Emergency Survival Kit... is yours ready? UPDATED

UPDATED: Happy Friday the 13th AGAIN. You guys might (or might not ) know that I have been training as part of a Community Emergency Response Team (Alameda CERT), and discovered there are some additional items that really should be added to this list. So I've taken the time to update it and test all of the links to make sure they are working.

We were told in our training that typically help in a disaster can take anywhere from 3 days to a week to arrive, depending on local resources and how bad a disaster is. Often times your local firefighters and police may not live in the communities they work in, and in an emergency they report to the station closest to their current location. That’s a sobering thought.

You won’t necessarily need everything on this list, it will depend on what you already have and how much you want to be prepared, as well as local climate. Those of you who live where it snows might need additional items.

Feel free to pass this along if you think others will find it helpful. Again, if there is anything you think I should add to this, please email me to let me know and I will make sure it finds its way on here.

Without further ado, here is our list of emergency supplies (scroll)

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Happy Friday the 13th. In honor of superstition, I decided I would finally post about something that's been on my mind lately. What do you do with your family if disaster strikes?

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to handle an emergency situation...with little kids. It's a scary thought, and one I try not to dwell on, but living in California it's always in the back of my mind. When the kids were younger, I was driving across one of the Bay Area's most controversial bridges with a six month old baby and a two year old, both strapped into their car seats. And I thought "what if"... As panic started to set in I decided to do something rather than just sit there and freak out.

That evening I started to prep our kit. Because being prepared was one LESS thing to worry about. We keep all of our supplies in what I call a "Go-Bag". It's a big red duffle that sits on a shelf at our designated meeting point, next to the survival boxes and large first aid kit. Easy to just grab and go. In our case, it's located in the back laundry room because it is a sheltered area without a second floor and has two methods of exit as well as access to water. The kids know this is the place to go if they get scared and can't get outside to our meeting spot. They also know that our bag is there "in case Mommy or Daddy need help" and can't get to the bag. And now you know where to look for us if the big one hits.

After a lot of research and a bit of testing (on camping trips, mostly), below are the basics we have chosen to include in our kit. You can also refer to my list Toddler Airline Travel for some tips on keeping kids entertained. While the aforementioned list is geared towards toddlers, you can easily adjust the suggestions based on your own child's age and interests.

Without further ado, here is our list of emergency supplies. I've sourced everything through Amazon, that way if you want you can add things to your cart and get it all shipped to you. Then you'll just need to put it in your bag and rest easy!

Basic Necessities:

• Ready America 3000 The Survival Box (one per person)
• Pelican Dry Box
• Dry Pak 9" x 12" for documents
• Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger (also have extra charging cables handy for your specific phone)
• LifeStraw Emergency Water Filter (one per person)
• Waterproof Matches - 4 Pack (these can fit inside the whistle listed below)
• SAS Survival Handbook
• Two way radios (walkie talkies, to communicate with spouse/kids if cellular is down)
• Nalgene Wide Mouth Freezer bottle (keep filled in your freezer, use as an ice pack, drink water when it thaws)
• XL Duffel Bag
• Heavy Duty Weatherproof Storage bin (for food, water, medical supplies, locks to keep animals out)
• Safety Goggles
• Survival Tabs

Medical Necessities

• First Aid Complete Care Kit - Exceeds OSHA & ANSI Guidelines - 326 pcs.
• Nitrile Gloves - size medium
• Nitrile Gloves - size large
• N95+ Particle Respirators
• The Survival Medicine Handbook
• First Aid for Babies & Children Fast
• Hand Sanitizer
• Moist Towlettes (basic hygiene if there is limited water supply)
• Bug Repellent (I love Badger Balm because it's not super stinky and comes in a stick)
• Kids Sunscreen (non greasy, emollient, can also be used by adults)
• Adult Sunscreen (non greasy, emollient)
• Rapid Tourniquet (advanced medical)

Fire Prevention, Suppression, and Escape

• Multi Purpose Fire Extinguisher
• Two Story (13 foot) Fire Escape Ladder
• Three Story (25 foot) Fire Escape Ladder
• Combination Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Tools:

• Rescue EMS EMT Tactical Knife
• Fine Edge Knife
• Gas and Water Shutoff Tool
• Emergency Camper's Multi-Tool
• Work Gloves
• Sportsman Pocket Chainsaw
• 25-Piece Tri-Fold Mini Tool Set
• Adjustable Wrench
• Synthetic Drying Chamois (super absorbent)
• Large Garbage Bags (for covering windows, disposal, etc.)
• Duct Tape
• 5 gallon bucket with lid (set of three - one for disposal, one for water purification, one for washing)
• Caution/Do Not Enter Tape
• Easy Release Masking Tape (blue)
• Sharpie Marker
• Lumber Crayon (for marking location, building)

Visibility and Location:

• LED Headlamp
• Dorcy Waterproof LED Flashlight
• Coleman 5319-700 MicroPacker LED Mini Lantern or Brila Mini Lantern
• Coleman Company 5-In-1 Survival Whistle, Orange
• Emergency Poncho - Adult
• Emergency Poncho - Child
• Industrial Grade Chemical Light Sticks 12 Hour Duration (Pack of 10)
• Neiko High Visibility Neon Yellow Zipper Front Safety Vest with Reflective Strips

Shelter:

• Paracord
• 2 Person Emergency Survival Cold Weather Protection Thermal Reflective Shelter
• Pack of 10 Large Silver Emergency Blankets
• Fleece Blankets/Throw

Food-Related

• Sporks
• Can opener
• Wine/bottle opener
• Compact Cookware Set
• Enamel Dinnerware (set for four, easy clean)
• Portable Butane Stove (never use inside)
• Butane (one of these can handle three meals plus coffee)

Other items to include: 

• Clothing - minimum of 1 outfit per person
• Candles
• Water (1 gallon per person per day)
• Non-perishable foods
• Prescription medicines
• Copies of important paperwork (including insurance companies, family phone numbers, personal identification)
• Infant items (bottles, diapers, etc.)
• Spare car keys
• Paper, pencil
• Recent photos of your self/spouse/kids/pets (should you need to have to show or explain to anyone what they look like)

I really hope we never have need of our kit, but I sleep better at night knowing it is there if we need it. If there is anything you think is important that I forgot, please let me know and I will add it both to our bag and this list!