72 Hour Kits

Twice a year, during General Conference weekend, we update our 72 hour kits. Since it's on my brain this week, I'm going to do a series of posts on what we include in each of our bags.

Today I'll talk about what's in the hubby's and my bags. This is a long post. But I wanted to give you more than just another packing list for your 72 hour kits. I've spent a ton of time researching things to put in our kits, and I wanted to share the info I've found as well as why I chose the items I did. Bear with me!!

Also, I just wanted to add... planning and preparing beforehand with tools and essentials that would be useful in an emergency can be expensive. Chances are, you already have many things around your house, but other things need to be budgeted for and purchased little by little. I'll leave it up to you to decide which things are the most important, and which things can wait until you have a chance to buy them. (And my kits aren't finished yet... I still have a list of things that I would like to include when possible!) That's why I use General Conference (or every 6 months) as a time to reevaluate the things we have and the things we might need. Our family changes. Our needs change. The kits need to reflect that. I feel like our kits are a continual work in progress because of this.

I'll be the first to admit: our kits are probably bloated. But I definitely want to fall under the category of "better to be too prepared, then not prepared enough." I can always give away or leave behind items that I have packed. Okay... let's get started!

Containers
I change what container I put my kit in periodically. Every time I update our kits I evaluate the most likely scenarios and decide. This go around, I decided to put it in a carry-on sized roller suitcase because most likely I'll be home with the kids while my hubby is at work. That means I'll have to carry the baby, her kit, my kit, and help Harvey with his. I thought it would be easier with the wheels; plus I could strap a backpack on top of the suitcase, strap the baby to me and wear Harvey's kit if it got too heavy for him. Justin's is in the large backpack, and the kids each have a small red one.

Food & Water:
I have gone back and forth on the food situation. During times of stress, we actually need to consume more calories then usual. I bought all "normal" stuff I thought my family would eat, and added up calories to make sure we would all be getting adequate nutrition. (I used this site and this site). But then I put all of that stuff in gallon sized ziptop bags (one for each day per person), and realized that not only was this option really expensive, but it was bulky and HEAVY. Plus, I would have to keep rotating all of that expensive food every 6 months to a year to keep it fresh (more $$).

Then I went over to Emergency Essentials, and actually tasted their Emergency Food Bars... and they actually taste really good. Pretty much like a shortbread Girl Scout Cookie. Plus they are super high in nutrition/calories, lightweight, inexpensive, and they store well at a wide range of temperatures for 5 years. I bought one for each of us (enough for 9 meals each), as well as some other flavored ones.

Even though I didn't pack canned goods or much we would eat with utensils, I still put a set in each pack, along with a manual can opener. I've read that many charities and shelters will hand out canned food in times of disaster, so can openers - and means to eat the food - are in high demand.

• Utensils
• Mess Kit (foldable bowl and cup)
• Manual can opener (pictured below with the tools/supplies)

Now, I realize that eating a tiny block of food for a meal, no matter how many calories it contains, would be hard for every meal for three days, so I added snack/comfort foods as well. I packed 12-14 for each adult, so we could eat 4-5 snacks each day.

To keep the snacks rotated, I'll let my family eat their snacks during General Conference every six months and I'll buy whatever is on sale to replace it. (Hopefully allowing the kids to start this "tradition" they will remind me to rotate the kits!) My favorite options for snack/comfort foods are:

• tuna pouches (not cans because of weight) & ritz crackers snack packs (I tasted the ready-to-eat boxed versions and I didn't like the taste, so I assembled my own)
• raisins (plain or yogurt covered)
• beef jerky
• dry fruit
• boxed (shelf stable) milk
• sunflower seeds
• nuts
• granola bars
• trail mix
• fruit snacks
• fruit pouches (in the baby aisle - just buy applesauce)
• gum (put in it's own ziplock before adding it with the other food, or all of your food will taste minty!)
• hard candy
• multi-vitamins

As far as water goes, I'm going with the some-is-better-than-nothing approach. It is just too heavy to evacuate on foot with the recommended 3 gallons per person, especially when most likely, Justin will be at work and I will have to manage three packs and two kids. Seriously, can you imagine me carrying 9 gallons of water, my baby, and all of our other supplies?! As my children get older and their ability to help carry supplies increases, I'll add more water. For now, I'm going to bank on finding water, so I'll have to be able to clean it. **However, see my last category: Grab List, for a scenario when we could evacuate by car.**

• 8-10 water bottles in the adult's packs
• water filter (ours allows us to drink directly out of the water source, or siphon it into a container)
• dropper with bleach
• ready-to-mix Crystal Lite packets so we can stand the taste of the water (pictured with the snacks)

Other things on my wish list:

• collapsible container to hold water we do find and clean - or that the evacuation center gives us 
• I've also debated about getting this Water Filtration Bottle
• water purification tablets

Clothing & Shelter:

• sweatshirt & sweatpants (comfortable, can cut off the arms and legs if it is too hot)
• thermal underwear (can layer, use for pjs, or use as a separate change of clothing if needed)
• 1 change of underwear and 2 pairs of socks (cold, wet feet can cause lots of problems)
• hat, gloves, and sunglasses

I chose sweats for lots of reasons: They are comfortable and warm. You can easily cut the arms and legs off if your emergency chances upon hot weather. They are roomy - and will accommodate for fluctuation in weight gain (aka pregnancies.. although consider putting in a larger size if needed). And they are cheap; I can buy a whole set for about 6 bucks when they are on sale at Walmart - but look early, because they go fast.

I live in Utah, and it gets cold here during the winter. If you live in a warmer climate, you might not need thermals and sweats... do what you need to do for your family. I store all of these items in ziplock bags; they take up less room when you suck the air out, they won't get wet if your bag does, and the bags can be used for other things (garbage, water collection, etc.).

• rain poncho
• thermal sleeping bag 
• hotties (hand warmers)
• tube tent

On the wish list:

• Heat Cell (can heat food, or warm a tent for 8-9 hours!)

First Aid:

I bought a pretty good first aid kit from REI. It's a women's outdoor kit, so it also included a few luxuries (tampons, wash cloths, chapstick). I have added some things: Vick's VapoRub, an extra container of Tylenol, Children's Tylenol, teething tablets, a forehead thermometer, and extra bandaids with Spiderman on them (hey.. they make "owies" better now.. why not add that extra comfort when we will be in a scary situation?) I grab this out of my kit when we go camping, so we use and rotate the supplies that way. Justin's bag has a similar first aid kit, so I figure my family is pretty covered, at least in the small-medium category. I'm still trying to figure out what I would do for the more serious injuries.

It is almost always cheaper to buy first aid supplies in a premade kit. You can find them everywhere; just compare the contents to a recommended list and choose the one you think covers that list the best. You can always add small things to your first aid kit.

Some other things I've considered:

• scissors (my kit didn't include them, but I have a pocket knife, so that would work)
• Burn Jel
• QuikClot
• some instant ice packs
• a snake bite kit
• maybe a pen light (for checking pupils, but I probably wouldn't know what I was looking for)
• saline solution (good for cleaning out wounds when you can't wash them out or stuffy baby noses)

Personal Care Kit:
I found these little bags at IKEA and filled them with everything we might need for our personal care. To keep them rotated, I pack them when we go camping. We evaluate what needs to be replaced/refilled after each trip.

• Washcloth
• Wet Ones 
• Shampoo/Conditioner
• Soap
• Hand Sanitizer
• Chapstick
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Cotton Swabs
• Comb/Brush
• Kleenex
• Finger Nail Clippers
• Compact Mirror
• Sunscreen
• Contact Lens supplies (in Justin's kit, along with an old pair of eye glasses)
• Feminine Products (I included liners, and my DivaCup is on my "grab list")

Tools & Supplies:

• Clothesline and pins
• Toilet paper
• Handy Saks (plastic bags)
• Flint & Steel
• Lighter
• Whistle
• Wind/Waterproof Matches
• Compass
• Flashlight
• Extra Batteries (wrap them with tape so the ends don't touch and deplete the charge)
• Lightsticks
• Permanent marker (not pictured - to write name on kids' chests in case of separation)

Some other things on my wishlist:

• NOAA weather/AM/FM radio - crank powered, and will also charge cell phones! (I've read that during lots of emergencies, you can send and receive texts even when you can't make a call because they are on a different bandwidth)
• Headlight
• Tide laundry detergent packs
• Small bars of soap (often a tradable commodity)

Important Family Documents/Cash:  
This deserves it's own post... and I'll post about it later this week!

Entertainment/Comfort Items:

• Book of Mormon
• Sudoku / Crossword puzzles
• Yahtzee - I bought a Johnson/Johnson travel first aid kit for the container, then I cut down 4 Yahtzee score sheets (I cut games 3-6 off) and folded them in half so they would fit. I need to laminate them and add a dry erase marker, so we could reuse them. Then I bought extra dice at the dollar store. 
• chalk (for games like hopscotch, or just drawing pictures)
• pen and notebook
• The Ultimate Indoor Games Book - full of tons of game ideas where nothing is needed... great for keeping anyone occupied, indoors or out!

Grab List:
Obviously, there are things that you would want to take with you in an evacuation, but can't store permanently in your kits. I have made up a list for each family member (well for now, it's just Justin and I but as the kids get older I'll give them each a list as well) of things to "grab and go" according to how much time we have. Here are some things I've included:

• coats & sturdy walking shoes (we keep our kits in the hall closet where both of these are stored)
• sleeping bags (zero rated)
• Luggable Loo
• throw perishable food into our cooler
• cell phones/charger
• external hard drive
• laptop computer
• large tent (if we can evacuate by car)
• 2-4 flats of water bottles (if we can evacuate by car)
• filled camelbaks (or other hydration backpacks)
• extra gas can (if we can evacuate by car)

Whew! Are you still with me?? Is there anything I missed?? Leave a comment and let me know!

Come back tomorrow for a peek at the contents of Harvey's (age 4) kit...