The Top Ten...

Being prepared is a broad term and when trying to “be prepared” there are a lot of different things to think about.  After thinking about each aspect of what keeps me comfortable in my current situation I came up with the Top Ten things that we should “be prepared” with in case our current situation becomes an emergency situation.

Whether you are evacuating or sheltering in place there are certain things that you need to have on hand.  In case of a natural disaster or any other emergency the grocery stores will be flooded with people trying to stock up and get survival basics.  I know I don't want to have to go and fight the crowds, Black Friday is one thing, a surge of people who are in a panic is quite another.

The Top Ten categories to have items for are water, food, security, communication, transportation/evacuation, heat, light, medical/sanitation, shelter and financial. Each are vitally important for several reasons.  It is important to take in consideration your family's needs in each category as well as the amount your family would need to survive a certain amount of time.

Keep in mind that while accumulating these supplies, to help you be prepared, it is important to have some of each category that can be portable in case you have to evacuate.  A 72 Hour Kit is great to have for evacuation, but it is also nice to have more items in case your are evacuated for longer than three days or even permanently. 

Take a minute to sit down and write each of the categories down on paper, leaving space to write under each heading.  Think of items you would like to have, think you should have or already have.  Prioritize and budget so that you can begin working on your list.  Another way to get started is by getting extra items every time you are at the store and to watch for sales and stock up when you can.  Figure out what works best for you and stick to it.

Each category of the Top Ten has many options of  items to have on hand and ways to store and keep them.  I will do additional posts often for each category as to not overwhelm you.  Each category is important to have items in and even more important to have knowledge in.  Never quit learning about how to keep your family safe and alive.  Knowledge will give you a Peace Of Mind.

 

*Brittney Anger * Peace Of Mind Kits*

72 Hour Kits/BOBs

In case of an evacuation you don't want to have to spend your time trying to throw a bag together of things that you find important and things that you need to survive.  If you already have a bag with the basic needs of survival then you only have to grab a few other “can't live without” items and you can be on your way.

The American Red Cross along with several other institutions have recommended each member of every family should have a 72 Hour Kit aka a Bug Out Bag (BOB.)  In these kits there should be enough food and water to last for three days for that person.  Also inside the bag there should be all the basic items that could be needed in case of an emergency. 

I have researched several sites and put together a list of the basic items that each person would need and in addition to those basic needs there are many other options to add to each kit. Extra clothes, comfort items and a radio to just name a few.  It is a good idea to place all items that are going into your kit in a resealable plastic bag to keep everything safe from water or smoke damage.

When figuring out what things to put into your kit go back to the Top Ten and the Rule of Three to make sure you have all the basic survival items.  The Top Ten categories are water, food, security, communication, transportation/evacuation, heat, light, medical/sanitation, shelter and financial.  Using the Rule of Three in the case of a 72 Hour kit means you need to have three backups of each of the Top Ten categories. 

For more tips on what to put in your kit if you plan on making your own go here or you can order one of these!

*Brittney Anger * Peace Of Mind Kits*