Having an emergency kit for home is a necessity Not only do global pandemics push the world to a halt, disruptions in the economy or unpredictable weather can put you at risk of getting essentials. The basics are obvious: water and food. But what about medicines? It all becomes intimidating fast.
Here are some easy ways to easily build an emergency kit for your home!
1. Decide What You Need
The Red Cross suggests keeping bare essentials like water, non-perishable food, extra batteries, clothes, blankets, flashlights and medicine on hand. Think about what tools and supplies you may actually need. What kind of emergencies apply to you? This is different depending on where you live, who you live with, and what your able/willing to prep for. Even think about toys to distract the little ones or antibiotics stocked up (that’s where we come in). No need to get carried away – be reasonable, yet prepared.
2. Gather the Essentials
The CDC recommends storing at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation. You should aim for at least a two-week supply. The same goes for food! The federal government’s disaster prep website, Ready.gov, recommends stocking up on non-perishable food items like dry cereal, canned goods, granola bars, peanut butter, dried fruit and nuts, canned juice and non-perishable pasteurized milk (plus the necessary comfort foods, in case you needed more reasons to stock up your favorite cookies). These are all items you can keep an eye on for sales when doing your regular grocery shopping. You could even can and preserve your own food!
As a storm or event is approaching and if it’s safe for one last swing through the grocery store, buy a bag of apples or oranges. It’s nice to have something fresh to eat and those fruits tend to keep for a while.
3. Keep It Affordable
Some of your preparation won’t cost you a dime. Don’t be fooled by needing to be a prepper pro! It’s all about gathering stuff you already have, like cell phone chargers, maps, canned food, first aid, and emergency cash.
You could start buying in bulk! Emergency rations of paper towels, toilet paper, canned goods, personal hygiene items, batteries and bottled water are a perfect opportunity to take advantage of those savings. Consider asking a neighbor or friend to split the purchase. Instead of buying water by the flat, consider bottling your own water. Feeling adventurous? Learn how to can and preserve your own food.
4. Create a First-Aid & Antibiotic Kit
Make sure you have the essentials to treat any injuries or sicknesses that occur during an emergency. Whether you wait out a blizzard, evacuate to avoid a wildfire, or another pandemic, you need to have first aid essentials stocked with bandages, gauze, tweezers, antiseptic cream, and painkillers. While you can buy a ready-made first-aid kit, it’s often cheaper to look at the Dollar store to buy the individual items separately. Did you know that 50% of Americans rely on prescription medicines? Making sure you have a plan for this if, too, it applies to you!
The biggest thing to be prepared with is antibiotics. When sh** hits the fan, access to medical care quickly becomes hard to get. Especially when most common infections can be dealt with by simple antibiotics – it seems like a no brainer to set yourself up with a kit with emergency medicines. This is where Contingency Medical comes in! The medications in our packs are to kill bacterial or parasitic infections and prevent their growth, whether is be in your ears, nose, throat, chest, skin, urinary tract, and intestines. These are the type of infections that you can’t solve with over the counter drugs – so in the case of an emergency situation and without access to doctors, having stock of these important antibiotics could save a life. Not only do we provide pharmacy issued, doctor-prescribed medicines, but we give you unlimited access to the doctors for any questions you have or instructions you need.
5. Plan Ahead
Planning ahead helps ensure you have what you need to make it through the emergency without having to drop a bunch of money on water or fight someone for the last pack of TP. One of the best rules with disaster preparedness is to play the long game: Look for sales in your day-to-day life and stock up. Cans of tuna on BOGO? Put your “get-ones” into your stash. Canned vegetables on clearance? Buy a bunch to keep on hand for an emergency. Even having a Fix-a-Flat tire repair aerosol that can temporarily patch a flat tire. This comes in handy if you have to evacuate.
One important part of any emergency kit that not many people may consider involves personal documents. Things like your birth certificate, social security card, drivers license, home title, or personal mementos that you’ll miss only after you didn’t think about it!
Still curious about emergency antibiotics?
Here’s a detailed review on Contingency Medical from Survival Dispatch!
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