Originally posted May 23, 2003
This one will be a bit short, but I wanted to give you the same information I have been giving to my extended family.
First, don’t bother with the preparedness kits you see advertised. I got one of them to check it out, and you pay $30- $50 for information that you can get for free from the Internet. To get the same information, much better presented than the one I checked out, go to:
Red Cross Disaster Counseling Materials, FEMA, The American Academy of Pediatrics which has a great set of information on preparing for disasters for those with children, and the Department of Homeland Security’s preparedness page.
Unless a kit has things like food, emergency gear, or other things with it, save your money. Take a long, hard look at any kits that do have that gear, as you have a pretty good chance of putting together a better kit for less on your own.
Short and sweet, you do need lists. You need the lists so that everything gets done, when it should, and you are not caught short. Lists can help ensure you have a can or bottle opener to deal with all the cans and bottles.
You also need communications. I heard this morning as someone pushed cell phones as great for emergencies, and they are just that. When they work. All too often, natural and man-made disaster tend to overload or take out the cell phone system, so don’t rely on them alone. Spend a little bit and get some good walkie talkies. They can and do come in handy for non-emergency situations, and are worth their weight in gold in an emergency.
I think I said it before, but in terms of food, think calories and long-term storage. Many of the meal-in-a-box things that are sold for school lunches are great. Do I think you need to rush out and buy large amounts right now? No. See the previous posts and build up slowly.
That is it for today, and I will try to go into more in the days ahead. Enjoy the holiday weekend, be safe, and be prepared.
