This is the second article in the series about being prepared at home with a basic emergency supply kit. We talked about the government’s guidelines for water and food stockpiles, as well as how to store them, in preparation for an emergency. Now we will keep going with the other items that you should have at home to be prepared.
Radios. Yes, that is plural. According to the U.S. government guidelines, each household should have two radios. The first should be a hand-cranked or battery operated radio, and the second should be a NOAA Weather Radio that includes a tone alert. Extra batteries should be stored with the radios, in case you find your current batteries dead or you need the radios for extended use. Store the radios in a liquid-proof plastic bag or container.
Light source. Include at least two flashlights with extra batteries in your emergency kit. Should power go out, you want to make sure that you can find your way in your home or outside at night or in dark conditions. You can also consider adding a battery-operated or hand crank portable or camping lantern. These lanterns often add a wider circle of light than a flashlight does. Again, store your light sources and batteries in a dry space.
Whistle. A whistle can be hand to have in the event that you need to signal for help. If you are caught in the dark on underneath debris, a whistle will let others know where you are located and that you need help. Consider including a whistle for each member of your able family in case you need to separate in an emergency.
A first aid kit. It goes without saying that you should have a first aid kit on hand for an emergency. You can purchase ready-made kits in various sizes or create your own. Your first aid kit should include sterile gloves, dressings, cleansing agents, burn ointment, adhesive bandages, eye wash solution, thermometer (in the case of a biological threat), necessary prescription medicines, petroleum jelly, tweezers, pain reliever, anti-diarrhea medicine and a laxative.
Check back for the next article in this series.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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