Emergency kit for the home

This can go into a plastic tub or waterproof duffel

Updated 01mar10

Power outages, fires, floods, earthquakes, wind, and storms can damage your home or interrupt utilities, phones, stores, ATMs, and travel. These things occur when you are least prepared. This is an inexpensive common sense preparation document.

The large disaster relief organizations can provide basic relief for a lot of people, but need a few days to get set up. Wise people are prepared to handle problems on their own for 3 days to a week.

Don't buy any survival kits or anything you are not familiar with. After the power goes out is not the time to try something out. Don't waste your money buying "special survival food". It will probably get old before you need it. Just keep your regular canned goods supplied.

This is not a complete guide to preparation; it is only to give you a starting place. Experience, training and special equipment provides better preparation. And nothing is better than common sense (which doesn't seem to be very common).

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Suggested emergency kit contents

A list of everything the kit is supposed to have.
Copies of all prescriptions, account statements, insurance information, and emergency numbers in a waterproof container. Update the copies every year. Eyeglass perscriptions should include the pulilary distance.
A survival book filled with handy tips in a waterproof container (like a zip-lock bag).
Spare wrenches for gas and water cutoffs.
Many coffee filters that fold flat. Two coffee filters purify most liquids, including water and gasoline. Unsafe water should be bleached or boiled after filtering if possible. Coffee filters alone can handle scummy mud-puddle water, but not sewage, gas, or oil contamination.
Aluminum foil. The uses for aluminum foil are limited only to your imagination.
Goggles for everyone that seal against his or her face. Some people need goggles that go over their glasses. Disasters often cause blinding smoke or dust.
Respirators or dust masks, three for everyone. Many emergencies generate choking dust or smoke.
A Swiss army knife or Leatherman tool.
Heavy-duty garden or kitchen shears.
Butane lighter and many matches in a crush-resistant waterproof container.
Rope you can cut with the shears and use to tie things or as clothesline. The matches or lighter can melt the ends of synthetic rope over to keep it from unraveling.
String.
Work gloves for everyone.
Lots of duct tape.
A basic sewing kit and many safety pins.
Pencils and notepaper or post-its in a waterproof container (like a zip-lock bag).
Two big fat markers for making signs (replace every year).
A deck of cards. Perhaps a travel chess/checkers set or a ball, too.
A small bible in a waterproof container (like a zip-lock bag).
Extra socks and underwear in a waterproof container (like a zip-lock bag).
Feminine hygiene supplies in a waterproof container (like a zip-lock bag).
Plastic tarps. They can protect things from rain, cover broken windows, patch a damaged roof, and so forth.
Pliers/cutters for clothes hanger wire. It's uses are limited only by your imagination.
A can opener.
A sealed box of baby-wipes, zip-locked to keep the moisture in.
A money-belt for each person.
Some long shoelaces. Shoelaces wait for them most inopportune time to break. They can double as string.
Petroleum jelly is a lip balm, a lubricant, and it seals out water.
A spare drain-plug / tub-stopper.
A loud whistle
Clothespins
Hard candies or cough drops in moisture-proof container (like a zip-lock bag).
Hide $100 cash per person, a prepaid phone card, and a roll of quarters somewhere. The kit may or may not be a place to hide this.

You will also need things that are not on this list.

It is amazing what you can make out of duct tape, hanger wire, aluminum foil, and plastic sheets.

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