Although we all have some sense of emergency preparedness, statistics show that fewer than 1 in 2 people actually take the time to put together some sort of a kit. Sometimes we justify our unpreparedness by thinking that since we live in a fairly stable, highly-developed country, there's no need for all of that. It's only in places like Haiti (where a devastating earthquake struck in 2010) that those kinds of things are really necessary.
But a recent unfortunate event on a major highway highlighted the importance of a little emergency preparedness training even in the concrete jungle. A slight mistake by the car next to us during a lane change resulted in the driver losing control of the vehicle—and next thing we know his car is flying through the air behind us upside down. Amazingly, the driver in this story escaped with only minor cuts and scrapes—but it could easily have been much worse.
Where To Place Emergency Preparedness Kits
Besides automobile accidents, there are tons of situations where emergency preparedness kits make sense. Anyone living in a earthquake-prone area should obviously have one of these somewhere in their home (or outside, in a sealed container, in case the house has to be evacuated) in the event of a major earthquake. But across the country and the world, there are very few locations where the chances of some kind of life-changing disaster are nil. Whether it's a hurricane, tsunami, flood, or tornado, the results are universally destructive.
Besides the home, the next most common place to keep emergency preparedness supplies is in your automobile. As mentioned above, the number of situations requiring at very least a first aid kit or the basic tools (such as a pry bar) that come in an emergency preparedness kit are almost endless, but here are just a few:
- Your car slides off a deserted road in the middle of a snowstorm.
- You have an accident on the freeway and find yourself trapped inside the car.
- Your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and you have to walk a long distance to find someone to help you.
What's In An Emergency Food Kit?
Although most people worry about emergency preparedness food kits, the fact is that the human body can actually survive quite a long time without food, usually at least 30 days. For most people who survive a natural disaster of some sort, however, the first thing they notice is the need for fresh water. We take it for granted in modern society—water to cook with, bathe with, even to flush the toilet with. Without the constant influx of clean, fresh water and a reliable way to carry it away from your home, these things can quickly become a major ordeal. The human body's ability to go without water is much more limited than food—generally no more than three to five days at the max.
Just because you can survive without food for a number of days doesn’t mean you want to, however. In fact, being hungry and tired following a disaster is one thing that can lead to secondary accidents. For that reason, most emergency preparedness food survival kits include at least a 3 day (72-hour) supply of food for you to sustain yourself on while relief services make their way to you. But unless you plan on eating plain, uncooked food with your hands for the entire time you're on your own, that's not all you'll need. A cooking stove and pot, fuel canisters, and a basic spoon and fork can go a long way toward making your life a little easier in an emergency.
How To Choose An Emergency Preparedness Kit
Another thing to consider when considering what type of kit to purchase is how many people will be depending on you to provide for them. Having lived at various times in regions prone to earthquakes or hurricanes, we can say from experience that it is common following a disaster for people to come together. Neighbors who haven't seen each other in years come out of their houses and talk to one another. A sense of brotherhood and, "We survived!" unites those who have gone through the cathartic event together and emerged victorious on the other side. In the midst of all that, you don't want to find yourself wishing you had bought a larger emergency preparedness supplies kit.
Besides water, the next most critical item you can have following a disaster is a radio and a flashlight. Depending on when disaster strikes, it can be extremely dark—especially if there's no power on the whole block. Having a portable light source could even mean the difference between life and death for someone who is trapped. All of the emergency preparedness kits sold on this website come with a hand-powered (as in: no batteries required ever) radio and flashlight, so you can stay updated with any emergency service broadcasts as well as have a flashlight handy for whenever you need it.
