Grab n' Go Disaster Kits Blog

Sometimes disasters strike suddenly and without warning. Survivors are left shocked and wondering not only what happened, but what they should do next and if there are emergency resources immediately available to them. Having a link to the outside world is key if you’re trapped in a building or lost in the wilderness. It can literally make the difference between life and death in a survival situation.

An emergency radio can give you vital emergency information after a disaster strikes. You should absolutely have one in your survival kit, and there are several options to choose from. A compact radio is best so you can easily bring it with you if you need to be on the move. A radio powered by the sun or by a hand crank is useful because there are no batteries to run out of. On the other hand, if you choose a battery-powered radio, be sure to keep extra batteries stored along with it. There are also multi-function survival tools, like a flashlight/radio combination. This handy all-in-one is great because you only need to grab one item, not two, to have both light and information at your disposal.

 Associated Press July 25, 2010

I read an article about the dam breaking on Lake Delhi  in northeast Iowa When the damn broke the recreational lake which was a magnificent nine miles long,  drained away in just a few hours. This occurred after a mere 10 inches of rain. The areas below the dam including Hopkinton and Monticello had to be evacuated. The residents were ill prepared for such a disaster

With evacuation the residents had to find shelter and safety on higher ground. They were fortunate if they had disaster kits or at a minimum adequate supplies of water. The Aqua Literz , a 8.5 Fl Oz box of water with a 5 year shelf life would have been a welcome necessity. It can be easily stored, and with the potential for natural sources of water being disrupted would be beneficial to have  on hand.

Considering the hectic pace of modern life, it’s nice to have a place of retreat – either a cottage or a permanent residence – where you can get away from the hustle and bustle. Living in commune with the wild animals and stunning flora that populate America’s vast wilderness can be both exhilarating and life-affirming. Still, living far away from civilization requires thorough preparation.

In adverse weather conditions, roads occasionally become impassable. When this happens, it really pays to have a reliable source of food. You can rely partially on your own hunting and fishing prowess, but make sure to have a stockpile of emergency food supplies at hand in case the going gets especially rough. Don’t let your pride and sense of rugged individualism get in the way of wise planning.

I was cooking in the kitchen the other day and using a very sharp knife, and you guessed it I cut myself pretty severely.  I needed a medical emergency kit! I was bleeding and  needed antibiotics right away. Luckily I have a  42 piece First aid kit that I keep handy in my kitchen. It is part of a larger Disaster Survival Pal

The kit had every thing I needed to resolve what could have been a much worst event . I was able wrap up the wound on my hand after putting antibiotic cream on and stop the bleeding. It was deep enough that I needed some stitches but the first aid kit tided me over until I could get to the doctors office. its a good feeling to know you have what you need in case of an emergency.

Many of us enjoy camping  and of course with every camping trip, thought must be given to how you will light up your campsite and how you will be able to move from place to place. Having a standard flashlight is a very outdated solution because the batteries have a tendency to go out at the worst possible moment and the light is often not very bright.

A better solution is to familiarize yourself with other types of light sources. Some examples include the Emergency Dynamo Lantern which never needs batteries and comes equipped with LED lights. Another is Squeeze lights or Solar powered light. These solutions offer some additional options for your next camping trip and availability in your car or home for when you are stranded without lights.

You never know when an emergency may occur in your home. That is why it is very important to be prepared at all times. You should have a first aid kit at home so you can immediately attend to small injuries. Your first aid kit needs to be visible and accessible at all times.

You can choose from a variety of first aid kits for your home to properly prepare your family, no matter how big or small. They come fully stocked with the basic medicines and bandages for minor injuries. You should always check and restock your first aid kit so you will never run out of supplies. It doesn’t take to much time and effort to get a first aid kit for your home. You will be glad that you have one when the need arises.

During this week severe tornadoes struck parts of the

Chicago suburbs, Minnesota and Canada. Tornadoes are

known as the most violent storms. they have a rating

EO0 to EO5 with EO5 being the most violent. Although

they can strike anywhere , usually they strike various

regions at different parts of the year. This week rash

of storms differed from the predictive models for the

various regions
In Minnesota, 3 are confirmed dead and dozens

injured. Although Canada did not have deaths

associated with them, the damage to property

particularly mobile homes was extensive. The Chicago

suburb of Mattteson initially left 310,00 people

without power but within a day that number was

reduced to 4,700.
All of these reports highlight the need for both

familes and businesses to have an emergency reponse

plan. Being left without power for an extended period

without the proper rations and first aid equipment can

be devastating . Make sure your office, business and

family have a plan in case of any type of emergency. A

disaster kit would be a must have as it contains all

the essentials needed for at least 72 hours or longer.

Recent calamities have made me wonder how prepared we actually are when coming face-to-face with a disaster. Most victims did not see the worst coming. This is usually the case in any type of disaster, both natural and man-made. We grow too complacent in our belief that nothing bad will ever happen and we are often left unprepared when it does. In the end we feel helpless and are forced to depend on others for help.

This can be prevented by equipping ourselves with disaster survival kits. The kits contain everything needed for emergencies, from bandages to water purification tablets. We must also arm ourselves with enough knowledge on how to deal with any emergency. This preparation may spell the difference between life and death.

Sometimes as children of aging parents we are concerned with whether they are getting the nutrition they need. Oftentimes they should not be using a stove and it is a hardship to get to the store to buy groceries, particularly if they do not drive. One solution is to purchase food with a long term shelf life that can be prepared by adding water. These meals are fully cooked, dehydrated and sealed in nitrogen packaging.

The meals come in buckets that contain anywhere from 56 servings to 1,400 servings. The meals options include food for breakfast lunch and dinner. There is a wide variety of gourmet entrees such as beef stroganoff, Cheesy lasagna, chicken cacciatore, macaroni, creamy chicken pasta, and chicken a la king.  Breakfast entrees include blueberry pancakes and oatmeal. The larger the supply obtained the greater the variety of meals provided. For many elderly parents this variety would be an improvement to the meals they are eating on a regular basis and provide a significant nutrition advantage.

Given the ease of preparation, almost any parent who is lucid can prepare these meals. It does not involve utilizing the stove which is not recommended for many seniors due their forgetfulness.  Most meals can be eaten as prepared with water but if preferred can be heated up for 30 seconds to a minute in the microwave. I have tasted the meals and once hydrated are quite delicious. As a note these are not MRE’s the military acronym for Made Ready to Eat Meals. Those meals have no flavor and resemble cardboard as they are not precooked. before packaging. That is not the case with these meals and I think you’ll find the meals are satisfying, nutritious and delicious.

Depending on where you live, a disaster kit is imperative lest you get encounter some type of emergency situation. The type of emergencies that you are likely to encounter will guide additional items you might want to place in your kit besides the essential kit contents Other items to include copies of all identifying cards such as drivers license, Social security card and important phone numbers of relatives. Additionally you will want to have a week’s supply of all medications you take on a regular basis

Everyone in the household needs an emergency kit that contains a minimum of the following items: Food and Water for 3-5 days, emergency lighting and communication, such as radios and lanterns or flashlights, a tent or other form of shelter. , First aid supplies, hygiene items with essential shampoo, toothbrush, soap etc, and either playing cards or hand-held games to occupy your time

Hopefully, an emergency kit will never be needed but in the event that it is, you need to be prepared an emergency could happen in your car, as the result of a weather condition or through a terrorist attack utilizing chemical or biological agents. Regardless of the cause of the emergency you owe to yourself and your family to insure they are protected and prepared.. Over the long haul having that added peace of mind will go a long way towards guaranteeing you and your family’s safety.