Slava Ukraine! Watching the heartbreaking scenes unfolding in Ukraine I was reminded of this post I had worked on prior to the pandemic, which hasn’t felt relevant over the past 2 years as many of us were sheltering at home. I had created ready~to~flee emergency kits in backpacks for each family member to take care of their basic needs of shelter, medical care, sustenance, safety and a little comfort in case of a disaster. Here, I’ll share every detail with you (including links} so that you can do the same for your loved ones, with ease.
There are many pre-made emergency kits on the market, but as I reviewed the product list for each I didn’t find one that contained everything I thought was necessary. At the same time, as I scanned the contents of each pack I gleaned more and more ideas to add to my requirement list. As I finalized my list I realized I needed to assemble them myself and found everything {see below} on Amazon. I used some of the kids abandoned school back packs which perfectly held all of the critical items, each pack ended up weighing just under 15 pounds. Below you’ll find a detailed list of everything I packed complete with links so you can order it all with ease. Some of the links may not be to the exact item if they are no longer available on Amazon.
For SHELTER In a gallon size zip lock bag I packed:
A light weight tarp with grommets, a plastic drop cloth, a folding hand saw, para cord, a folding knife, a space blanket and an emergency sleeping bag.
For MEDICAL CARE in another gallon size zip lock bag there is:
A basic first aid kit, I bought full sized bottles of pills which I repacked in these resealable pill bag pouches of Extra Strength Excedrine, Extra Strength Bayer Asprin, Potassium iodide {this helps block radioactive iodine from being absorbed by the thyroid gland}, stretch wrap in 4 x 5 and 2 x 5 inch rolls, sterile gauze sponges, antibacterial wet ones, surgical gloves, antiseptic wipes, petroleum jelly, eye wash and burn band aids. You should also include any prescriptions the pack carrier may need.
For SUSTENANCE in another storage bag one will find:
Purified drinking water, water filtration straws, survival tabs and ER bars.
And for general SAFETY and COMFORT:
Large black garbage bags {for trash, shelter, rain protection, etc.}, head lamps {with extra batteries}, a roll of duct tape, hand warmers, a pocket radio with extra batteries, dental floss {a small strong source to tie/ lash things together}, a stick lighter, pocket lighter, potable water drops, waterproof matches, a pack of kleenex, facemasks, 115 hour candle, compact binoculars, a bag of quarters {to buy things from vending machines if possible/necessary}.
Other emergency tips:
Include a copy of the carriers driver’s license, passport and credit cards in a resealable bag with a pen or 2.
Pack copies of insurance policies, contracts, deeds, bank account number, birth and marriage certificates.
Include a roll of cash, including small bills in case you can/need to use vending machines.
Turn off gas and water lines in your home before fleeing.
Have a planned meeting place with other family members in case of emergency.
Are there any things you would add? I love to hear your ideas.
Until then I wish you and the people of Ukraine peace.
This looks like a good kit in case sprinting is necessary. I would add only that, if you pack the coins in the toe of a tube sock or other sturdy sock–yes, panty hose will work–it packs a mighty wallop as a weapon. No one likes to think about it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. People lose their cool in these kinds of situations, and you need to be able to protect yourself.
One other thing that isn’t a just, but a good thing to have, is a length of paracord. every site, from amazon to etsy, makes braided paracord bracelets, key fobs, and other things designed to put a really strong rope into a really tight space, and they come in colors so you can choose a favorite. Thank
Thank you for this timely article, and for getting people thinking about it. It serves a variety of purposes, from natural events like tornadoes, to things like ukraine is dealing with now. We never think we’ll need this kind of thing in our country but–remember 9/11?