I finally did it. Creating an emergency preparedness kit has been on my to-do list for a long time, and we finally put it together. What peace of mind I now have since we have taken the steps to prepare our family for the worst. I would hate for something to happen and kick myself for not doing something sooner. My purpose at Meaningful Mama has been to inspire intentional and creative parenting. I want to help equip you in this challenging job. I have also wanted to have accountability for myself – to turn all of my “I should…” moments into reality. This emergency and earthquake preparedness kit was one of those “I should…” thoughts that I can check off the list. I also wanted to create this emergency and earthquake preparedness checklist for you to make it easier to start to put things together for your family. (Note: The checklist provided is based on my own research and what made sense for our family. Cross check lists to determine what you think is necessary for your family).
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I never want tragedy to strike, but I’m sure it will. In our area, the Pacific Northwest, there have been some doomsday articles that describe what life could look like if the big one hit. We’ve been warned about “the big one” all along the pacific coast for a long time. Chile just received their big shock. While I know this kind of tragedy might not happen in my lifetime, I’m also very aware that it could happen tomorrow. I don’t want to live in fear, and I’m not one to expect disaster. I trust God with what might happen. That said, I figure there is no harm in preparing for the worst, even if the articles feel dramatic. Today I just wanted to bring the awareness of the benefits of being prepared and also provide you with a list of the things we purchased to make it easy for you consider what to buy for your family.
We pieced together our kit because we have a five person family and most kits come for 4. Further, we read some reviews, and there were a few complaints about quality of items in the pre-packed kit. That said, there was a lot of positive feedback also, and it’s super easy to buy a pack that is compiled for you. We spent about $300, which is more than the $200 for the kit we were looking at, but we are super happy with what we chose. We also had some of these items at home that we added to our duffle bag. I created my own Amazon purchase list based on both the pre-packed kits available and what is recommended at FEMA.
If you decide to choose a ready-made survival kit, here is one deluxe option:
4 Person Perfect Survival Kit Deluxe for Earthquake, Evacuation, Emergency Disaster Preparedness 72 Hour Kits for Home, Work or Auto: 4 Person
Emergency and Earthquake Preparedness Kit Shopping List
LifeStraw Family 1.0 Water Purifier
SABRE 3-IN-1 Pepper Spray – Advanced Police Strength – Compact Size with Clip (Max Protection – 25 Shots, up to 5x’s more) – Just in case people start going crazy! 🙂
SE ET3683 Emergency Outdoor Tube Tent with Steel Tent Pegs
Life Mask® N95 Flat Fold Face Mask, 4-layer Filter Respirator (5-pack) Individually Wrapped
BlackCanyon Outfitters 71050/L3B Large Economy Split Cowhide Leather Palm Gloves, 3 Pair
UST Marine Micro StarFlash Mirror
Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets (Pack of 10)
Grabber Warmers Grabber 12+ Hours Peel N’ Stick Body Warmer, 40-Count
Outop 4pcs Outdoor Camping Hiking Cookware Backpacking Cooking Picnic Bowl Pot Pan Set
Coleman 333264 Propane Fuel Pressurized Cylinder, 16.4 Oz
SE PB15NP 15″ Heavy-Duty Flat Pry Bar with Gas Valve Shut-Off Feature
Koch 5170625 Diamond Braid Polypropylene Rope, 3/16 by 100 Feet, Assorted Colors
Glad Strong Outdoor Quick-Tie Trash Bags, Large, 30 Gallon, 40 Count
Kleenex® 3-Ply Pocket Packs Facial Tissues (8 packs of 10 tissues)
Gerber 31-000699 Bear Grylls Survival Series Fire Starter
GoodSense Ibuprofen Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer Tablets (NSAID), 200 mg, 100 Count
PURELL Sanitizing Hand Wipes Individually Wrapped 100-ct. Box
Bicycle Standard Index Playing Cards (Pack of 2)
Cyalume SnapLight Industrial Grade Light Sticks, Green, 6″ Long, 12 Hour Duration (Pack of 10)
Victorinox Swiss Army Super Tinker Pocket Knife
Swing-A-Way 407BK Portable Can Opener, Black
I also went to Rite Aid and put together toiletries for all (toothpaste, toothbrush, q-tips, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, conditioner, razor, shaving cream, soap, comb, hair bands).
We put a small backpack inside in case we need to be mobile and put it all in a large duffle bag.
Don’t forget to download the EMERGENCY. Here’s a picture of page 1 of 3:
So, I’m officially a prepper. OK – Not really, but I feel more at peace now that we are prepared for the worst. Perhaps I inspired you to start to make your own kit so that you feel at ease too. Like I said, I trust God. The Bible says that there will be more earthquakes, floods, and wars as we near Christ’s return. I eagerly anticipate when Christ takes away all this pain and suffering, which will happen. None of us know the day or the time, but we can be all be more ready for the hard times to come before the earth is restored. .
You have a great list for emergency preparedness. Taking some Ibuprofen is a good idea, but there should definitely be more medical supplies. I do really like how you included playing cards. You wouldn’t want to go crazy with boredom!
Thanks! Good thought about adding some additional medical supplies. Any thoughts about what would be most essential?