What's in your emergency kit?

[olds]

Don't have one, don't need one.

Hell no. Who needs an emergency kit when you are flush with street lights?

 

[Mixolydian]

Hell no. Who needs an emergency kit when you are flush with street lights?

Exactly!

 

[RossMAN]

I already a member.

Did you pay for it out of pocket or did your employer pay part of it?

 

[madoka]

Any recommendations on specific brands/products of any of these things? Anything else you would include?

I noticed that you're missing first aid supplies. In buying them:

1) you can never have enough gauze

2) look into getting your hands on Kerlix brand dressing, Quikclot, and Israeli bandages

3) take a first aid class so you know what to do (REI offers wilderness EMT classes for a minimal cost)

4) look to this guy's first aid kit for more inspiration:

http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=33826

 

[DrPizza]

We have plenty of emergency supplies for our animals. It would probably never come to it, but the drugs could probably be used on a person, if it really came down to it. We have plenty of food, and plenty of fuel for the generator. Shallow well, so without power, I could still get water easily. Gallons of lamp oil, and extra wicks for the oil lamps. Plus, a couple of Amish stores within walking distance.

 

[madoka]

If any of us actually "needed" more than 2 months of food (IE there's no help from FEMA or state aid) then we would be at a level where people would be forcibly raiding houses and people.

Recent history has shown us what could happen. Everybody knew Katrina and Sandy were on their way. They had warning, could prepare and evacuate. So even with a limited number of people affected, you had police abandon their posts, no emergency response, looting, and no government aid for weeks going onto months.

If a major earthquake hits California, it will be unexpected and affect up to 40 million people. If the government couldn't help a few thousand people, imagine what would happen with millions. Even the most rational guys will commit desperate acts when they see their kids go hungry.

The doomsday preppers are easy to mock because a high percentage of them are tinfoil types. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared for disasters in your area.

 

[jupiter57]

If I lived somewhere that I was afraid I would need to survive a month without any help or fresh supplies after a disaster... I would just move.

^
This.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Don't have one. I probably should consider it though, but the odds of a big disaster here is very slim, we don't get hurricanes and such. I'd say the most damaging weather we get is the intense cold. A power outage during this time would not be very fun. I've been thinking of getting a generator and always keeping some fuel handy. Could install an inlet on my house and a transfer switch as well. Though even if that was to happen, at least I'd still HAVE a house.

 

[Cerb]

My thoughts:

1. Forget the crank crap. Instead:
1A. Keep batteries around.
1B. Get a decent lantern, such as one of UST's.
1C. Get good long-lasting reliable flashlights. A Gerber Infinity Ultra won't be your go-to flashlight every day, but it would be the one that I would pay full price for, for an emergency kit (as small as it is, make a lanyard for it). Dorcy makes nice cheap lights, and Energizers lately haven't been bad, either. You don't want cheap to the point of the ever-common 3xAA many-5mm types, as reliability sucks on even the better of those.

Also, any flashlights or lanterns stored for emergencies should either be stored with lithium batteries, or no batteries.

2. You might want to consider getting a camp stove. Then, with water, you could cook normal food. I mean, really, you're probably not going to need to manage more than a week or so, with nothing; and if it comes to that, your mind is going to be way more important than having MREs.

3. Fixed blade? Why? What will a good folding blade not do? Better to just have a decent knife with you whenever possible, and learn to care for it. If I am in a survival situation and need more than my Wave's blade, I'm going to want a hatchet or hacksaw, not a fixed blade knife.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

It really boils down to what you're trying to prepare for.

If you read about our infrastructure, and how it would handle one of these direct solar flares, you would consider being prepared for 1-2 years of no electricity. That is a long time without running water, sewage, and so forth.

There's no way to reliable supply our population with that much food and water.


It's a difficult thing to think about, but it is worth considering how you would handle it.

 

[Wyndru]

i got an emergency kit in my emergency kit. beat that.

 

[OlafSicky]

Don't have one. I probably should consider it though, but the odds of a big disaster here is very slim, we don't get hurricanes and such. I'd say the most damaging weather we get is the intense cold. A power outage during this time would not be very fun. I've been thinking of getting a generator and always keeping some fuel handy. Could install an inlet on my house and a transfer switch as well. Though even if that was to happen, at least I'd still HAVE a house.

If you are afraid of the could you should get a wood burning stove. A good one will heat a room very well.

 

[Hoober]

Ky Jelly. I have to repopulate the world! LOL!

You're doing it wrong.

 

[skyking]

It really boils down to what you're trying to prepare for.

If you read about our infrastructure, and how it would handle one of these direct solar flares, you would consider being prepared for 1-2 years of no electricity. That is a long time without running water, sewage, and so forth.

There's no way to reliable supply our population with that much food and water.


It's a difficult thing to think about, but it is worth considering how you would handle it.

Food and gasoline would be the problem here. We are out in the country, and can run our well periodically on generator. I can knock together a woodburner for heat. Plenty of wood out here for it.