... A DISASTER EMERGENCY KIT
A disaster supplies kit is simply a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.
Try to assemble your kit well in advance of an emergency. You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You will probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.
You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours or it might take days.
Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week, or longer. Your supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages.
Try to assemble your kit well in advance of an emergency. You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You will probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.
You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least 72 hours. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours or it might take days.
Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week, or longer. Your supplies kit should contain items to help you manage during these outages.
Family Supply ListEmergency Supplies:
Water, food, and clean air are important things to have if an emergency happens. Each family or individual's kit should be customized to meet specific needs, such as medications and infant formula. It should also be customized to include important family documents. Recommended Supplies to Include in a Basic Kit: - Water, one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation - Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food - Battery-powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, and extra batteries for both - Flashlight and extra batteries - First Aid kit - Whistle to signal for help - Infant formula and diapers, if you have an infant - Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation - Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air - Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place - Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities - Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food) Clothing and Bedding: If you live in a cold weather climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that the power will be out and you will not have heat. Rethink your clothing and bedding supplies to account for growing children and other family changes. One complete change of warm clothing and shoes per person, including: - A jacket or coat - Long pants - A long sleeve shirt - Sturdy shoes - A hat and gloves - A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person Below are some other items for your family to consider adding to its supply kit. Some of these items, especially those marked with a * can be dangerous, so please have an adult collect these supplies. - Emergency reference materials such as a first aid book or a print out of the information on www.ready.gov - Rain gear - Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils - Cash or traveler's checks, change - Paper towels - Fire Extinguisher - Tent - Compass - Matches in a waterproof container* - Signal flare* - Paper, pencil - Personal hygiene items including feminine supplies - Disinfectant* - Household chlorine bleach* - You can use bleach as a disinfectant (diluted nine parts water to one part bleach), or in an emergency you can also use it to treat water. Use 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners. - Medicine dropper - Important Family Documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container |
Family Communication Plan
Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan how you will contact one another. Think about how you will communicate in different situations.
- Complete a contact card for each adult family member. Have them keep these cards handy in a wallet, purse or briefcase, etc. Additionally, complete contact cards for each child in your family. Put the cards in their backpacks or book bags.
- Check with your children’s day care or school. Facilities designed for children should include identification planning as part of their emergency plans.
- Identify a contact such as a friend or relative who lives outside your town or city for household members to notify they are safe. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
- Be sure every member of your family knows the phone number and has a cell phone, coins or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact. If you have a cell phone, program that person(s) as "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) in your phone. If you are in an accident, emergency personnel will often check your ICE listings in order to get a hold of someone you know. Make sure to tell your family and friends that you’ve listed them as emergency contacts.
- Teach family members how to use text messaging (also known as SMS or Short Message Service). Text messages can often get around network disruptions when a phone call might not be able to get through.
- Subscribe to alert services. Many communities now have systems that will send instant text alerts or e-mails to let you know about bad weather, road closings, local emergencies, etc.