack empty for storage purposes.
Remember that 123s are not the only lithium batteries used in flashlights. Energizer lithium AAs exist also. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
For this purpose, choose lights that give longer runtime: X5T for CR123A batteries is a good example.
Food items that do not need to be heated or cooked, and, with long shelf life. You don't have to go with the extremist-survivalist PSK thinking, as this is a family general purpose kit.
For all purpose storage, I recommend 5 gallon buckets restaurants get mayonnaise etc. in. These are food grade plastic so it is safe for water. They are MUCH thicker than those leaky flexible things people use for camping. They are heavy-duty enough to stack.
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It has been suggested by people more knowledgeable than I that plastic buckets such as those described should be new and unused if being used to store drinking water for moderate or extended periods. Plastic will absorb whatever was in it(mayonaise, pickles, etc), and will transfer residual material into the water, regardless of cleaning. I would think that for "emergency" use, where the water will be used immediately and/or for purposes other than drinking(washing, sanitation, etc), used buckets should not be a problem.
Also, if one plans to store drinking water out of the tap in non sterile containers, I would suggest a storage/purifying agent like Oxystabile or Aerobic to kill any bacteria and support long term water storage.
A great source of information and supplies for emergency use is Nitro Pak.
Good luck on assembling your emergency kit; hopefully it will never be needed. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif[/img]
$$$$$$$$ Money $$$$$ one dollar and five dollar bills $$$$$$$$$
I keep in a ziplock snack baggie, 50x$1, 20x$5 and 5x$10 a total of $200 in my vehicle all the time. It makes quite a thick wad.
The few that have seen it, kinda go "woa". In an emergency $200 is not alot of money, but sure might buy you supplies when your American Express won't get you diddly.
When the ATM is down, they won't take credit cards, can't get a check to scan, it comes down to good old green backs! Twenties, fifties don't cut it here, cash may be in short supply. you better hope they have enough cash to break a hundred. And make sure the fives are the old style that vending machines take.
[ QUOTE ] Double_A said:
I keep in a ziplock snack baggie, 50x$1, 20x$5 and 5x$10 a total of $200 in my vehicle all the time. It makes quite a thick wad.
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Can you tell me where you live? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
All kidding aside, this has become a great thead not only for my purpose, but for others who whish to start an emergency kit.
For those of you in colder climates (especially in winter) a power outage can result in a very cold house. We had this experience last winter. Luckily our gas fireplace, while primarily decorative, was able to keep the house warm enough to be inhabitable.
While at WalMart today I saw a Dyna-Glo portable propane indoor approved heater. Model "RMC-8000PGH". Very similar to the Mr.Heater Portable Buddy, it produces up to 8000 BTU (high setting) for 3 1/2 hours on one 1 LB. disposable propane cylinder. It will run for 5 hours on it's low setting (BTU unknown) Cost was $71.00.
It can be attached to a 20 LB. tank with an adapter hose.
I cannot find a picture of it on any website yet (apparantly it just came out), but here is the link for the Mr.Heater Portable Buddy, which generally run from $85 to $120 depending on the retailer and claims 9000 BTU.
BTW, here is the emergency kit I put together for my wife to keep at work - she works in a highrise downtown. Based on the Red Cross office emergency kit, I just skipped the useless junk they added to theirs...
Contains:
1 disposable poncho, $1
1 emergency blanket, $2
1 Storm whistle, $5
1 medical facemask in tube (as a dust/debris filter), free (tube was packaging for something else, mask from hospital worker friend)
1 30 minute high intensity white lightstick, $1
1 12 hour green lightstick, $1
This should cover it for her getting out of the building and surviving until help arrives in the event of most disaster-type events.
Emergency Kits
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