Emergency Kit List and Ideas for Natural Disasters

Today I am going to share with you some handy information about organising your own emergency kit for natural disasters. Natural disasters I will focus on are cyclones, tornados, fires, floods and storms. This information may also be relevant for those at risk of blizzards, hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis.

It has been quite some time since I last blogged, but this post has been calling out to me since watching my beautiful country, Australia, burn and flood all in the one month. Whilst it is difficult to predict the devastation from a natural disaster, if you can have a plan in place - including an emergency kit - it will ease the burden and assist you in your recovery.

If you have any suggestions or feedback please feel free to leave a comment below.

ESSENTIAL ITEMS:

• Torch (battery powered)
• Portable radio (battery powered)
• Candles
• Safety Matches (I suggest placing these in a ziplock bag to avoid moisture spoiling them)
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Plastic ponchos (even garbage bags work great!)
• Important documents (birth certificates, immunisation records, passports, insurance policies)
• Hard drive (with a back up of your computer, digital photos and important files)
• Bottled water (1 gallon or 4 litres per person for 72 hour supply)
• Non-perishable food  (72 hour supply + can opener)
• Toilet paper (also best in a ziplock bag)
• Hand sanitizer
• Disposable gloves (this will assist in the clean up)
• Pet cages/leads/identification collars (keep in accessible place)
• Important medication
• Small amount of cash
• First aid kit
• Whistle (to signal for help if severely isolated)
• Local map
• Pocket knife

The essential list may seem long, but in the event of a disaster, you always wish you had packed something else. It's worth it!

ITEMS YOU COULD ALSO INCLUDE OR GRAB LAST MINUTE:

• 1 set of spare clothes for each family member (rotate as children grow up in size)
• Gumboots
• Blankets
• Life Jackets
• Deck of cards
• Baby essentials (if applicable)
• Spare car/house keys
• List of current medications and reasons for use
• List of allergies
• Phone chargers
• Pet food/water
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Paper and pen
• Glasses/spectacles
• Unscented household bleach for sanitation and water purification
• 
  

LUXURY ITEMS:

• Fire and Waterproof safe for important documents
• Generator
• Gas bottle BBQ
• Portable UHF Radio

BIG ITEMS THAT CAN HELP:

(These items could help an entire community in the recovery)

• Small watercraft
• Blow up raft
• Canoes
• Trailer
• Removals Trolley

INSURANCE POLICIES

If you have an insurance policy for your house and/or contents (please say you do!) please ensure you thoroughly read the entire agreement and that you understand exactly what you are covered for in the event of a natural disaster. Unfortunately in every natural disaster there is someone who finds out their insurance policy doesn't cover what they originally thought. If you are concerned or have further questions, contact them directly. Act out scenarios to them if that will help you make better sense of what you're covered for.

SUPER IMPORTANT!!

Go through your entire house/shed/yard and take a photo of every room and inside every cupboard/drawer. It may take you 30-60mins but it will be worth every one of those minutes. This is a lot quicker than trying to make an inventory of your items once they're lost in a disaster. Download a free program, such as Picasa by Google and create an online account with them. Set your photos as private. Upload all the photos of your house and sync them to your online Picasa. Make sure your username/password are easy to remember! Now those photos will be accessible by you, and only you, anywhere in the world that you have access to the internet and it will make claiming a whole lot easier. If you need help using this program, check out the Support for Picasa Web Albums.

I hope this information will help someone prepare and feel safer in the event of a natural disaster. All information and opinions are not professional and are that of my own. Please seek further professional advice if required.

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