Most everyone is familiar with the Aesop's Fable of "The Ant and the Grasshopper" where the grasshopper had fun and played the summer away while the ants worked dilligently to put away food for the cold winter months to come. When winter came...he was left out in the cold, unprepared. It's hard to imagine during times of peace and plenty that a cold winter of hardship and disaster could be lurking just down the road. The recent tornados, earth quakes, and a bad economy have been an eye opener to many people and have inspired them to get to work...to prepare for hard times ahead. Cindy's post today at Rick-Rack and Gingham really made me think. You should visit her blog...she's a true "Country Woman."
72 Hour Kits...
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| Natalie's 72 Hour Kit |
This 72 Hour Kit is one I found on Pinterest. It belongs to Natalie at Endless Crafting, and is one of the best kits I have seen. She has kits for each member of her family and a binder with important documents. After I "pinned" this, my husband set me up a shelf unit just like this in the little utility room at the back of my pantry. Yesterday was spent updating the food and clothing in our individual backpacks and taking inventory of our long term food storage.
My 72 Hour Kit...
As you can see...my 72 hour kit is still a work in progress. I haven't yet made a binder for our documents. My kit includes individual backpacks of extra clothing, water, first aid supplies and emergency food and snacks for my husband and myself. (I still need to account for my adult daughter and sister who live with us...the cast of characters is ever changing =D) There is a large duffle with emergency supplies... flashlights, radio, backpacker stove, cooking supplies...the list is very long. Another backpack holds freeze-dried entrees...enough for almost a week...but there is enough food in our individual packs to hold us for at least 72 hours. I still need to add cash to my kits...small bills and change
Other evacuation items include a tent, ground covers, sleeping bags, camping pillows and a 5 gallon bucket with a portable toilet seat. We also have pets that need to be taken into consideration. We have put together a kit for our dog, Daisy. But our cats may need to be left in the home...and that may be a difficult situation...keeping them safely contained. What we can take with us, also depends upon the conditions we will be facing and the time allowed to evacuate. If we are given little notice, then we may only be able to grab our backpacks.
If you are interested in getting more prepared with an evacuation kit, but don't know how to get started, FEMA has instructions here PDF for FEMA Family Emergency Kits. Like they say, "It's never to late to prepare until it is."
If you have anything you would like to share on this topic, please leave a comment.
I need all the help I can get. =D
