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OT What's in your emergency kit?

not2sureimsaneanymore's picture

I'm setting up an emergency kit as a just in case because Hurricane Sandy and that Noreaster scared me (we were without power for 10 days, no electricity, no heat, no hot water--we are oil fuel out on Long Island) and we ended up cooking by barbecue for a couple of days because our stove is electric.

So far my kit looks like an apocalypse/zombie survival kit....

I have:

Water filters and water purification tablets (gets rid of bacteria and parasites.)
3 methods of starting a fire (magnifying glass, swedish firesteel, magnesium firestarter and flint/steel.)
Mylar emergency blankets
Duct Tape
Shard Keychain tool (has small/medium flat driver, phillips driver, wire stripper, pry bar, bottle opener, lanyard hole)
Hand Crank Flashlights
Field Guide to medicinal plants in North America
Field guide to Edible plants in North America

I'm seriously looking at these things and it's like I'm a prepper.....

Comments

StepKat's picture

MREs!

Willow2010's picture

Oh I am all over this. lol. I am a pretty good prepper for the same reason.

We have two 250 gallon rain containers that we store water in from the roof. (we use it to water plants, but will use it for toilets for the next hurricane). We also have a camping toilet that we can use if the plumbing is down.

Several (like 20) of the 2 gallon water bottles for drinking. Purification tablets if we run out of that water and have to use the water from the outside.

I made my own dehydrated and freeze dried "meals in a jar" about 2-3 weeks worth.

We bought a nice generator after hurricane Ike.

But if we can not get gas for that, I have batteries, batteries and more batteries and flashlights. I also have solar charger for phone and computer. And hand crank flash lights.

First aid kits. Extra medications. Extra soaps, toilet paper, paper towels.

Oh so much more, but can't think of it right now.

Not the Brady Bunch's picture

Is your generator gassed up and have you tried it yet? Thought we had 2 good ones; pulled them out during a power outage mostly for testing purposes…and they fell flat for what we needed. Also…get generators that take different fuel types, like propane vs. regular gas vs. diesel sort of thing.

HONEY! as in from bees. Cinnamon and certain spices/herbs are great to have.

askYOURdad's picture

DH loves this kind of stuff. I don't possibly know all of it but here is what I remember:

Blankets
Batteries
Flashlights
Camping stove/propane
propane heater/propane
fire wood
water/food
over the counter medicine and first aid supplies
pocket knives and other misc. tools for who-knows-what lol
personal hygiene travel kit

arjuna79's picture

After years of hurricane survival, I can say the one most critical tool for us was the generator. With plenty of 5-gal jugs of fuel ready to go. In all the post-storm chaos, having one thing to stabilize the day helps so much, even if we run it just 6 hrs on, 6 off. And water. And propane for the little camper grill. And bug spray. Post-hurricane chaos is just steamy tropical nasty down here, sheriff's patrolling the gas station lines, blah blah. At least we've got more stores and gas stations on generator power now. Oh, and don't forget your cash stash - for ATMs not working.

Willow2010's picture

I want to add...do not tell people that you have, or are preparing. I let my family and a few close friends know, but I would never tell other people. (this site excluded since it is anonymous. lol)

If people get desperate enough, they will try to get your stuff. We have plenty of guns and ammo to protect our stuff.

not2sureimsaneanymore's picture

Oh woah! I didn't even think of that!

We have a bunch of rifles and pistols as well... but you never know. Someone else may have bigger guns.

askYOURdad's picture

Yep. We have even told the kids that it isn't something to share. They may think it's funny to talk about at school or whatever, but if sh*t really does hit the fan someday, the fewer that know the safer you will be.

Willow2010's picture

Another thing...never let your gas tank get below half full. You don't want to be on empty if shtf.

arjuna79's picture

tarps! tarps for when the storm starts to take your roof off Sad way too familiar for us.
During Hurricane Wilma in 05, hurricane shutters were securely up, and I sat inside watching my 8-ft sliding doors (INSIDE the shutters) BOW IN AND OUT A GOOD TWO INCHES>>>>> ever seen glass BEND like that?????
And then we went and sat in a different room. While that bitch Wilma took our roof off.

Willow2010's picture

tarps! tarps for when the storm starts to take your roof off
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yes! This.

SM with BM from hell's picture

I'd like to add ammo. My husband is prepared for the long haul. We have taken the older kids to the range so they can practice safe gun handling and how to shoot.

Lalena75's picture

Every family member has their own Go bag in my house, each with sweats, poncho, firestarter kit, MRE's, basic first aid kit with trauma capabilities, sewing kit, and joat kit(jack of all trades/utility knife generic swiss army) I have copied from field survival manuals important info for the kids, a notebook with extra paper and pencil/pen in a Ziploc baggie, compass, water filter kit, radiation tablets, duct tape, oil cloth and nylon rope, survival knife, and we all have bows (bf and dd are more proficient than me though)everyone has a book they picked, and a deck of cards. Flashlight, headlamp, extra batteries, handcrank radio (I have http://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weather-WR-111-B-AC-Emergency-Flashlight/d...) kids is just a simple crank radio. Extra medicine (asprin, motrin, cough drops)
My kit is more advanced for medicine, my bf's for fishing, kids have more food.
I also have a 2 week emergency food supply and a neighbor who spent thousands on food in case of end of the world but no weapons or means of self defense.
We have 3 bug out places if we can't stay at our home, kids have maps and can read them and walk to those locations.
I do disaster response so I'm a bit more extreme than you may need.