Emergency Preparedness: household items essential during a disaster

[iris lily]

What's in your emergency kit for home? For your car? Is it a grab and go kit? Or, do you keep kit(s) in stationary places?

I am always annoyed to be running around when we need a flashlight and can't find one. I am an idiot, I'll admit it, on the "emergency preparedness" front.

[bae]

The key for me is I don't have "emergency kits", I have "stuff I use most all the time" kits.

I'm probably overprepared, I admit, my dog-walking jacket has 3 flashlights in it, but it's the same jacket I use when doing traffic control :-)

I keep 3-day kits in every vehicle, my truck has a kit capable of rebuilding modern civilization from the Arctic ice, and my boat has a 3-month kit on board because I like to be able to head out at a moment's notice for weeks at a time.

The exact items don't matter so much, it is the skill to use them or improvise that wins the day.

My search+rescue backpack is good for grabbing and being able to live out in the woods for about a week.

[Spartana]

Hmmm...maybe we DO need to start an emergency preparedness forum (or just one thread) since I think I'm repeating myself. But I have 3 separate "kits". In mhy house I have most food, water, and stuff like flashlights, extra batteries, big first aid stuff and some big camping gear (big tent and bed to sleep on, more lux set up in case I can't go inside my house but can stay on the property). I also have some basic stuff in my truck - dried ready to eat food, some bottled water, purification tablets and a filter, small first aid kit, flashlight, smaller camping set up (littler tent, foam pad, sleeping bag, blanket), change of clothes (boots, jacket, pants, sweatshirt) to use in case I get stranded somewhere and have to stay put or do a long walk home. I also have a bug-out bag (smallish backpack) that has some extremely lightweight very basic survival stuff, food, clothes and camping gear (tiny one man tent, fire starting stuff, emergency blanket, shoes and socks, down jacket (stuffed into a tiny bag), etc..) incase I have to leave immediately and carry everything with me. Have enough to survive in that for a couple of weeks or longer in that. Even having a little pack like that would have made many people during a disaster like Katrina much more comfortable.

[herbgeek]

I have stuff in the car for minor emergencies and could comfortably sleep overnight in my car. I have home gear in a dedicated spot in the basement with flashlight, wind up radio, stuff like that. I do not have a go bag packed but do keep the bag next to the gear.

[happystuff]

I have grab and go backpacks (1 per person) plus a 5 gallon bucket also contianing emergency items. The problem is that these were put together almost 7 years ago. I think the kids went through theirs for familiarities sack about 6 months ago, but it's probably time to seriously go through and restock.