Home Kuel Thought Leader: Lori Roach
Last month I covered that very sexy topic, “Do You Have a Disaster Plan?” This month we talk about emergency supplies.
Living in Florida (and previously in California), planning ahead is second nature for me. This month we cover some of the supplies you’ll need to have on hand should disaster strike in your area.
No matter where you live, what your personal situation is, or what type of disasters you may be facing, there are some basic supplies everyone should have on hand “just in case”.
Here are five things that you should stock and store at all times just in case (and if disaster never strikes, at least you’ll have the peace of mind knowing you were prepared.)
5 Emergency Supplies To Stock For Disaster Preparedness:
1. Water
Let’s start with the most important and most urgent item on the list – water.
You can make it a surprisingly long time without food, power, and comfort. You can’t make it very long without a reliable source of drinking water.
“We’ve become so reliant on our faucets that it’s easy to forget the importance of a separate water supply.”
Perhaps you’ve heard the rule of three? You can live three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, and three weeks without food. It’s not precisely accurate, but at least it gives you a sense of just how important water is to life.
We’ve become so reliant on our faucets that it’s easy to forget the importance of a separate water supply. One of the first things you should do when you’re prepping for an imminent emergency is to store some water.
For drinking water, buy a few gallon bottles or fill up containers at home. The rule of thumb is one gallon per person per day for drinking water. Fill a bathtub or use your water heater for non-drinking water (personal hygiene, flushing toilets, cleaning).
2. Non-Perishable, Ready-To-Eat Food:
Keep a few ready-to-eat foods in your pantry at all times, including peanut butter, crackers, protein bars, and canned foods that you can eat without heating. Canned beans, tuna, and chicken are good sources of ready-to-eat protein. Canned fruit and vegetables will give you a nutrient boost. Treats like pudding or chocolates are great mood-boosters.
Make sure you’re well-stocked at the beginning of disaster season, and rotate through this food so it doesn’t go bad, replacing as needed.
If you are forced to evacuate your home, bring some of this emergency food supply with you when you go. You won’t know the availability of food wherever you travel to, so it’s best to provide your own.
“Treats like pudding or chocolates are great mood-boosters.”
3. Weather Radio:
The next important item that makes it on the list is a small battery-operated weather radio. Keep a set of spare batteries with it as well. You’ll need to hear the latest weather and government updates as well as news. Don’t rely on your phone and the internet as your only source for information.
4. Flashlights And Batteries:
Things always seem worse in the dark, don’t they?
You’ll need a reliable source of light to move around safely outside, or even inside your home. Candles don’t provide as much light and bring the added risk of fire, so they should not be your primary light source. Include several flashlights and spare batteries in your emergency supply kit.
Camping lights and torches provide excellent light, and headlamps are particularly helpful when you need both hands-free.
5. First Aid Kit:
The size of your first aid kit will depend on the size of your family. You can purchase a standard kit at the store or online, and then add any special needs you and your family have.
Check this kit and the rest of your disaster supplies regularly to make sure you’re prepared if you need to grab your supplies and leave quickly.
If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point, remember that you don’t have to gather everything together in a day! Make a list of what you need, and gradually stock up on supplies.
To make preparation even easier for you, I’ve got a complete checklist that you can print out. It goes into far more detail than this short post. And remember – emergency preparation may not be fun, but it is important. Hopefully, you will never be in a situation when disaster strikes, but still – be prepared, for your own peace of mind.
Get your Emergency Supplies Checklist HERE.
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About the Author:
Lori Roach’s professional career has encompassed convention management, corporate training, education administration, and – most important to her – full-time motherhood. As she entered her mid-fifties, she found herself moving to a new city – leaving her friends and job behind just as she became an empty nester. Seeking both purpose and a new challenge, Lori started a blog, CircleSquareOval. Her goal is to help every woman “shape a modern midlife” by focusing on self-discovery, confidence, and connection to the world around them.
A bit of a gypsy at heart, Lori has relocated twenty-two times in her life, making her something of an expert on settling into a new space, unpacking and decorating quickly, and creating a feeling of “home”. She joins Kuel Life as a Home Category Expert.
You can read more from Lori at CircleSquareOval and find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest as well.
