A good emergency kit could help you stay at home after a natural disaster
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Many of us have the best intentions of putting together an earthquake or emergency kit and every time there is big shaker or a prolonged power outage, we remember we didn’t do it.
The list of items can be a bit intimidating, but as Jeremy Zidek with the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management says, think of it as “good, better, best.”
“We take a good, better, best approach at the state. Good is three days worth of supplies. Better is seven days. And then the best is two or more weeks,” Zidek said. “Those supplies can really add up and become a lot of material and a big expense to it. So you can collect that stuff over time, start with that good target of three days and then build from there.”
There is a link below to what should be in your emergency kit, but Zidek says to start with the basics:
- Water: 1 gallon per person per day
- Food: canned, dried, non-perishable food. Remember your pantry is also a good source for a backup food supply
- First aid kit
- Heating source: portable space heater, firewood, wood stove, generator, etc.
- Hygiene products: paper towels, toilet paper, wipes, etc.
Zidek points out that a good emergency kit could mean you can stay in your home after a natural disaster and might not have to go to a large, congregate shelter. This can be especially important for people with pets.
“Emergency shelters, most of the time, they’re like a gymnasium with a bunch of cots and it’s not really a place that people that are already stressed out want to go and spend time with a bunch of strangers that are also stressed out,” said Zidek. “The Red Cross of Alaska does a great job setting up these shelters in giving people the critical items that they need. But in reality, people just want to stay in their homes, they can keep an eye on their their belongings, make sure that there’s no damage to their home.”
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Start with the basics of water, food, first aid kit, a way to stay warm and hygiene products. For water, set aside 1 gallon per person per day. So for a family of 3 preparing for 3 days, they would need nine gallons of water.
“It’s both for drinking, cooking, cleaning, hygiene, and whatever you may else need water for,” said Zidek. “The nice thing about water, even though it’s heavy and kind of hard to move around, it’s very inexpensive. It’s really the most inexpensive thing that we’re putting in our kit.” said Zidek.
The Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has pages on its website specifically about building your emergency kit. You don’t have to do it all at once. For a cost-effective way to build a kit over 12-weeks, check out Page 7 of this Building an Emergency Kit Guide.
There are also sections for a pet preparedness plan, documents to get you organized, and a general guide to what to do before during and after an earthquake.
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