By Mike Thayer
You never know when an emergency is going to hit. It could be a tornado, a blizzard, a flood, power outage, your vehicle could get stuck. You should have something on hand with a few items in it that can get you through up to a 72 hour period of emergency. Even if it's not a 72 hour type emergency situation, let's say you get stranded in your car somewhere for 2, 4, or even 8 hours.... Time spent waiting for help to arrive is much more comfortable with an emergency backpack on hand.
Do you have one? Are you ready for that emergency?
Corny as it sounds, the Boy Scout motto applies: "Be Prepared."
It really doesn't take much, here are a few things to consider putting aside somewhere and many of the items needed - you probably already have in your house. Whatever you don't have can be purchased inexpensively. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be safe than sorry, to plan for the worse but hope for the best. The following items can help you get through a 72 hour emergency situation.
- Backpack - Have one laying around the house somewhere no longer in use? It could be your kid's third-grade backpack with Spiderman on it. So what. No backpack? Not a big deal, a large plastic storage container will work. I like backpacks, you can hang them up, they're easier to carry, easier to stow in a vehicle.
- 72-hour food supply - It doesn't have to be fancy freeze dried, or dehydrated, none of that 'survival' type stuff is necessary... they're good and you don't have to worry about spoilage, but they're not necessary. Granola bars work, so do protein bars, fruit roll ups, those individual boxes of cereal, beef jerky, a can of chicken soup, a can of chili, a can of tuna. Pick things you enjoy eating, keep the heat in mind when selecting if this is for your vehicle (don't pick chocolate for example). Just make sure you have a good expiration date if you decide to pack your backpack with off the shelf items. TIP: Put some kind of tag on the outside of your backpack indicating the expiration date... Write a note, put it in a little zip lock bag and rubber band it to one of the backpack straps. If you're using a plastic container tape the zip lock to the lid. And don't forget to pack the salt and pepper! Who enjoys bland food?
- Reusable heat source - Those little sterno cans work great for this. If the power goes out in your home and you're an electric stove user, you can still heat up some food with sterno. After you're done cooking, you simply recap the can and save it for another time. Available at places like Sam's club, Costco, and major sporting goods/outdoor recreation stores.
- Water proof matches - These are nice to have, in lieu of that, get one of those inexpensive disposable butane lighters. You probably already have one in the house.
- Cooking tin - You need this if you're away from home. It's hard to cook over a sterno can without one. A soup can works in a pinch.
Water filter - You can pack a few water bottles in your backpack, but this can get heavy real quick. A person needs about a gallon of water a day. The major sporting goods stores carry a range of water filtering devices. Hopefully you never have to use it, but I wouldn't want to be without it. Prepare for the worse, hope for the best.
- First aid kit - If I was a betting man, you already have everthing you need to make a pretty decent first aid kit in your home. Bandaids, a bottle of aspirin, tweezers, scissors, bandages/gauze, some all-purpose ointment, tape, a nail file, some fishing line, a needle. TIP: If you take medication, get one of those little pill boxes and stash away enough medication for three days.
- Flashlight - You've probably got one in a drawer somewhere not getting any use. Those glow sticks work nicely too. If your flashlight is battery powered, pack some extra batteries. The best thing to have are those hand crank or motion charge lights, no batteries required.
- Small radio - You can listen to your car radio, but when the power is out at home, you really need this, not just for informational purposes, but entertainment too! And yes, another reason to pack a few extra batteries in your backpack.
- Dust mask - Pack some, let's hope you don't have to use them. They're inexpensive, the simple cloth ones will do. If you don't want to take the time to buy some, a handkerchief is better than nothing.
- All-in-one tool - This can be as simple as a swiss army style knife..... Blade, corkscrew, screwdriver, can opener, you get the idea. You can even get these things equipped with scissors and pliers!
- A fork and spoon - You need something to eat food with don't you?
- Plastic bag(s) - Truly all-purpose and adaptable to a variety of situations, plastic bags can be used for storage, as a tie, rain gear, and yes, a trash bag.
So there you have it, a list for an emergency backpack. Look around your house for these items, I bet you can check most everything off the list and fill your backpack with things you already have on hand. And the best thing about it - you'll be prepared!
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