What Children Need to Know About Preparedness, Part 2
As previously discussed, getting children and grandchildren involved in preparedness activities – assuming they are old enough to understand without become frightened – is a great idea. It will help them better respond when the times comes.
One of the ways to bring kids into the process can be turned into a fun family project. It involves packing a family emergency kit in a sturdy box or bag. Keep the kit in a location everyone knows. Store items in waterproof plastic bags. Replace water, batteries and clothing every six months.
Let your child or grandchild decorate it and gather items on a list such as the one below:
- Copies of your family emergency plan
- Minimum of $200 in cash and coins
- Copies of family health records, list of prescriptions and dosages, insurance cards
- First-aid kit and prescription medicines
- Three-day supply of dry and canned food, and a manual can opener
- Water
- Battery or hand-crank radio
- Mobile phone and charger
- Flashlight and batteries
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Pet supplies
- Spare car and house keys
- Blankets
- Paper plates and utensils
- Trash bags
- Moist towelettes
- Change of clothes, rain gear and sturdy shoes or boots
- Sunscreen and bug spray
- Diapers
- One comforting stuffed animal or toy per child
- Travel-sized toys, crafts or a book
3 Comments
Any former military personnel will tell you, “Have your duffel bag ready and by the door at all times. When called for duty at a moment notice you just grab your gear and go.
As a civilian, you may have a family to consider getting the heck out of Dodge. The principal is still the same. A flood is coming and you need to get your gear and leave. You have 5 minutes so what do you take with you? Times up. What did you take? I bet it isn’t everything that you need, now is it. It is for this very reason it is suggested that you preplan what you will need and have your stuff ready to grab and go.
The above list is just that a list. Your list will vary and it is as it should be. However, please consider carefully what you and your family will need, for how long, the time of season and duration of the emergency.
For an example: had the folks in Tennessee known that their homes were going to be burn down to the ground they would have packed more of their personal belongings that could not be replaced.
This example is drastic but accurate. Had all of these people preplan an escape then most of the irreplaceable items would have gone with them in a matter of seconds verse being destroyed while the people escaped with what they could carry and the clothes on their backs.
I recommend having clothes for each family member that will last for six months. It may mean that they are a bit out of style, but, you won’t go naked. Furthermore, if you prepare for a “camping experience” with all the necessary gear and equipment necessary plus a few creature comforts. Have a food supply close by and ready for transfer if necessary. Also a source of cash on hand. If the power goes out then your ATM card will not work and you cannot purchase your needed supplies. (Don’t go with big bills. When an emergency occurs, who has change for a hundred dollar bill much less a twenty dollar bill. It is best to have several stacks of one dollar bills, five dollar bills and ten dollar bill. Otherwise you may be forced to make your transaction by saying, “Keep the change.” Nothing is more frustrating than having to leave fifteen dollars or more on the table.
You may also may want to have your important papers in a location where you just grab them and go. The same goes for your family photographs. (Remember, you can down load them on a computer stick or put them in the computer for retrieval at a later date.
However, the most important thing to be in the habit of doing is to keep your car filled with fuel. If your car is below half a tank you may not go to far. I remember when a hurricane was going to hit Texas near Houston. Everybody was leaving town and clogged the I-45. Needless to say people started to run out of fuel or break down. The interstate became a parking lot. Instead of turning off their engines the people let them run and they soon ran out of gas. The gas stations either had no fuel available or the power was down and they couldn’t pump any fuel. (This is why you want to have a few cans of gas with you.) Anyway the people ended up getting out of their vehicles and walked away leaving more of their stuff behind in their cars.
when the emergency was all over it took a week to clear the interstate again only to have the owners pay for their towed vehicles. That is what I call adding insult to injury.
So make your list, have your stuff ready to go, (I have my stuff in plastic tubs), my important papers available and family photographs duplicated and those are that are rare or special also ready to leave by the door. I also have my can goods in the garage. All I have to do is grab the flats and put them into the trunk of the car too. I also have 3-five gallons of gas to take along and my car is always 3/4 full. I also have dog food for my pets also ready to go as well. (Lets not forget about our pets.) I think it is despicable that a family will leave their home due to an emergency but leave their pets behind. They are part of your family too and you should have crates for them just in case of an emergency too.
Best of luck. Now go and make up your own list and state preparing for that emergency that I hope that never comes.
What is the best way to store gas.. Small or large containers. Also fuel stabilizers or not.
I would recommend getting Army surplus gerry cans, 5 gallon metal gas cans. You can get some metal gas cans on the open market but I feel that they are poorly constructed. These metal gas cans are the best because they will not puncture easily, they are tall and slender, they can take a beating, and they are easy to fill and empty.
If you use plastic gas containers, well that is like having a plastic bag verse a metal container. The only advantage is that the plastic gas can is light in weight and comes with its own nozzle. A gerry can you will need to purchase a nozzle, also made of metal, but it is not attached to the can in any way. It is free standing and can become misplaced if you are not careful.
You often see the gerry can attached to a jeep spare tire on the back side.
I hope this helps.