OK, here is the fun part because as Americans - we love to shop! Let’s put that credit card towards something that could really save our bacon some day. There are 3 types of disaster kits: 1 main household kit, 1 or more personal kits for places like your car or work, and 1 community kit (for your neighborhood) for larger items like generators, chainsaws and other tools.
Household Disaster Kit
Electrical, water, transportation, and other vital systems can be disrupted for several days after a large earthquake. Emergency response agencies and hospitals will likely be overwhelmed and unable to provide you with immediate assistance. To help your family cope after a strong earthquake, store a household disaster kit in an easily accessible location, preferably outdoors (not in your garage).
This kit, which complements your personal disaster kits, should be in a large watertight container that can be easily moved and should hold a 14-day supply of the following items. (Most agencies recommend a 1 week supply but I doubled it - just think of all the unprepared friends that will be coming over!)
Food & Water
- Drinking water: minimum one gallon per person (or pet) per day. This water should be changed every 6 months. Check out our 50 gallon barrel.
- Water purification: either iodine or water purifier.
- Canned and packaged foods to last everyone - including your pet - 14 days (don’t forget cooking utensils, including a manual can opener).
- Avoid food like rice, pasta and dry beans that require a great deal of water to prepare.
- Foods for infants, elderly, or persons with special dietary needs.
- Camping stove (and fuel) for heating food and water.
- Heavy duty aluminum foil
First Aid
- First aid kit including latex gloves
- Essential medications
- A first aid book
- Sunscreen
- A flashlight for every family member (and spare batteries).
- Candles and matches or possibly a propane lantern.
- A hand-cranked emergency radio
- Axe, shovel and broom
- Plastic sheeting and a staple gun for window replacement
- Extra pairs of house and car keys
- Garden hose for siphoning and firefighting
- Knifes or razor blades
- A city map (to get around without the internet!)
- Baby supplies like formula, diapers, etc (if applicable)
- Heavy-duty “contractor type” plastic bags for waste and to serve other uses, such as tarps and rain ponchos.
- Plastic bucket with tight lid
- Poop bags for pets
- Hygiene items, such as toilet paper, toothpaste, soap, and bleach.
- Baby wipes for water-free cleanup
- Medicine dropper to sanitize water with bleach.
- Items to protect you from the elements, such as warm clothing, sturdy shoes, extra socks, blankets, sleeping bags, and perhaps even a tent.
- Rain gear (becuase Murhpy’s Law says it will rain).
- Work gloves, safety glasses and dust masks.
- Cash money, because to power = no credit cards and closed banks.
- Copies of vital documents, such as insurance policies and personal identification.
- Inventory of valuable household goods for insurance purposes.
- Printed phone number list for when your cell phone battery dies.
Personal Disaster Kits
Everyone in your family should have their own personal disaster kits. These kits are collections of supplies they may need when a quake strikes, no matter where they are in the Bay Area.
Personalize these kits and keep them where they can easily be reached when away from home — in the car, at work or school. A backpack or other small bag is best for these kits so that they can be easily carried in an evacuation. Include the following items:
- Medications, a list of prescriptions, copies of medical insurance cards, doctors’ names and contact information.
- Medical consent forms for dependents.
- Small first aid kit and handbook.
- Spare eyeglasses and personal hygiene supplies
- Bottled water
- Whistle (to alert rescuers to your location)
- Emergency cash
- Personal identification
- List of emergency contact phone numbers
- Snack foods high in calories
- Emergency lighting—light sticks and (or) a working flashlight with extra batteries and light bulbs
Community Disaster Kits
If a few people in your community have the more expensive items, they can greatly help with the ability of your community to survive the aftermath of the earthquake. Please consult your neighbors or local community preparedness group to see if any of these items are available:
- 2-way radios for local communication / search and rescue
- A camping toilet (a nice upgrade from a bucket)
- A gas powered generator
- A chainsaw for clearing debris and rescue
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