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Emergency Preparedness Checklist

We cannot control when disaster may strike, but we can prepare against it. Having emergency preparations in place can make the difference between adversity and catastrophe.

72-hour kit

Common counsel is to keep 3 days' emergency supplies on hand. Here are 10 recommended items to include in your 72-hour kit.

  1. Water — One gallon per person per day (for 3 days).
  2. Food — Non-perishable food, e.g. energy bars, granola, canned goods. (Include a can-opener in your kit.)
  3. First aid kit — Adhesive bandages, needle & thread, and super glue are for closing wounds. Also of benefit are a triangular bandage, sterile gauze, pain killers, antibiotic ointment, and rash treatments.
  4. Radio & power supply — Emergency broadcasts will come across commercial frequencies and may advise us to further dangers or to the opportunity to return to our homes. Crank-operated radios avoid the need for batteries.
  5. Light & power supply — Hand-operated flashlights/torches avoid the need for batteries.
  6. Emergency whistle — Used to signal for help.
  7. Emergency blankets — They fold up small enough to fit in your pocket.
  8. Dust mask — You may pass through contaminated (or just turbid) air, particularly during the clean-up in the aftermath of disaster.
  9. Duct tape — What doesn't it do? It can be used to seal shelters, bind wounds, or fight off hordes of ravening zombies.
  10. Sanitation items — Moist towelettes, garbage bags, toilet paper.
  11. Bonus item: Medication! If you're on prescription medication, be sure to stock 72 hours' worth in your kit.

Key practices

1. The place to keep your 72-hour kit is your car. We don't want you fleeing home in your vehicle and leaving the emergency kit in the back of your pantry. Stored in your car, your kit will be accessible even if you're obliged to seek refuge on foot or remain at home.

2. Replace perishables regularly: medication, batteries, and food. Even though your emergency food is "non-perishable," it's better to replace it every 5–10 years. Batteries and medication will probably expire before your food does. So take materials out of your kit, replace them with new materials, and consume the old ones.

3. If your pet is part of your family, include food and water for him/her.

4. Have a plan for keeping in touch with your local loved ones. Calls to locations beyond the disaster area tax local services less (reducing jamming), so have a long-distance emergency contact with whom all of your family members know to check in. Also, be aware that text messages (SMS) are more likely to reach their destinations than phone calls.

Further preparations

There are other preparations you can make and other items to include in your emergency kit. Once you've got your basic 72-hour kit assembled, visit the following third-party links for further assistance.

http://www.ready.gov/ — Great counsel for emergency preparedness and emergency behavior.

http://beprepared.com/ — Purchase your emergency essentials online here.

http://www.zombiehunters.org/ — Learn skills for dispatching marauding zombies.

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