Your Family Emergency Kit

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Your Family Emergency Kit

• Why You Need One
• What You Need in It
• Ways to Create Your Own

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Why do you need your own family emergency kit?

• Hurricanes tell everyone they are coming, so
  supplies may be limited by the time you get
  around to preparing your own.
• Most emergencies, however, arent considerate
  enough to announce themselves ahead of time!

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Unexpected Emergencies Include

• Fire
• Flood
• Tornado
• Sinkhole
• Terror Acts
• Police Action
• Chemical Spill
• Gas Line Break
• Water Main Break
• Car Driven into House

• Injury
• Illness
• Job Loss
• Family Crisis

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• Following any public disaster,
• neighborhoods will likely be
• on their own
• for at least 3-5 days
• while local and state resources
• assess damage and
• prioritize emergency responses.

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Hurricane Katrinas Devastation, Mississippi 2005
Photograph courtesy of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Whether you need to shelter in place or
evacuate to safety, you need to be prepared
for both possibilities!

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If you can shelter in place.

• .will you have enough food, water, medicine
  for your family if you get stuck there for a
  while?
• .will you be safe there?
• .will you be ready to leave if officials
  order you to evacuate?

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If you need to evacuate..

• .where will you go family, shelter, hotel?
• .will you be able to find alternate routes to
  your destination?
• .will you have the proof of residency
• required to allow you to return to the area?

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Also, if you need to evacuate..

• .will you be able to grab all your supplies
  and get out quickly without regrets?
• .will you leave your pets alone to starve,
• or to be injured by debris,
• or do you have a plan and supplies
• for their care?
• .how comfortable will you be prepared
• to be?

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What do you need in your family emergency kit?

• You need a portable, waterproof kit
• containing the basics each of your family
  members
• needs for survival during
• and for at least THREE days after an emergency.
• The Basics will include
• food water,
• health hygiene,
• clothing comfort,
• documents distractions

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You need ready-to-eat FOOD!

• Do your family members have special dietary needs
  due to their age or health?

• Have enough non-perishable food on hand for at
  least 3 days!

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Food Choices

• Make sure you like
• the foods you store!
• In an emergency
• youll already be under
• great stress.
• Include some comfort foods, too.

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• Dont forget the manual can opener!!!
• Will you want to heat it
• before you eat it?
• How?
• Disposable plates utensils will save your
  precious water!

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• Food Rotation Freshness
• Mark the month and year of your purchase on all
  consumable goods using a permanent marker.
• When it is time to change your clocks smoke
  alarm batteries every spring and fall, make sure
  you rotate items to keep your emergency
  supplies fresh.

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If you have pets, dont forget their food
water, too!
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You need WATER!

• A two week emergency supply!

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Make sure you.

• Store TWO gallons per person per day.
• One gallon is for consumption.
• The other is for hygiene.
• Never use milk jug plastic
• for long-term storage!
• 1 PETE plastic
• (2 liter-type) works well!
• Use wheeled containers for portability!

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Stored Water Solutions

• If you use soda, juice, or other bottles to store
  your water, wash thoroughly and air dry
  completely before filling.
• Dont be alarmed by the flat taste of bottled
  water!
• Pour water back-and-forth between containers
  several times.
• This will restore its palatable oxygenated
  taste.

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Water Purification

• In place of some stored water you may choose to
  include purification methods in your emergency
  kit.
• Bleach (Add ½ teaspoon per gallon to clear water,
  1 teaspoon to cloudy. Mix, then wait 30 minutes
  and check for chlorine odor. If none detected,
  repeat the dosage and wait 15 minutes before
  using.)
• Commercial Tablets (follow directions exactly)
• Boil vigorously for 3-5 minutes cool before
  using!

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You need to stay HEALTHY!

• PrescriptionsKeep at least 2 weeks of medication
  on hand at all times ,if possible, for all family
  members.
• Have heartworm pills, flea tick medicine, and
  other pet prescriptions ready to evacuate with
  you and your pets, too.

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• Prescription Eyeglasses---Keep your old pair in
  your emergency kit, just in case. (The next time
  you get new lenses donate the oldest pair.)
• First Aid SuppliesInclude antiseptic, sterile
  gauze, adhesive bandages, tweezers, alcohol
  wipes, latex/vinyl gloves, etc.

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Other Health Needs

• Over-the-Counter MedicationsKeep whatever your
  family uses for routine treatment of fever,
  cough, diarrhea, dehydration, nausea, allergies,
  insect bites, etc.

• Skin Care---Protect your skin sunscreen
  insect repellant are mandatory in any Florida
  emergency situation!
• Vitamins

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Be certain that ALL medications are kept
safely out of the reach of ALL children
and pets!
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You need good HYGIENE!

• Remember Emergencies may disrupt water, waste
  pick-up, and sewer services!
• For general cleaning have antibacterial or baby
  wipes and hand sanitizer to clean without water.
• Dont forget soap, shampoo, deodorant, shaving
  supplies, and toothbrush/paste.

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Disposable Hygiene Products

• If someone in
  your family needs
• diapers,
• feminine hygiene products,
• or incontinence aids,
• make sure
• they wont have to do without!
• (You just cant have too many diapers!)

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Waste Disposal

• Heavy plastic garbage bags will help keep waste
  contained during times of interrupted public
  services.

• They can also be used as liners for a bucket if
  toilet facilities are unavailable. Be sure to
  have a lid and disinfectant!

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• Toilet paper is something nobody wants to do
  without!
• Remove or flatten the cardboard cores to save
  space in your kit.
• Store it in waterproof plastic!
• Youll need sufficient plastic bags and/or litter
  to handle pet waste, too!

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You need family DOCUMENTS

• Keep ALL important papers
• in one location that ALL family
• members know!
• Use waterproof containers or bags to protect
  them. (Two gallon size plastic zipper freezer
  bags work wonderfully!)
• Keep copies of items that are
• stored in safe deposit boxes.

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Which Documents?Identification Health

• Current photographs of all family members
  (including pets!)
• Birth marriage certificates
• ( other irreplaceable forms of ID)
• Proof of immunizations (including pets rabies
  other vaccinations) other important health
  records

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Legal Financial Papers

• Proof of residence address (mortgage or rental
  agreements, utility statements)
• Emergency contact numbers
• Insurance policy information for
• home, auto, health, and life
• Titles to property and vehicles
• Household inventory (photo/video/CD format)
• Account numbers
• Legal papers (wills, trusts, DNRs, decrees,
  etc.)

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Along with your documents you will need to have

• CASH coins
• ATMs credit cards wont work without power!
• Maps (local, state, regional)
• You may need to find alternate evacuation routes!

• CD copies of family history, etc.

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You need CLOTHING to wear!

• Pack a complete, comfortable change of clothes
  (including sturdy shoes) for each
• family member, stored in plastic.
• Consider including
• extra socks underclothes.

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• Try on your clothes
• for fit and
• for seasonal appropriateness
• every time you change your clocks
• and smoke alarm batteries!

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You need DIVERSIONS

• Kids arent the only ones who need toys to help
  cope with disasters!
• Scriptures other inspirational literature
• Games puzzles (Sudoku, Uno, crosswords)
• Radio or CD player (with LOTS of extra batteries)
• Notebook or journal pencils/pens

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• Use this
• cooped-up, high-stress time
• for your family
• to bond have fun
• in spite of the emergency!

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You need COMFORT safety!

• A flashlight extra batteries for each family
  member
• Radio extra batteries (for weather, traffic,
  and other information, as well as entertainment)
• Umbrella other rain or shade gear

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• Bedding
• Sheets and blankets can be used as emergency
  stretchers
• Fan (Battery operated!)
• With boarded windows and no AC you will need to
  keep the hot air around you moving
• Camping supplies (chairs, cook stoves, cots,
  other electricity-free equipment)
• Coolers and storage bins can double as seats

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(a summary)

• You need a portable, waterproof kit
  containing the basics each of your family
  members needs to survive during and for at least
  THREE days after an emergency.
• The Basics will include
• food water,
• health hygiene,
• clothing comfort,
• documents distractions

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What do you do with all this stuff?

• Bury it in a bucket or a backpack
• Drop it in a diaper bag
• Leave it in luggage (with wheels!)
• Place it in plastic in a pillowcase
• Shove it on a shelf
• Stick it in storage bins
• Toss it in a trash can (with wheels a lid!)

• Make it portable!
• Keep water out!
• Use what works for your home family!

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Bury it in a backpack or a bucket.

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Drop it in a diaper bag!

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Leave it in luggage, preferably on wheels!

• (This is a great way to move heavy water!)

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Place it (in plastic) in a pillowcase.Just
start with what you already have on hand!

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Shove it on a shelf!

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Stick it in storage bins

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Toss it in a trash can (with wheels a lid)!

• (Make sure it is clean!)

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• Yes, this is a lot of work!
• However,.

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• will it be harder to prepare for the unexpected,
• OR
• will it be harder
• to wish that you had?

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Some observations.

• Not long ago emergency managers suggested
  families keep 3 days worth of supplies on hand.
• After the year of Charley, Frances, and Jeanne,
  some officials recommended preparing to meet your
  own familys needs for up to a week.

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since then

• Hurricane Katrina dramatized the absolute need
  for families to be ready to take care of
  themselves and their neighbors.
• Health officials now advise families to prepare
  to weather out a possible flu pandemic, with a
  two week supply of food and water. Others
  recommend preparing enough to last for 6-8 weeks!

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• Preparation brings you peace of mind.
• Dont get scared
• Get prepared!

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Dont get scaredGet prepared!For more
information ideas, explore the following

• www.ProvidentLiving.org
• www.ready.gov
• www.doh.state.fl.us
• www.FloridaDisaster.org
• www.PandemicFlu.gov
• www.centralflorida.redcross.org