Water
Storing water is one of the most important things you can do for a disaster. Use the following guidelines:
- Store water in plastic containers – Plastic soft drink bottles are good. Don’t use milk cartons or glass bottles.
- You should have a three-day supply of water.
- You will need at least one gallon of water for each person in your house for each day.
- Don’t forget extra water for your pets.
Stored water needs to be treated to make sure it will be safe to drink when you need it. You can do this by adding four drops of bleach per quart of water. The liquid bleach should have 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite and NO SOAP!
Food
You will need a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Non-perishable means food that can stay good for a long time without needing to be in the refrigerator. It is also good if the food doesn’t need to be cooked. Here are some suggestions:
- Ready-to-eat canned meats
- Peanut butter and crackers
- Fruits and vegetables
- Breakfast bars
- Instant coffee and tea
- Cookies, and trail mix
- Canned juice, milk
- Soup
- Special food for babies or older people
The food should be kept dry and cool. Items such as cookies and crackers should be put in plastic bags.
First Aid
Listed below are some of the items that should be included in your First Aid kit:
- Band Aids
- Sterile gauze pads
- Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
- Scissors
- Antacid
- Aspirin or other pain reliever
- Petroleum jelly
- Thermometer
- Anti-diarrhea medicine
- Soap
- Sunscreen
- Moistened towellettes
Tools & Supplies
Listed below are some of the tools and supplies that you may want to include in your disaster supply kit. Keep in mind that you may have to leave your home and you would need a convenient method to take these items with you.
- Battery-operated radio
- Extra batteries
- Flashlight
- Toilet paper
- Pliers
- Compass
- Tape
- Non-electric can opener
- Utility knife (like a Swiss Army knife)
- Plates and cups made of paper or plastic
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Fire extinguisher (ABC type)
- Plastic garbage bags
- Shut-off wrench to turn off the gas and water to your house
Clothing & Bedding
Everyone in your house should have a complete change of clothes and a pair of sturdy shoes or boots stored in the disaster kit. You should also have rain gear, thermal underwear and blankets or sleeping bags.
