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NOTES: When putting kits together for a family, especially where young children or babies are involved, it's important to realize that the adults will likely have to have larger and heavier kits that carry some of the supplies needed for the children. However, try to build kits for each child to carry, and be in charge of and which will have age appropriate necessities and items that will be important to them such as coloring books and crayons, a stuffed animal & pictures of family (with phone numbers and contact methods) - along with flashlights, glow sticks, diapers, snacks, water, whistle, etc. Remember that you are only setting some items aside for THREE DAYS and not for substantially longer periods of time. I have my "3 days away from home" kits (which are pretty good for 3 days and some items would last much longer and others would need replenishing) We have kits for myself, my wife and my three small boys. Then I have my full backpacks for extended week or longer camping. Since I have three small boys under the age of 6 I physically cannot carry all the needed sleeping bags, water and other gear to "backpack" them up into the woods but my gear is organized into the following groups: 1) basic 72 hour kits that are portable, allow us to maintain a modicum of comfort and walk with for several miles a day and with replenishing of consumables (water & food) could last us for longer. 2) More extended camping gear (includes backpacking tents & gear) which can still be carried by me and my wife and which I would grab if I thought we might need to be away for more than 72 hours. 3) Additional gear (Large Family Tent, Containers of Water, additional food & cooking supplies, generator, fuel etc.) that I could load up in my Truck and travel and camp for an extended period away from home. You need to decide where to keep your kits. We decided to keep the family kits in the van as we are always close to the van wherever we are. Since I work in a suit, 25 miles away from home, I have a separate kit at work with a change of durable clothes and boots should I need them. We realize that keeping kits in the Van means the kits are subject to high heat in the van during the summer months and we need to consider the impact of that on the food items we put in the packs. Compartmentalize and package everything in Zip Lock Baggies. They make two gallon bags and I recommend using freezer bags as they are heavier and more durable. When it comes to clothing items you can squeeze the air out and they will compress down and stay smaller. First is my list without any commentary followed by my list with commentary. ITEMS for 72-hour kits: In some order of importance: 1. Medical a) Prescriptions b) Basic first aid kit c) Basic pain medications d) Imodium e) Insect Repellant along with Bee Sting or Insect Bite Kits f) Sunblock g) Particle Mask 2. Shelter a. Rain Poncho b. Plastic Sheet - Several Options i. Several large garbage bags ii. Sheet of plastic iii. Tarp c. Light Nylon Cord d. Duct Tape e. Emergency Blanket f. Fire Starting Items - Several Options i. A Butane lighter ii. Some dryer lint, Cotton Balls, Vasiline iii. Magnesium bar and striker - better yet the SL3 Fire iv. Waterproof Matches v. Fire Starter Pellets vi. Candles g. Knife & Small Hatchet h. E-Tool (Camp Shovel) 3. Water a. 1 Gallon of Water b. Purification / Filter i. Iodine tablets ii. Water Filters 1. Sport Bottles 2. Katadyn Filter iii. Other Purification Products 4. Food a. Fishing Line & a couple of hooks and some snare wire b. MRE's c. Nuts d. Beef Jerky e. Granola bars f. Hard Candy g. Freeze Dried Foods h. Dried Fruit i. Datrex j. Powder Drink Mixes k. Tuna & Crackers l. Peanut Butter & Crackers m. Food Preparation and Serving Items OK, you have the basics with the above items and you will likely "survive" But now lets have a slight bit of additional comfort. The following items I consider as needed in you kit. 5. Personal Hygiene Items a. Toothbrush & Toothpaste b. Toilet Paper c. Feminine Sanitary Products d. Comb or brush e. Travel soap & shampoo f. Hand towel and washcloth g. Waterless Hand Sanitizer & Hand Lotion h. Kleenex i. Wet Wipes 6. Documents & Cash & Maps a. Documents i. Documents For children ii. Immunization records b. Cash c. Maps i. GPS Unit d. Spare set of Glasses or Contacts e. Magnifying Glass f. Compass g. Paper & Sharpie 7. Lighting a. Flashlight b. Extra Batteries c. Extra Bulbs d. Glow Sticks 8. Communications a. Whistle b. Radio i. Regular AM/FM ii. Shortwave c. Walkie Talkies d. 2-meter Transceivers (need to be licensed to transmit) 9. Clothing a. Polypropylene Liner Socks (two pairs) b. Socks (at least one pair) c. Hat (Baseball cap & Stocking hat) d. Gloves (heavy leather) e. Change of underclothing f. Extra shirt & pants g. Jacket h. Travel Sewing kit 10. Special Needs Items 11. Pets Supplies a. Food b. Vaccination Papers c. Chain, Leash, Crate 12. Religious Items a. Scriptures b. Patriarchal Blessings c. Concentrated oil 13. Entertainment Items a. Cards b. Travel Games 14. NICE ITEMS - you may want if you can afford & if you have room for a. Bivy Sack (from $65 to $265) b. GPS (from $130 to over $500 plus) c. Walkie Talkies d. Shortwave radios e. Upgraded Rain Gear f. Upgraded water filtration systems g. Upgraded camp stove equipment Here is the list with commentary for what its worth: ITEMS for 72-hour kits: In some order of importance: 1. Medical - An Injury or a lack of medical knowledge and special needs can cause death quickest - not having vital prescriptions or knowledge of medical needs - allergies, diabetes, heart issues, recognition of symptoms and treatment of shock etc… Know and review First Aid Basics at least annually, depending on ages of children, involve them to some level - even a 5 or 6 year old certainly can learn and understand the importance of cleaning an injury and proper dressing (putting on a Spiderman Band-Aid to protect and aid healing) along with making someone comfortable - putting a blanket over them to keep them warm. With this in mind - here is a list of medical or medically related items that should be in your 72 hour kits: a) Prescriptions - 3 day supply of prescriptions b) Basic first aid kit sufficient to clean, sterilize and bandage several substantial injuries (should include butterfly bandages or sterilized tape for wound closure) - for smaller children, teach them to clean their injuries and then bandage them - give them some fun bandages and again, depending on their age perhaps some anti-biotic cream. The last thing you want to do in an emergency situation is to overlook an injury and fail to take adequate care of it - infections can knock you out of commission quickly and progress to dangerous and life and limb threatening issues quickly. One fellow in New Orleans lost a leg and almost lost his life because he failed to properly treat a cut on his leg which got infected and which if he had treated with proper care and respect would have only given him a small scar. Make sure your kit has a needle and tweezers for taking out splinters. c) Basic pain medications - Tylenol, Advil (some of both as they can be taken together for substantial pain relief) - for an Adult, you can take two extra-strength Tylenol or 1000mg of acetaminophen every 6 hours and you can combine that with up to 800mg of Advil (Ibuprofen) every 6 hours or stagger them on 3 hour cycles. d) Imodium - for diarrhea e) Insect Repellant along with Bee Sting or Insect Bite Kits - if you are out of your house - camping or hiking - insects can be an issue - while not "medical" per se, they do carry disease and insect repellent ought to be in your kits. f) Sunblock - SPF 30 or higher - waterproof and sweatproof g) Particle Mask - If you will be around large groups of people and if there is a pandemic or other health threat such as ash or dust in the air, it would be good to have some particle masks in your kits. The particle masks worn by drywall installers (N95) can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes and should suffice. 2. Shelter - Next to a fatal injury, you can die of exposure faster than anything else so next look to your potential shelter needs. Again, considering that you are only putting together a 72 hour kit, and that you want to keep the kit easily portable you will have to make some compromises in the shelter area (Can't lug the large family tent with you) and you need to have some skills in shelter making. If you have some basic skills in shelter making, the following should suffice for your "needs" over a three day period or longer: a. Rain Poncho - Staying Dry is the number one way to keep your body's heat - wet combined with cold spells hypothermia and may quickly become life threatening. You can pick up adequate plastic poncho's for around $5 each (lighter ones for less and better ones for more) Consider size and weight. A rain poncho can also be used to aid in shelter making or sleeping. b. Plastic Sheeting - for shelter building - several options here: i. Several large garbage bags - good idea for all kits to have a couple of these as they take up very little room and have multiple uses. ii. Sheet of plastic (size should be determined by size of shelter expected - larger for a family - smaller for an individual.) Obviously, thicker plastic will be more durable and less prone to rips and tears - however it will also take up more room and weigh more - I recommend at least 2 mil & 4 to 6 mil is better. Along with plastic, some duct tape is helpful for repairing rips and tears and reinforcing tie points. c. Tarp - If you have a tarp it can be really convenient - along with some parachute cord (light nylon cord is fine). Tarps usually have grommets and are convenient to use - the trade off is weight and space. d. Light Nylon Cord - I would have at least 50 to 100 feet of light nylon cord. e. Duct Tape - I recommend taking a pencil & or a sharpie and wrapping some duct tape around it and keeping it in your kit along with a pad of paper. f. Emergency Blanket - I am talking about one of those tin-foil type emergency blankets that you can get at the sporting goods section of Target, Wall Mart, and Academy Sports etc. These "Space" Blankets are highly effective in heat retention and are light and compact. g. Fire Starting Items - I recommend butane lighters because they burn better & hotter and stay lit in windy situations but a regular lighter will work (keep in zip lock baggie to insure it stays dry). Other aids and options are: i. Some dryer lint - kept in a zip lock baggie - is light, compressible and great aid in starting a fire. ii. Cotton Balls - these are great for catching a spark. iii. Vasiline - Petroleum Jelly is awesome for multiple uses but is great as a fire starting aid - rub a little into a cotton ball or some dryer lint and you can get those small wet twigs burning. iv. Magnesium bar and striker - you can find this in the camping sections of stores named above and with a little practice you will be able to start a fire with out a lighter or matches and even if this gets wet it still will work - kept with some dryer lint is a fail safe back up. Consider the SL3 Fire by tool logic as a great addition to you kits. v. Waterproof Matches - not the highest on my list - still good to have - some really good ones are made which also burn in heavy wind situations. vi. Fire Starter Pellets - can be found in camping section - also not high on my list as they are crutches for poor fire starting skills vii. Candles - these are helpful but you have to light the candle first. However, if you have wet tinder (with skill you can always find dry tinder) and need to hold a flame for along time against it, a candle works well. h. Knife & Small Hatchet - You can pick up a nice small hatchet/knife combo made by Gerber for under $30. Obviously the children (again depending on their age) may not need this item just like they probably won't be carry extensive medical kits or lighters and such. One per family should suffice. Everyone old enough to handle a knife should have one. i. E-Tool (Camp Shovel) - If you have room and the weight is not an issue, an E-Tool (entrenchment tool - military style shovel) is a nice addition but not a requirement - if not room for this, a sturdy garden hand trowel will suffice but some form of shovel is recommend for aid in digging if necessary. 3. Water - Third on you list should be water. The average adult needs at least a gallon of water a day for drinking. This can be rationed but obviously would need to be more if you are under exertion and heat and sweating. It isn't likely to expect you will carry 3 to 5 gallons of water with you - just the weight and volume would preclude carrying other necessities. Water weighs about 8 lbs a gallon so 3 gallons would mean you are starting off with 24lbs before anything else. If you have the room, muscle and want to carry this much water then plan for a minimum of 3 gallons. However, if you don't have the muscle or room here is my suggestion: a. 1 Gallon of Water - Carry one gallon of water for an adult - this is about two, 2liter bottles of water. For small children and especially if the contingency of walking with your gear is a consideration, you will need filtration and purification equipment. My 6 year old carries 3 water bottles of purified water (a little less than ½ gal weighing about 4lbs) My 3 year old carries two bottles for weight of about 2 ½ lbs and my 15 month old has one bottle weighing a little over 1lb. b. Purification / Filter - Several options are available for water purification. Since it is difficult to carry all the water you may want/need to consume, it is provident to have a filtration/purification method. i. Iodine tablets - you can get water purification iodine tablets in the camping supplies at your local store. They come by themselves and are also sold along with a neutralizer that will remove the iodine taste once purified. Iodine is effective against giardia but hasn't been proven effective against cryptosporidium. ii. Water Filters - water filters can be used by themselves or in conjunction with other purification options. 1. Sport Bottles - you can buy sport bottles that have filters in the straws. These are pretty good but I wouldn't trust just these without using a purification method in addition (Iodine or Bleach). 2. Katadyn Filters - more substantial hand pump filters (ranging in price from $30 to $100 plus) are good options. I recommend that "Dad" has one of these and that everyone else have a Sport Bottle and Iodine tablets and know how to use them. Of course Mom & Dad will carry the Iodine tablets for the small children but they can carry their bottles (assuming they stay secure when not in use). iii. Other Purification Products - I am aware of other purification products (one type are crystals) but I haven't used them and can't comment much on them. iv. Boiling - you can always boil your water to kill any nasties. People debate on how long to boil your water. Actually, anything that will hurt you will be dead once the water gets up to about 180 degrees. Since water boils at 212 degrees (at sea level) you actually don't even have to boil the water. [For every 500 feet above sea level, water boils at about 0.9F less.] At 10,000 feet water will boil at 194.7 degrees. I recommend you bring your water to a boil and then turn off your stove to conserve fuel. If you are using a fire then there really isn't any downside to letting it boil a bit. 4. Food - After your headache is gone, you body temperature is maintained at a comfortable level and you are hydrated, you will next want to think about food for 3 days. Once again, we are battling against weight and bulk which tend to be trade offs for convenience and sometimes for flavor of "regular" food we may want to consume. The need to use your kit would indicate that you are not experiencing "regular" times, so we drop down to the basics. Actually you will "survive" for 3 days without any food but you will not be happy and you will not have the proper or necessary energy to accomplish much. We also need to consider what we are willing to trade off in regards to maintaining the food we put in our kits. Many snack items will go stale after a few months. If you don't want to have to go swap out items regularly then chose items that will last longer without rotation. Look at expiration dates and be aware - even beef jerky which you might think will last a long time will often mold or go rancid in a fairly short time period. Consider how many calories you will need which will be dependant on your body mass but typically an active male will need about 2,000 plus and an active female will need 1,500 or more. Children need less but I would opt for more rather than less because I don't want a cranky child and anything to reduce stress in what may be a stressful situation is good. Also consider how you are getting those calories - high fat and protein is good for compact calories but is poor for delivering quick energy for exertion. Make sure you have adequate carbohydrates for energy and exertion. You will most likely need to carry some of the food for your small children if they are under Always be conscious of weight. Consider items that require little or no preparation, and don't need a can opener if possible. With that in mind here are just a few suggestions and recommendations and rational - remember to pick items you like and items your kids will eat and items you are willing to rotate if they have short shelf lives. a. Fishing Line & a couple of hooks along with some snare wire - I know, that's not food, but it may get you food and it takes up very little space. b. MRE's - MRE's are pretty good choices for a 72 hour kit but if you keep your kit in the garage their shelf life will be lessened if your garage gets hot like it does here in the Dallas Summer heat. Make sure your kids will eat them. Try camping out in the back yard and eating MRE's for a "survival experience" and see how they are accepted. One advantage of MRE's are no need to cook. The military ones come with water activated heaters to warm them up. They also usually come with plastic ware and other items such as hot sauce and salt & pepper. If you buy a case (you can get them on e-bay or at the local Army Surplus store) you may want to open the individual packages and take out redundant items you won't need and to reduce weight and space required. A disadvantage is weight, they are heavier than say Mountain House freeze dried camping meals but the fact that you will not need to carry anything to cook in may make up for that extra weight. c. Nuts - nuts are a great source of compact energy - combined with m&m's and raisins for classic "Gorp" they make excellent 72 hour kit food. Downside is that they do go stale - faster when they have chocolate mixed with them. d. Beef Jerky - Well liked and compact calories - will need to be rotated. e. Granola bars - With a little longer shelf life you may not have to rotate these quit as often but it depends on the type you get. Fairly high in carbohydrates they provide good energy. f. Hard Candy - Putting some hard candy in each kit is an excellent idea - good energy - good pacifier - compact - and doesn't need to be rotated. g. Freeze Dried Foods - Items such as Mountain House meals and other freeze dried foods are good because they will not need to be rotated out and because they are light. The downside is they will take water and heat to rehydrate. You will need to pack a camp stove and fuel and mess kit to prepare these foods. h. Dried Fruit - Depending on how "dried" the fruit is will be a big factor in how long it will last - moisture and warmth breed bacteria. So, if it is really dry (like really dry banana slices and really dry apple slices) or if it is packaged like raisins with preservatives you will get longer shelf life out if it. If you vacuum pack it, it will stay fresh longer. i. Datrex - Datrex emergency rations (I bought some off of e-bay) are good choices for long-term (up to 5 years without rotation). They are compact, high calorie and will do the trick for you but if you are normal there will be some sacrifice in the flavor category with this item. j. Powder Drink Mixes - It is a good idea to put some powder drink mixes such as Gatorade or Crystal Light into the kits. This is light and may really help if you are drinking less than flavorful water. k. Tuna & Crackers - You can buy tuna in foil packets along with crackers, and mayo and relish in packets. These make good items but the crackers will start to go stale and need to be rotated. l. Peanut Butter & Crackers - These are good choices but again the crackers will need to be rotated & peanut butter can go rancid but both will last a long time if kept at inside tempetures. m. Food Preparation and Serving Items - depending on you food choices you will need to be sure you have adequate preparation and serving items such as a camp stove, fuel, and a mess kit. You can likely use your water bottles for drinking. OK, you have the basics with the above items and you will likely "survive" But now let's have a slight bit of additional comfort. The following items I consider as needed in you kit. 5. Personal Hygiene Items - These items are not "vital" but certainly should be included. a. Toothbrush & Toothpaste - just go for a small "travel" tube of paste and pick up one of those plastic covers for the end of your toothbrush or in the alternative have a plastic zip lock baggie for them. Also, don't forget the dental floss. - And Gum may be helpful also. b. Toilet Paper - you can remove from the cardboard roll and then flatten and put in a zip lock baggie. c. Feminine Sanitary Products - I am a man, I don't know much regarding this item - you be the judge (I do know that some brands are more compact than others). d. Comb or brush - I have short hair so this is not on my list but probably would make many feel much better e. Travel soap & shampoo - like the ones you get at hotels or travel sizes at the store f. Hand towel and washcloth - If you can find water to wash up with - and you will likely need to, this takes little room and makes life a lot more comfortable. - you can buy "camp" towels at REI that are designed to dry quickly but a regular cotton hand towel may serve you fine. g. Waterless Hand Sanitizer & Hand Lotion - A little bottle of waterless hand sanitizer may be just the ticket if water is at a premium, however, since it can dry your hands out, be sure to include a little tube or bottle of hand lotion. h. Kleenex - One of those little plastic travel packs of Kleenex is light and convenient to throw in. i. Wet Wipes - Keep some wet wipes in a plastic zip lock baggie. 6. Documents & Cash & Maps: 3 days is not all that long, and if you have everything listed above you may not have to buy much assuming you can find some water - but if buying things is an option, and will make you more comfortable, it would be good to have something to buy it with. a. Documents - As an adult you probably have you drivers license and credit cards and a little cash on you at all times. Good, in addition, it is a good idea to make a copy of your birth certificate, perhaps a copy of your passport of you have one, a copy of your Social Security card or any other important document, heck put a copy of your Drivers License in the mix. You may also want to keep emergency phone numbers - family numbers, insurance policies and numbers. You can scan them into your computer and print them out or go to Kinko's and photocopy them. Make sure you have them in a zip lock baggie or laminate them to keep them safe. i. Documents For children - For my children I made little laminated "flash cards" linked with a key chain link which has photos of family and important phone numbers and copies of their birth certificates and social security cards. In addition to being fun for the child to look at, if they get separated from us someone who finds them will know whom they belong to and how to try and reach us. Be sure to include contacts with family or friends who do not live in your local area and if you are separated from your family apprise them of your situation. 1. Immunization records - it's a good idea to keep a copy in both their and your bag. b. Cash - While you may think the credit card in you pocket would suffice, it may not as electricity may be out and cold hard cash will be the only thing that talks. You should keep a several hundred dollars in a mixture of small bills with nothing bigger than a 20 (or a 50 if you keep more than a couple of hundred available). c. Maps - It is always good to keep a local map with you along with maps of anywhere you may be headed. Of course size weight is to be considered but think ahead of where you may need to travel and know how to get there with alternative routes. i. GPS Unit - If you can afford one and or have one, it is nice to have in your kit. Some, such as the Garmin Rino 120 and 130 also double for short distance radios (GMS/FMR) and radio scanners. d. Spare set of Glasses or Contacts - if you have some - excellent place to keep them. e. Magnifying Glass - If you are like me, maps lose their value when you can't read them - if you wear glasses or contacts and they get lost or broken, a magnifying glass may be exactly what you need. f. Compass - to keep you going in a straight line and especially if you are traveling by night - used in conjunction with a map may save your life if you know how to use them or at least get you to your destination a little more easily. g. Paper & Sharpie - if you didn't put a sharpie & pencil in with a pad of paper yet - do so now. 7. Lighting - Everyone should have a flashlight & extra batteries. Also, everyone should have a Glow stick or two. a. Flashlight - when choosing a flashlight once again consider size and weight. I recommend one that uses AA batteries (especially for children) and or one that is hand cranked. Dad or Mom may want a flashlight that uses D cell batteries but they tend to weigh quite a bit more and personally I think that the extra weight and bulk outweigh the extra output. You may also want to consider the durability of the item. b. Extra Batteries - one set should be plenty c. Extra Bulbs - and extra bulb weighs little and should be included. d. Glow Sticks - while this item might be omitted I think it is extremely helpful to have along. For children, who may be worried, scared and upset, the warm glow of a glow stick can work wonders in comfort and security. You wouldn't want to leave the flashlight on all night but if a night-light is what you need - use a glow stick. 8. Communications - Staying in touch with what is going on around you can be critical. To do so you have several options but first is a plain simple am/fm radio. You can choose combination radios that run on solar power or have a crank to charge them or will run on batteries. Some include lights and even little TV screens. All electronic are susceptible to EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) blasts and could be knocked out if we were hit with one. Because of this I recommend that the electronics in your 72 hour kit or other emergency preparedness items be protected by a "Faraday" cage. It is as simple and insulating the item and then wrapping it up in tin foil. The tin foil has many uses and is nice to have along. a. Whistle - If you can whistle with your fingers you may not need a whistle, but for small children or people who can't whistle with their fingers this could be an important signaling tool. Even if you can whistle with your fingers, a plastic whistle can have a higher pitch and takes less energy. b. Radio - A small portable radio should be in Mom & Dad's Kits. Teenagers can have their ipods or equivalent. i. Regular AM/FM - You can choose a Grundig or similar hand cranked or battery powered short wave radio with T.V. frequencies or solar powered options or not, where you go with this item has a lot of options - however, at least have a simple small radio that gets am & fm and gets decent reception. ii. Shortwave - you can chose a shortwave radio and some even come with TV frequencies. c. Walkie Talkies - these usually only cover short distances. Even though you will see them advertised with ranges up to 5, 8 or even 10 miles those ranges are rarely achieved and not likely if there are any hills, buildings or obstacles obstructing the signals. d. 2-meter Transceivers - good options if you are a ham or have interest in becoming a ham but not likely the route to go for most people. 9. Clothing - OK, now we get to Clothing - If push came to shove you could probably make it in your same clothes for 3 days without dying. This is assuming you are able to secure a good shelter, as clothing is nothing more than portable shelter. I recognize that in some climates clothing may be more important. However, if you are away from home, and it is winter, I hope you always carry extra blankets in your car and that you take your coats with you and don't leave them hanging in the closet at home. So, while many lists include a change of clothing I do not feel it is imperative but if you have room look over the list below. Here is my list of items to include in order of importance: a. Polypropylene Liner Socks - if you are doing much walking, you will want to take very good care of your feet - to do so, you want to you're your feet as dry as possible and as clean as possible. Using polypropylene liner socks under your socks will wick moister away from you feet and keep them dryer and less likely subject to blisters. - These can be purchased at REI or a sporting goods store. They are light and for adults or teenage children I would include 2 pairs of these before any other clothing items. b. Socks - next most important item is clean socks - at least one other pair so you can wash one pair and lay them out to dry and have another to put on. c. Hat - you lose most of your body heat out of your head and feet so a hat is next on the clothing items. I recommend a baseball hat for keeping sun out of your eyes and off of your head and which is good for warmth also. In addition to a baseball cap, a stocking cap should be put in for use in cold weather. d. Gloves - a good pair of leather work gloves will both keep your hands warm and protected when working. e. Change of underclothing - we are now moving into the items of comfort but not real critical so if your space if full, here is where to cut back. f. Extra shirt & pants - again, not critical but nice if you have lots of extra space. g. Jacket - in some climates this will be more vital but I don't think it needs including in the kit. If it is fall winter or spring it is likely it will already be on your back. h. Travel Sewing kit - a couple of needles and some extra thread. 10. Special Needs Items - Consideration to child or infant needs should be considered. Including items for them such as diapers, pacifiers, toys, crayons, and stuffed animals will work wonders. Think about the church diaper bag. Extra clothing items are more important for toddles and infants. Also, you may want to include formula and bottles and baby crackers. 11. Pets - If you have a pet you will be caring for, don't forget to put together something for them and be prepared to have a cage or strong leash and way to carry the items. Vaccination papers would be good to include. For larger dogs you can actually buy them small packs so they can carry some of their food. 12. Religious Items - Some people would consider a set of scriptures as essential. I consider them essential for spiritual survival but your kit is aimed at temporal survival. Also, my personal set of scriptures is huge & large print. However, I do have some small military issue scriptures that I can read with my magnifying and I include them in my kit. Other items to consider are Patriarchal Blessings and Genealogy (perhaps shrunken and laminated) and Concentrated Oil. 13. Entertainment Items - if you have room (big "IF" at this point) you may want to include a small deck of cards, harmonica, travel chess/checkers or other entertainment items. 14. NICE ITEMS - you may want these if you can afford them & if you have room for them. a. Bivy Sack (from $65 to $265) b. GPS (from $130 to over $500 plus) c. Walkie Talkies d. Shortwave radios e. Upgraded Rain Gear f. Upgraded water filtration systems g. Upgraded camp stove equipment Additional Notes: Our jogging stroller has large tires and will traverse rough terrain and help with not having to carry the 15 month old. Having Mountain Bikes and going on family bike rides can also be very helpful in an emergency. So, in addition to promoting family activities, health and unity, if needed in an emergency you can cover a lot of extra ground that you cannot cover walking. |
72 HOUR EMERGENCY KITS |