When a disaster
strikes, your community emergency services and government
agencies may not be able to respond to your needs immediately.
Their buildings, equipment, personnel, communications, and
mobility may be severely hampered by the event. They will
be overwhelmed.
Experts warn that
you should be prepared to be on your own for a minimum of
three days after a disaster. One of the
most important elements of this preparedness is the 72-hour
kit for your home or office. The contents of this kit will
vary, but in every case it should contain the things you
need to survive for three days on your own.
Your home 72-hour
kit should contain at least the following items:
- One gallon of water per person per day. This means at
least three gallons of water per person.
- Sufficient non-perishable food for three days. Ideally,
these foods will be lightweight and high in energy. If
you pack canned foods, remember a can opener!
- Prescription and non-prescription medications. Include
a spare set of glasses, if you need them.
- Battery powered portable radio. This may be your only
source of information during a disaster.
- First aid kit. The small camping kits work well. Remember
to get enough supplies for the number of people who may
be using them.
- Personal hygiene items.
- Clothing and bedding. A spare pair of socks and a space
saver blanket would be a minimum.
- Special items such as baby needs or contact lens supplies,
etc.
- Personal comfort items. Books, games, personal electronics,
etc.
Remember, this
is only a bare bones kit. You can add things to this list
that you or your family will need. A more complete
list is available in the office 72 hour kit list.
Maintain
and exercise your plan and 72-hour kit
Your plan is like
a plant. If you ignore it will die. To keep your plan healthy,
you should go over it with each family member at least once
every six months . One way to do this is
to make a night of it. Pick one night to go over the plan,
practice escape routes and contact procedures, call your
out of area contact (they'd probably like to hear from you),
change the batteries in your smoke detector, and cycle the
food and water in your 72 hour kit. This is a fun way to
ensure that your family is prepared to react in the event
of a disaster. |
