I’ve been sitting on this article for a little while and given the recent weather warnings, it seems like the right time to put it out there. Regardless of the season, extreme weather is becoming more common and it can cause some unusual situations that we’re not always prepared for. Whether it’s a black-out, flooding or a true emergency, preparation is key. Ease your mind and reduce stress as much as possible by ensuring your home and your loved ones have these essential items on hand in a well-stocked emergency preparedness kit, as recommended by the Canadian Red Cross. Keeping it stored in an air-tight, portable container will make things easier for you if your kit is ever called into service. Here’s what the Canadian Red Cross recommends…
WATER
• Store 4.5 L of water per person per day (approximately eight 500mL bottles), 2.5L for drinking and 2L for food preparation and/or sanitation
• A 3 day supply of water is ideal
FOOD
Store a minimum 3 day supply per person of non-perishable foods:
• Ready to eat canned food and juice
• High energy foods (peanut butter, granola bars, etc)
• Vitamins
• Comfort/stress food (chocolate bars, cookies)
• Loaf of bread frozen in the freezer to defrost for sandwiches
Remember to change stored food and water supplies every 6 months to ensure freshness.
FIRST AID
Assemble a complete First Aid kit so that you can grab everything as quickly as possible. Your kit does not have to be expensive as most of these items can be found at your local dollar store.
• Sterile gauze pads and bandages in various sizes
• Surgical tape and scissors
• Moistened towelettes or baby wipes and antiseptic
• Tweezers
• Latex gloves
• Soap
• Petroleum jelly
• Non-prescription drugs such as aspirin, antacids, bismuth, etc
**Consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice on storing prescription medications.**
TOOLS AND SUPPLIES
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Battery operated or wind-up radio
• Cash, change and/or traveller’s cheques
• Non-electric can opener, utility knife
• Paper and pencils
• Contact list of important numbers (medical professionals and loved ones)
• Paper plates and plastic cutlery
SANITATION
• Toilet paper
• Soap and/or liquid detergent
• Disinfectant and/or bleach
• Clothing and bedding
• Plastic bucket with a tight lid (can serve for washing up, storage or garbage as necessary)
• Plastic garbage bags, sealable plastic storage bags
SPECIAL NEEDS
• Don’t forget to include items for any family members who may have specific needs such as infants, the elderly or anyone with a disability or mobility issues
• Keep important family documents in a waterproof, portable container (birth certificates, health cards, insurance policies, photos)
• Have an ample supply of pet food and litter on hand
Even though none of us like to think about worst case scenarios, they can happen anywhere…and they come upon us unexpectedly. If you assemble a supply kit like this one, at least you know you’ll be prepared to manage for a few days if circumstances are not ideal. After all, better safe than sorry, right?
Take a look at a Grey County’s resources for Emergency Preparedness here. There are links to help you be prepared at home, at work and on the farm, as well as contact information and tips for kids.
