Where Do I Get Supplies for Our Emergency Kits? It's a great question, and one that many people ask as they start on the road to self reliance and emergency preparedness. Spend a little time researching, but remember that in today's world of online shopping, we literally have the world at our finger tips. Because we are a young family and on a limited budget, I have found that shopping around and being selective, prioritizing our needs and then making the best purchases possible, are all things that have really helped us stretch our emergency preparedness budget.
You can get most of the supplies at WalMart, K-Mart, Target, Home Depot or other type store. Outdoor and Sporting Goods stores are also a great resource, but watch the prices. A lot of the smaller supplies are even available at the dollar store. If you’re preparing kits for several people and don’t have unlimited amounts of cash, it will save you a lot of money to do a little shopping around.
For specialty emergency items that you can’t find other places, Emergency Essentials has many supplies for this specific purpose. They can be found online at www.beprepared.com or you can call them at 1-800-999-1863. Doing a quick internet search for emergency supplies will also produce many results and allow you to shop and compare prices as well.
I am an admitted cheap skate, and my husband is even worse. The following supplies are examples of the ones we found at our local Dollar Tree store:
Box of 10 Earloop Masks
Box of 100 assorted bandaids
Roll of 2” Gauze
Roll of 3” Gauze
Roll of 4” Gauze
Second Skin
Instant Ice Pack
Tube of antibiotic ointment
Package of 2 emergency ponchos
Set of Phillips & flathead screwdrivers
Roll of (420ft.) cotton twine
Box of 12 particulate masks
Super Glue
We have gotten many more items at the dollar store, but be careful to be selective. There is a delicate balance between which items can be “disposable” or limited-use quality, and which items need to be very durable and high quality. Keep in mind that your 72-hour kit is designed for a three day period where you might have to leave your home, but where you’ll eventually (with any luck) be able to go back. Many items can be temporary. The items that I would not cut corners on would include a good knife/pocket knife/multipurpose tool, batteries, a sturdy pair of shoes, a P-38 can opener or any other item that will be used constantly if you ever have to pull out your packs.
A lot of the small items are for different contingencies and scenarios, and may never actually be needed. The screwdrivers that we found at the dollar store are sturdy enough to be used in a pinch, but they’re not what my husband would want to use all the time. One last word to the wise: I love the dollar store, but some of the items are totally worthless. Before “stocking up” on something, I always make sure to open one up and make sure it will actually work for what I need.
Also, we have stocked our family first aid kit at the dollar store. Gauze, band aids & ice packs are all items that are more than three times the cost at other stores, and they are the same product! There are plenty of first aid items you’ll want in your kit that will be expensive. Save your pennies where you can.
Showing posts with label Pet Preparedness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pet Preparedness. Show all posts
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Are You Prepared?
Some Scenarios to Think About and Reasons to DO IT NOW:
1. Your next-door neighbors are adding on to their house. A sudden explosion caused by the new gas lines sets the house on fire. The fire department arrives and within minutes you are told that you have to gather what you need and leave your home, as there is a chance it may catch fire. You have 3-5 minutes.
2. A major earthquake has either leveled or severely damaged most of the homes in your neighborhood & surrounding community. There are many injuries, and what is left of people’s homes is unfit for shelter.
3. A sudden windstorm causes wide-spread power outages. You listen to the radio in your car, and hear that because of the number of people without power, it may take crews up to three days to restore power to your area.
4. Because of heavy rains and flooding over the past week, officials have been keeping a close eye on the dam just up river from your community. There is an announcement on the emergency broadcasting system that the dam has broken and certain areas have to be evacuated immediately. You are in an area requiring immediate evacuation. You have 1-2 minutes to get out.
5. On the way home from a weekend trip, you get a speeding ticket for over $300, more than next month’s grocery and spending money allotment, combined. If you pay your ticket, you won’t have any money for groceries or other supplies.
6. You live in an ocean side community in the south. A tropical storm has just been recently upgraded to a hurricane. You have been out shopping most of the day, and have only just returned home. You suddenly hear a loud speaker outside and go out to see a police car driving down your street announcing that you must leave your home in the next 15 minutes. The evacuation is for an indefinite period of time.
7. A particularly bad snow storm leaves you home-bound and without power, heat or running water for over a week.
8. Because of local civil unrest, extreme riots have broken out in various areas of the city in which you live. You are uneasy about your family staying in your home during this time.
9. An unexpected illness causes you to miss two weeks of work, unpaid.
10. A national trucker’s union goes on strike, causing shortages on basic necessities at most major grocery stores.
1. Your next-door neighbors are adding on to their house. A sudden explosion caused by the new gas lines sets the house on fire. The fire department arrives and within minutes you are told that you have to gather what you need and leave your home, as there is a chance it may catch fire. You have 3-5 minutes.
2. A major earthquake has either leveled or severely damaged most of the homes in your neighborhood & surrounding community. There are many injuries, and what is left of people’s homes is unfit for shelter.
3. A sudden windstorm causes wide-spread power outages. You listen to the radio in your car, and hear that because of the number of people without power, it may take crews up to three days to restore power to your area.
4. Because of heavy rains and flooding over the past week, officials have been keeping a close eye on the dam just up river from your community. There is an announcement on the emergency broadcasting system that the dam has broken and certain areas have to be evacuated immediately. You are in an area requiring immediate evacuation. You have 1-2 minutes to get out.
5. On the way home from a weekend trip, you get a speeding ticket for over $300, more than next month’s grocery and spending money allotment, combined. If you pay your ticket, you won’t have any money for groceries or other supplies.
6. You live in an ocean side community in the south. A tropical storm has just been recently upgraded to a hurricane. You have been out shopping most of the day, and have only just returned home. You suddenly hear a loud speaker outside and go out to see a police car driving down your street announcing that you must leave your home in the next 15 minutes. The evacuation is for an indefinite period of time.
7. A particularly bad snow storm leaves you home-bound and without power, heat or running water for over a week.
8. Because of local civil unrest, extreme riots have broken out in various areas of the city in which you live. You are uneasy about your family staying in your home during this time.
9. An unexpected illness causes you to miss two weeks of work, unpaid.
10. A national trucker’s union goes on strike, causing shortages on basic necessities at most major grocery stores.
72 Hour Kits for Family Pets
Regardless of what you think about Crazy Cat Ladies, if you own a pet, (even if it's just an outdoor cat that occasionally comes home for a meal,) in order to be a responsible pet owner, you need to make provisions for your pets in the event of an emergency where you may have to leave your home.
Just as your kit should include essential items that would sustain and keep you comfortable for 72 hours, or three days, so too, your pets need this. And they can’t do it for themselves! I prepared emergency kits for both my dogs using guidelines created by the ASPCA after Hurricane Katrina. You may remember after the hurricane hit, many pets were either abandoned or had to be left at animal shelters because most of the time, public shelters will not allow pets. Animal shelters, however, will not take pets that do not have clear record of vaccination and most of us do not have these readily on hand.
The following items and information are recommended by the ASPCA as essential items to include in your pet’s emergency kit. This list is specific for a dog. As always, tailor this list to your individual pet and circumstance.
72 Hour Kit for a Family Pet
Happy Homemaking!
Just as your kit should include essential items that would sustain and keep you comfortable for 72 hours, or three days, so too, your pets need this. And they can’t do it for themselves! I prepared emergency kits for both my dogs using guidelines created by the ASPCA after Hurricane Katrina. You may remember after the hurricane hit, many pets were either abandoned or had to be left at animal shelters because most of the time, public shelters will not allow pets. Animal shelters, however, will not take pets that do not have clear record of vaccination and most of us do not have these readily on hand.
The following items and information are recommended by the ASPCA as essential items to include in your pet’s emergency kit. This list is specific for a dog. As always, tailor this list to your individual pet and circumstance.
72 Hour Kit for a Family Pet
- Animal Transport Crate
- 1-Gallon Drinking Water
- 9 cups dry dog food (1 cup/3x a day)
- 1 or 2 cans wet dog food
- Small bag of treats
- Extra Collar
- Extra Leash
- Cloth Muzzle
- Tie-out and cable or long chain
- Dish for food/water
- Favorite toy or chew
- Paper towels or Lysol wipes
- 10-12 extra plastic bags for cleaning up
- Small hand trowel for cleaning up
- Copies of license, shots, vet records
Happy Homemaking!
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