When
disaster strikes, families need to know where to find the stuff they need.
A flashlight's a good start, but it's not enough. According to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), your family should gather up supplies
and keep them all together in a cabinet or in a plastic tub. This Family
Disaster kit will provide your family with the bare essentials.
FEMA
recommends storing a three-day supply of non-perishable food. If your
house is snowed in during a blizzard, or you lose electricity for several
days, having food on hand that won't spoil is essential. Canned foods
such as fruit and veggies, meat and tuna, soup and juice can be stored
for a long time. You should keep high-energy snacks, like granola bars
and trail mix in your kit, too. Keep some crackers to eat with peanut
butter and jelly, and don't forget snacks that'll keep you and your family
in a good mood-cookies, candy, and other treats. Sugar, salt, and pepper
will go a long way to spruce up some of your meals.
Water
is the most important item to have on hand; you should always store one
gallon per person or pet, per day. You'll use half a gallon for drinking
and the other half for washing. You'll need to treat your water to keep
it safe for drinking.
Every
family member should have warm clothes and shoes stored in the kit. Blankets
and sleeping bags are important, too. You'll need a complete first-aid
kit, and other items, like toilet paper, a sewing kit, and various tools.
You'll want to pack matches, flashlights (and spare batteries), and don't
forget a radio with extra batteries, so you know what's going on outside.
Look
through the family emergency disaster kit below for more detailed descriptions
of the supplies needed to be prepared for a disaster.
For
more information on being prepared, visit FEMA for Kids.
