Preparedness Part 3 – Basic Kit Considerations

Preparedness Part 3 – Basic Kit Considerations

Don Hodge for 4^thTriage
In collaboration with Will Stewart  

10/14/2010 11:27 a10/p10

Many items you will need are already in your home. Additional supplies can be built up bit-by-bit. When you buy two items, buy a third for your kit. Label all consumable items with the date purchased. Consumables are meant to be consumed before they perish. So rotate your stored items (and, of course, use the oldest items first). Replace non-commercially bottled water every 4 to 6 months. You want to store things that you will eat. Do not disregard this. I did not believe that people would starve rather than eat unfamiliar foods either. At least I didn’t until a week long church canoe trip and I met oatmeal breakfasts. The French riots and their revolution were caused because the weather had persistently destroyed the grains that they were use to eating. Potatoes were available but the French people would not eat them. Make sure what you are storing is what you will eat. The best way to insure that you will eat it is to get your meals from what you are storing in the pantry. Also that means you’ll never waste the money you’ve spent on this part of your disaster preparedness.


You will actually have two kits. One is an evacuation kit. Build your evacuation kit first. The other will be for staying put, a non-evacuation kit. The basic difference is that for staying home there is a much greater amount of food, water, large pieces of equipment, and countless small items you can’t take with you if you have to leave. This makes your life much more comfortable during a disaster. An excellent source for most items’ shelf life and quantities used by adults, children, and infants is “Making The Best Of Basics” by James Talmage Stevens. Full of info about storage dos and don’ts, the long-term food basics – wheat, honey, salt, and powdered milk – and recipes for them. A must have book.

Basic Kit Guidelines:

(check http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/basickit.shtm )

• Water
  
  • Store at least 1 gallon/day for each person.
    
  • The amount of water needed per person in very hot temperatures can easily double.
    
  • Choose two-liter plastic (glass breaks) soft drink bottles (2 bottles are almost a gal.) and not containers that have had fruit juice or milk in them. Fruit sugars and milk protein cannot be completely removed from these containers. When water is stored in them, it provides an environment for bacterial growth.
    
  • Clean containers and caps with dishwashing soap and water. Rinse completely so there is no residual soap. Create a sanitizing solution by adding 1 teaspoon of non-scented, liquid household chlorine bleach (with 5.25 to 6.0% sodium hypochlorite) to a quart of water. Swish solution in the bottle so that it touches all surfaces. Rinse out thoroughly with clean water.
    
  • Fill container to top. Use regular tap water. If the water is from a water utility (that uses chlorine), you don’t need to add anything else.
    
  • If the water comes from a private well or other water source that is not treated with chlorine, add eight drops of non-scented, liquid household chlorine bleach (with 5.25 to 6.0% sodium hypochlorite) to the 2-liter bottle.
    
  • Close the container using the original cap. Don’t touch the inside of the cap as that would contaminate the water.
    
  • Place a date on the outside of the container so that you know when you filled it. Store in a cool, dark place. Replace the water every four to six months if not using commercially bottled water.
  • Field Expedient Water storage can be made by doubling large trash bags and using doubled pillow cases to carry them. Remember water is 8 pounds to the gallon.
    
  • See Part 5 - Water Management Considerations.
    
• Food
  
  • Be sure to include several manual can opener(s), cooking pot(s), and large spoons or dippers. Preferably stainless steel or cast iron.
  • Evacuation kit guiding principles for food:
    
    • Select foods that require no refrigeration, can be prepared with a minimum of water and without cooking.
      
    • Avoid foods that will dehydrate and/or make you thirsty.
      
    • Select items that are lightweight and compact.
      
    • MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) and backpacking food pouches are long lasting, light weight, offer wide variety, are quite tasty, and are cheap enough for an evacuation kit.
      
    • Chose canned foods with high liquid content.
      
  • Include selections of each category (especially in the evacuation kit) –
    
    • Pre-cooked canned meats and stews
      
    • Canned vegetables, and fruits – with a lot of liquid in cans
      
    • Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
      
    • Staples - sugar, salt, pepper, chili and curry powders, packets of mustard & ketchup, tabasco sauce, other hot sauces
      
    • High energy foods - peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix, bouillon cubes, honey (honey can also sterilize cuts) – do not feed honey to children under one (1) year
    • Instant coffee, tea bags, coco
      
    • Vitamins
      
    • Foods for infants, elderly persons or persons with special dietary needs 
      
    • Comfort/stress foods - cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, chocolate
      
  • When outdoors, do not store food where you sleep (bears and other animals are attracted to it). Pick a spot away from camp to throw a rope over a tree limb and haul the food up 10’ – 15’ off the ground
  • See Part 6 - Food Management Considerations.
    
• Medical and First Aid supplies
  
  • Approach stocking first aid kits from these points of view:
    
    • In a disaster and afterwards, traveling to medical facilities and treatment may be difficult AND/OR imposible.
    • With disasters stress levels are elevated. You may be traveling. You can count on more accidents and injuries. Without treatment those injuries may fester and get worse rapidly.
      
    • During the evacuation (3 days plus a couple days when you first reach your destination), what happens if you run out of medical supplies?
      
    • If staying home and you could not get to medical treatment for one month (or more), would you have enough supplies to treat all of your family members a number of times?
      
  • Take basic first aid and CPR classes. You may have to be your family’s doctor.
    
  • An excellent text for evaluation and treatment is: “Where There Is No Doctor, a village healthcare handbook” by David Werner
  • Veterinarians, in disasters, are required to treat people before treating animals.
    
  • Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each vehicle.
  • A first aid kit should include the following (NOTE: bump up quantities for a home kit and to meet your family’s situation) –
    
    • Steri-Strips (for closing wounds without using stitches), sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes, 2-inch sterile gauze pads (12), 4-inch sterile gauze pads (12), ½” hypoallergenic adhesive tape (2 rolls), elastic bandages for wrapping sprains (2-3), Triangular bandages (3), 2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls) and 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
      
    • Some of the best dressings for trauma are maxi pads. Tampons are good for plugging gunshot and deep puncture wounds.
      
    • Scissors, tweezers, assorted sizes of safety pins, needles, thermometer, tongue depressor blades (6)
      
    • Antibiotics, Insulin, and other non-restricted drugs can be purchased online at websites like New England Serum Company ( www.newenglandserumcompany.com ).
      
    • Some general oral antibiotics are a good addition to your kit. Once you start taking them, you usually must take them for over a week – and well after you start feeling better. If you quit too soon, whatever it was will come roaring back. Dicuss what antibiotics and HOW TO USE THEM with your family doctor.
    • Antiseptic (like Neosporin®) gels and sprays, toothache gel such as Orajel®, quickskin, petroleum jelly or other lubricant, cleansing agent/soap, moistened towelettes, betadine or providone iodine pads, sunscreen, sunburn cream/spray and/or aloe
      
    • QuadraBloc™ discs (http://www.quadrabloc.com/) for pain control and relief. Developed by Vanderbilt University doctors and marketed by Amway (for several hundreds of million dollars in sales) from 1998 through April 30, 2008 when the exclusive licenses ended. This is the most effective magnetic treatment I know of and usually relieves pain within 5 to 10 minutes. Do NOT places discs near pacemakers, internal pumps, or other internal electronics.
    • NON-PRESCRIPTION DRUGS - aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever, ethyl chloride spry, chemically activated cold or hot packs, antacid (for stomach upset), Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting) and activated charcoal (use either if advised to do so by the Poison Control Center), laxative, anti-diarrhea medication
      
    • Moleskin or blister patches for your feet, hands or whatever.
      
    • Snake bite kit (found in backpacking and sporting goods stores)
      
    • Latex gloves (12-24 pairs)
      
    • A basic first aid manual can be obtained from the Red Cross.
      
  • Any PRESCRIPTION DRUGS – best kept as a separate kit which is always with you and easy to grab if evacuating
    
• Clothing, bedding, and sanitation supplies
  
  • Your house, if safe (from flooding, winds, wildfire, etc.), will provide you better shelter than anything you could build outdoors. It will shield you from sun and rain in the summer; storms, wind, snow and cold in the winter. You can close off parts of the house and heat only a few rooms by hanging blankets in the doorways.
    
  • Wind, rain, and snow can kill you – quickly. Hypothermia can start when your core body temperature drops to 92 – 93 degrees F. It distorts your judgment and confuses you.
    • Alcohol does not warm the body in freezing temperatures.
      
    • Hypothermia and frostbite require warm liquids and soups.
      
    • Apply warm packs (wrapped in cloth) under each armpit and in groin region.
      
    • You lose 40% of your heat through your head.
      
    • Keeping your chest and torso warm allows your body to function and staves off hypothermia.
      
  • Wool and synthetic insulation retains heat even when soaking wet. Cotton and down/feather insulation when wet does not and drains heat from your body.
  • Include at least one extra complete change of clothing and footwear per person in your evacuation kit including -
    • Coat or jacket
      
    • Long pants
      
    • Long sleeve shirt
      
    • Hiking boots, sturdy shoes or work boots
      
    • 2 pairs of cotton or wool socks and 1 pair nylon or silk socks (to put over regular socks) (helps prevent blisters)
      
    • 2 pairs of underwear shorts and tee-shirts
      
    • Hat, wool cap, gloves, bandana, scarf
      
    • Rain gear (or a large garbage/leaf bag worn as a poncho)
      
    • Thermal underwear, cold weather clothing in season
      
  • Extra jackets, coats, shirts, and pants can be found in second hand stores, Good Will, Salvation Army, and thrift stores very cheaply.
    
  • Spacebags.com greatly reduces storage space by using a vacuum cleaner (with hose) to remove the air in the bag and shrink its size.
  • Waterproof boots and comfortable sturdy footgear. Extra socks.
  • Sleeping bags, waterproof bivy sack for outside of bag, blankets (wool if you can get them), space blankets, plastic sheeting for ground/drop cloth (to keep ground moisture away or rain runoff from entering tent), tarp(s), tube tents, and 2-6 person dome tents
    
  • Sunglasses and extra eye glasses (keep old pairs for backup) – even if you are currently using contacts
    
  • Sanitation
    
    • Extremely important. Medical treatment and drugs may be in short supply. Poor sanitation could wipe out a community.
    • Toilet paper
      
    • Kleenex® or handkerchiefs
      
    • Soap, liquid detergent, laundry soap
      
    • Feminine supplies
      
    • Personal hygiene items, towels, washcloths
      
    • Plastic garbage/leaf bags with ties, large paper bags
      
    • 5 gal. plastic buckets make a field potty with garbage bags inside.
      
      • Tape a number of cardboard pieces together and cut a hole in the center for a seat.
        
      • Place garbage bag inside of a paper bag and then place both inside the bucket.
        
      • After use, sprinkle with bleach.
        
      • When bag is partly full – don’t overfill so bag bursts – remove and place in leak proof container.
        
      • Protect filled bags from rain and flooding so you don’t allow waste to contaminate the water supply.
        
    • If you must dig a latrine pit, avoid low spots, dig 12”-18” deep, and locate well away from sleeping/living areas. AND DOWN STREAM FROM WATER FLOW and Water Table
      
    • Disinfectant
      
    • Household chlorine bleach
      
    • Rubber gloves
      
• Tools
  
  • Bronze, non-sparking shutoff wrench for household gas
    
  • Flashlight and extra batteries (the new battery-less, shaker types which generate their own electricity are best), lightsticks, 100-hour candles, coleman lanterns and fuel, small lightbulbs (from inside a vehicle - glove compartment, dome lights, tail lights) can be run off a car battery or off a bicycle generator (lift back wheel off ground, prop between two chairs, peddle – the trickle charge of 2 or 3 bicycle generators can even re-charge the car battery – be sure to disconnect battery when not in use or recharging to avoid draining the battery)
    
  • Solar battery re-charger, rechargeable batteries
    
  • Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries, survival radios powered by battery-solar-hand-crank combos
    
  • Sturdy walking stick (at least 3’ to 4’, able to support your weight)
    
  • Knifes (sheaf and folding), multitool (such as Leatherman®, Gerber®, etc.), ax or hatchet, small shovel, hand saw, pliers, hammer, nails
  • Duct tape, rope (at least 50’), twine or small rope for lashing things together, wire (coat hangers can be unwound by pliers)
    
  • Carabiners (used in mountain climbing and canoeing to secure items and ropes), backpacking straps (used to secure extra gear to packs and duffle bags
    
  • Mess kits, cups, plates, utensils. manual can openers, metal pot(s) (preferably stainless steel, not aluminum), there is a tool sold by Emergency Essentials that makes taking off the lids of 5 gal. buckets much easier.
  • Matches in a waterproof container, waterproof matches, cigarette lighters, magnesium fire starters, a small amount of kindling or cotton balls soaked with wax
    
  • DO NOT START FIRES WITH GASOLINE
    
  • For evacuation backpacker’s multi-fuel stoves (like Peak® ), small habachi or small grill with charcoal/sterno, Coleman stoves
    
  • Larger grills (propane or charcoal) are handy in household situations but not normally practical in evacuations.
    
  • Fire extinguishers: small canister, ABC type. Also a box of baking soda. When it burns, it produces CO2 which will put out an ABC fire. Get several boxs.
    
  • Aluminum foil, garbage bags, plastic sheeting (rolls of 10 mm and 2 mm), storage containers/bottles/baggies
    
  • Compass, map of the area (for locating shelters and evacuation routes), paper, pencil
    
  • Whistle(s), signal flares, signal mirror, road flares
    
  • Needles and thread, medicine dropper
    
  • Emergency Preparedness manual
    
• Special needs
  
  • For needs of babies see: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/specialkit.shtm
  • Medications
    
  • Denture needs
    
  • Contact lenses and supplies, extra eye glasses in hard cases
    
  • Hearing aid batteries
    
  • Important documents –
    
    • Keep records together ready to evacuate in a waterproof container – or in your wallet
      
    • Laminate where appropriate
      
    • Photo IDs, passports, social security cards, and immunization records
      
    • Will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
      
    • A list of bank account numbers, credit card account numbers (and companies which supplied them)
      
    • A written/printed list of important telephone numbers
      
    • An inventory of valuable household goods
      
    • Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)
      
    • Photocopies of credit and identification cards
      
  • Some cash, traveler's checks, and coins (especially rolls of quarters, dimes, and nickels)
    
  • Entertainment items, games, cards, books
    
• Security
  
  • If you choose to carry weapons or firearms, you must keep tight control on your emotions. Human life is very precious. Fear and anger are not excuses. Don’t make a bad situation worse. You will be held accountable for your actions later.
  • That said, it doesn’t make sense to do all that work to save your life and your family’s from a disaster, then let them be murdered.