We live in a part of the country where hurricanes, floods and tornadoes are increasing both in numbers of events and the severity of those events.
The slightest disruption to water and electrical utilities brings with them a predictable panic. It is human nature. So what can you do before an emergency? Just having a few basic supplies on hand in your home and in your car can make an enormous difference in how you weather a storm.
DISCLAIMER: The list that follows is very generic; it is not sufficient to get you through the likes of a Harvey or a Katrina. What it may do is give you an edge that could mean the difference between utter panic and basic survival.
Q. Why do I need some supplies in my car if I already have stuff at home?
A. You might be at work or on the road when a storm hits. You need to have some of the same basic items on hand that your family has access to at home.
Q. Puerto Rico is routinely subject to failures in their power grid. Can that happen here?
A. Yes. Disruptions to water and power for only a few days can cause major problems. Google the current statistics on available utilities (water & power) in Louisiana, Texas and in Florida. Think back to February 2021 in Texas. After no electricity for just six days, it got down to 37 degrees INDOORS at my house. The national powergrid is ancient and susceptible to hacking. Texas currently has a power grid independent of the rest of the country which is why things got so bad, and stayed bad for such an extended period of time.
Some Basics to Have on Hand:
Basic first aid supplies: gauze, band-aids, anti-biotic ointment (rotate stock religiously), paper tape, liquid band-aid, tourniquet, benadryl, chap stick, baby wipes, super glue)
Zip-Ties: various lengths, the possibilities are endless
Duct Tape: a true gift from the gods
Ideal for outdoor recreation, hiking, camping, scouting, domestic and international travel and emergency preparedness
High performance filter fits in the palm of your hand; weighs just 2 ounces; 0.1 Micron absolute hollow fiber membrane inline filter
Attaches to included drinking pouch, standard disposable water bottles, hydration packs, or use the straw to drink directly from your water source
Removes 99.99999% of all bacteria, such as salmonella, cholera, and E.coli; removes 99.9999% of all protozoa, such as giardia and cryptosporidium
Filter rated up to 100,000 gallons; includes 16-ounce reusable squeeze pouch, 7-inch drinking straw, and cleaning plunger
taken from the Amazon listing, customer rating of 4.5 of 5 (no, they did not pay me to include this)
Water bottles have "expiration" dates because it is required by law in the state of New Jersey! Water that has been stored for an extended period of time may taste different. Rotate/use stock whenever possible.
Emergency blanket for each family member (these come folded up, about the size of a wallet) an absolute necessity in cars.
Flint and striker
Emergency contacts & current family photographs: hard copies for all family members (these should be laminated).
Assorted batteries (make a list of those most frequently used): rotate stock, always check for leakage in devices.
Obviously re-chargeable batteries are no good if you don't have electricity or a solar charger. Check stored batteries regularly for leakage.
Flashlights or Glow-sticks in all bedrooms & bathrooms: AVOID CANDLES! You don't want to set your house/apartment on fire when first-responders may be having their own problems. Hand-crank flashlights are inexpensive (ebay, amazon).
Protein bars: rotate stock (misc. foodstuffs, including a limited amount of comfort food).
Ibuprofen/Alleve/Aspirin/Tylenol: rotate stock.
Caffeine pills can completely eliminate withdrawal that might otherwise occur as a result of no coffee or sodas; they can be stored for extended periods of time without consequence.
Prescription medication: I know several people who have started to skip a dose or two periodically in order to have an emergency supply on hand. With significant disruptions to inter-state commerce come shortages in meds.
Ditto for pet's medications, supplies and food.
One or two rolls of toilet paper per person
Two rolls of paper towels
A full-tang blade and a multi-tool (full -tang blades are made of a single piece of metal, harder to break) Invest in good multi-tool $40 to $100; this should be on your person every day) readily available at wal-mart, home depot, etc.
Clean t-shirts, socks, underwear, 2 bandanas and a REALLY good pair of work gloves
Cell phones and cell phone chargers
Emergency radio or battery operated television: essential for public broadcasts and weather updates (some models have usb ports and hand cranks for charging cell phones)
Deck of cards & other age appropriate distractions that do not rely on electricity (books, coloring books, lego parts, dominoes, misc. board games)
Miscellaneous Things: sewing kit, feminine hygiene products, bar of anti-bacterial soap, hand sanitizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, nail clippers, zip-loc baggies (with stuff in them), paper/small notebook, sharpie, whistle for each family member, trash bags
Continuously add items to what you have available based on the unique needs of your family (including pets).
Batteries, medication and food-stuffs are generally not appropriate for storage in your vehicle. Use common sense when deciding what to store in your car. Always rotate items on a regular basis.
Always know what you have and where it is.
Noteworthy: What you throw away tells others what you have & posting signs about "shooting on sight" informs others that you have guns and ammunition (making you a potential target).