7 Important Items In Your Emergency Survival Kit

We have another guest post from Mina Arnao and MorePrepared.com. This time we find the 7 Important Items In Your Emergency Survival Kit.

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Emergencies like natural hazards can be unpredictable and often leave you in helpless and devastated situations. Whether you are at home, in office or traveling, having an emergency preparedness kit is an important step to prepare yourself with such unforeseen events and increase the chances of survival.

Here is a list of 7 essential supplies that you should always keep handy. It includes:

1. Food

A 3-day supply of non-perishable food items per person is recommended. Foods bars and freeze dried foods are great alternatives as they have a long shelf life of 5-25 years. Keep a check on their expiry date and replace the food annually. If staying with pets and kids, carry baby food and pet food.

2. Water

Water is the most important item in your survival kit. So, carry three gallons of water per person for a 3-day supply. As, you will need water not just for drinking but also for cooking and sanitation. If using bottled water, replace it annually. You can also carry specially packaged water for emergency with a shelf life of 5 to 50-years.

3. First-Aid

During an emergency, your first-aid kit acts as your savior. And, there are various important items that you should have in your kit. Like, hydrogen peroxide for washing wounds, antibiotic ointment for disinfecting the wounds, medicines like aspirin and for diarrhea, eye drops, gauze, tape rolls, thermometers, splints, tweezers, bandage strips and more.

4. Shelter And Warmth

Basic necessities like shelter and warmth are often overlooked. And, in case of natural emergencies, when your house becomes uninhabitable, leaving you with no option but to stay outdoors for a longer time, you should be equipped with items like tents, sleeping bags, hand warmers, thermal blankets, rain ponchos, and vinyl tarps as ground covers.

5. Sanitation And Hygiene

To have a makeshift bathroom, you should have these basic things in your survival kit. These include- a pail to be used as a toilet, a toilet seat for the pail, garbage bags and plastic ties, toilet paper. And to stay clean and ensure hygiene, carry bar soaps, paper soaps, hand sanitizer, toothbrush and paste, sanitary napkins, tissues and sunscreen.

6. Lighting And Communication

To stay informed always during an emergency and have a source of lighting for safety purposes is very important. So, carry a battery-powered, solar-powered or hand crank radio, torch, some extra batteries, mobile phone chargers, light sticks, waterproof matches, lanterns and candles.  

7. Survival Gear

Your survival gear kit should also include basic items like a multi-functional knife, water and gas shut-off wrench, dust masks, heavy duty gloves, duct tape, plastic sheeting, rope for towing, shovel, manual can opener and a portable stove with fuel.

Besides these, you should not miss carrying some cash, heavy duty shoes, gum boots, garden hose for siphoning and firefighting, a fire extinguisher, baby diapers and extra clothing for change.

An emergency kit is extremely essential for improving the chances of survival whenever an emergency or a natural calamity occurs. So, keep yourself equipped with these vital items and prepare your kit right now if you haven’t. Also, you can add other things depending on your needs and past experiences.

Here is a comprehensive infographic by More Prepared , A survival Expert for your reference.

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Thank you Mina for your help and sharing great information.

Until then,

Use your instincts to survive