Emergency Supply Kit

April 15, 2017 - -

I recently dedicated some time to assembling an Emergency Supply Kit. It might be a little paranoid, but as a northern California resident, the possibility of a destructive earthquake looms. Admittedly, the current administration also makes me worry about other kinds of catastrophes, but I digress.

Interestingly, the sources I list below don’t delve much into the exact goals of the kit. Details like this would aid in determining what supplies to get. From what I gather I think the primary objective is to survive comfortably for 3 days without access to clean running water, electricity, gas, or convenient food. More concretely, regardless of the kind of emergency, the goals are:

  • stay nourished
  • stay hydrated
  • stay warm
  • stay sheltered
  • stay hygienic
  • stay safe
  • stay sane
  • stay informed if possible
  • be able to address basic medical situations
  • have access to some handy tools
  • keep it all in a single place for quick access and possible evacuation

In summary, try to maintain the base of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs for a few days without all of our modern conveniences.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

After consulting a few different sources, my whole kit is about 37 compact items plus food. Not surprisingly, most of it is basic camping supplies and several items we already had. I didn’t go for absolute minimalism. For instance, I could live without a fork and knife, but a couple pairs of utensils don’t add much bulk. Here’s my list:

AA batteries flashlight pet food
blankets garbage bags sleeping bag
containers for all of this hand sanitizer soap
camping lantern matches in waterproof container swiss army knife
camping whistle medicine toilet paper
cash mess kit towel
copy of id notebook water
crank radio old pair of glasses moist towelettes
duct tape pack of cards water purification tablets
dust mask paper towels work gloves
eating utensils personal hygiene items zip ties
extra clothes pencils/pens  
first aid kit plastic sheeting  

Our Emergency Supply Kit

For water storage, the recommendation was 1 gallon per person per day. So for my wife and I that’s 6 gallons. We added a 7th gallon for our pets.

We also purchased food that was palatable and preferred expirations in 1-2 years if possible. (Admittedly, I’m not exactly following my diet here.)

  • canned chili
  • canned tuna
  • canned stew
  • canned fruit
  • mixed nuts
  • peanut butter
  • pringles
  • Yoohoo

I have some calender reminders set to remind me to eat or donate the food before it expires.

I was never a boy scout, and I’m not much of a camper or a survivalist, so it’s entirely possible I’m missing something crucial. If you think of something, let me know!

References