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Emergency Preparedness Team
Disaster Supplies Kit
A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic
items that could be needed in the event of a disaster.
Assemble the following items to create kits for use at
home, the office, at school and/or in a vehicle:
 | Water—three
gallons for each person who would use the kit and an additional four
gallons per person or pet for use if you are confined to your home |
| Food—a
three-day supply in the kit and at least an additional four-day supply
per person or pet for use at home |
You may want to consider stocking a two-week supply of
food and water in your home.
| Items for infants—including
formula, diapers, bottles, pacifiers, powdered milk and medications
not requiring refrigeration |
| Items for seniors,
disabled persons or anyone with serious allergies—including
special foods, denture items, extra eyeglasses, hearing aid batteries,
prescription and non-prescription medications that are regularly used,
inhalers and other essential equipment. |
| Kitchen accessories—a
manual can opener; mess kits or disposable cups, plates and utensils;
utility knife; sugar and salt; aluminum foil and plastic wrap;
re-sealable plastic bags |
| A portable,
battery-powered radio or television and extra, fresh batteries |
| Several flashlights
and extra, fresh batteries |
| A first aid kit |
| One complete change of
clothing and footwear for each person—including sturdy work
shoes or boots, raingear and other items adjusted for the season, such
as hats and gloves, thermal underwear, sunglasses, dust masks |
| Blankets or a sleeping
bag for each person |
| Sanitation and hygiene
items—shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, comb
and brush, lip balm, sunscreen, contact lenses and supplies and any
medications regularly used, toilet paper, towelettes, soap, hand
sanitizer, liquid detergent, feminine supplies, plastic garbage bags
(heavy-duty) and ties (for personal sanitation uses), medium-sized
plastic bucket with tight lid, disinfectant, household chlorine bleach |
| Other essential
items—paper, pencil, needles, thread, small A-B-C-type fire
extinguisher, medicine dropper, whistle, emergency preparedness manual |
| Entertainment—including
games and books, favorite dolls and stuffed animals for small children |
| A map of the area
marked with places you could go and their telephone numbers |
| An extra set of keys
and ids—including keys for cars and any properties owned
and copies of driver's licenses, passports and work identification
badges |
| Cash and coins and
copies of credit cards |
| Copies of medical
prescriptions |
| Matches in a
waterproof container |
| A small tent, compass
and shovel |
Pack the items in easy-to-carry containers, label the containers
clearly and store them where they would be easily accessible. Duffle bags,
backpacks, and covered trash receptacles are good candidates for
containers. In a disaster situation, you may need access to your disaster
supplies kit quickly—whether you are sheltering at home or evacuating.
Following a disaster, having the right supplies can help your household
endure home confinement or evacuation.
Make sure the needs of everyone who would use the kit are covered,
including infants, seniors and pets. It's good to involve whoever is going
to use the kit, including children, in assembling it.
Benefits of Involving Children
| Involving children is the
first step in helping them know what to do in an emergency. |
| Children can help. Ask them to
think of items that they would like to include in a disaster supplies
kit, such as books or games or nonperishable food items, and to help
the household remember to keep the kits updated. Children could make
calendars and mark the dates for checking emergency supplies, rotating
the emergency food and water or replacing it every six months and
replacing batteries as necessary. Children can enjoy preparing plans
and disaster kits for pets and other animals. |
Disaster Supplies Kit Checklist for Pets
| Food and water for at least
three days for each pet, food and water bowls and a manual can opener |
| Depending on the pet, litter
and litter box or newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags,
grooming items, and household bleach |
| Medications and medical
records stored in a waterproof container, a first aid kit and a pet
first aid book |
| Sturdy leashes, harnesses and
carriers to transport pets safely and to ensure that your pets cannot
escape. A carrier should be large enough for the animal to stand
comfortably, turn around, and lie down. Your pet may have to stay in
the carrier for hours. Be sure to have a secure cage with no loose
objects inside it to accommodate smaller pets. These may require
blankets or towels for bedding and warmth and other special items |
| Pet toys and the pet's bed, if
you can easily take it, to reduce stress |
| Current photos and
descriptions of your pets to help others identify them in case you and
your pets become separated, and to prove that they are yours |
| Information on feeding
schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems and the name and
telephone number of your veterinarian in case you have to board your
pets or place them in foster care. |
Additional Supplies for Sheltering-in-Place
In the unlikely event that chemical or radiological hazards cause
officials to advise people in a specific area to
"shelter-in-place" in a sealed room, households should have in
the room they have selected for this purpose:
| A roll of duct tape (10
millimeters thick) and scissors |
| Plastic sheeting pre-cut to
fit shelter-in-place room openings |
Ten square feet of floor space per person will
provide sufficient air to prevent carbon dioxide buildup for up to five
hours. Local officials are unlikely to recommend the public shelter in a
sealed room for more than two-three hours because the effectiveness of
such sheltering diminishes with time as the contaminated outside air
gradually seeps into the shelter.
NOTE: Always keep a shut-off valve wrench near
the gas and water shut-off valves in your home.
****Info from the American Red Cross Web Site******http://www.redcross.org
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