Investing Time To Save Time – Week 4 – Emergency Preparedness
Now that we’ve spent time arming our cars and purses with mini emergency preparedness kits, we need to think of our homes. If you had to leave your home because of some unforeseen emergency, right now, would you have the right tools to take care of you and your family?
Make a pack that you can grab at a moments notice. Place it where you can grab it on your way out whether that be near a back door, front door, etc… We also have one in our car.
Here’s a sample list of items you’ll need immediately and that might not be in your car:
* change of clothes & shoes (we saved old shoes, the younger children can wear the older one’s shoes in a pinch)
* bottled water (we have a box of Capri sun drinks as well)
* a small blanket or two
* nonperishable snacks for as many as are in your family (we have dried fruits, oats, & cereals)
* maybe a couple of reading books
* wind-up and battery operated radio
Use with the emergency kits you have in your car & purse.
I’ve listed some that got 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 stars on Amazon.
You will want to research a little to see which kit matches your family’s needs best.
Update April 2014: I purchased new emergency kits (for two) that are easy to carry. Next, I have a blue bin to keep other necessary items that were not in the kits. I have food for me (due to severe food allergies) that can be stored for up to 3 years because I cannot eat the food in the kits.
I’m going through the garage this week to make things more accessible and will pack a larger bin with warm clothing, shoes, socks, and more water in case we have to evacuate after an earthquake or another disaster.
Update December 2018: My husband and I checked our expiration date on our emergency kits and need to replace some of the packaged food. In the meantime, we’ve gathered many of the items that are important to us and put them in one place in the garage, tagging them with blue tape.
Someone asked why we are keeping those things if they are in the garage. We have 2 boxes of photo albums we haven’t been able to scan onto a hard drive yet. There is a box of old letters from my grandfather to grandmother, his diary, and things like that. Then there are the emergency supplies.
Items in our home that we use every day are no longer in different areas, we’ve grouped them to grab and go.
Here are some links to resources to help you prepare and be informed:
Red Cross Preparedness
7 Places to Find Cash After a Disaster
Read more Investing Time series:
Investing Time To Save Time – Week 1
Investing Time To Save Time – Week 2 – Car & Purse Kits
Investing Time To Save Time – Week 3 – Purse Organization
DISCLAIMER: This article is the opinion of Susie Glennan and The Busy Woman. We are not professionals or experts in the area of emergency preparedness. This is in no way a full or complete list. You should read your local Government website or contact them if you want professional information for your area.
AFFILIATE LINKS: I use affiliate links to help fund the website. Most of the time, I have used the product that the affiliate link is associated with. Sometimes, however, I post a link based on other’s reviews.
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