The expert advice is to have on hand emergency supplies sufficient to meet your needs for at least three days, some say five. After the quake there may be no public water, no power, no access to stores and no access to your home. Whoops, there's a problem (as though an earthquake isn't problem enough) if there's no access to your home, how do you get to your safety supplies?
Duplication is good. Keep another pack of supplies in your vehicle. Keep one at work. Backpacks are great for the duplicate supply kits because they're easy to grab and carry. But you won't get three days of supplies for a whole family and pets into most backpacks. The key to your home supplies is to put them where they'll be accessible even if your home is not. If you have an outside area, away from the walls of the house, that would be best. If you're an apartment dweller with no outside, keep a backpack where you can reach it when you're leaving in a hurry. Don't forget that closet shelves may come down burying what was on the floor. And again, have another supply pack in your vehicle.
For the outside supply kit a good size, 33 gallon, plastic trash can with a fastenable, tight fitting lid works well. Extra sealing, (foam rubber strips from the hardware store) and extra fastening (bungee cords) may be necessary to keep out bugs and animals. Either secure the can so it won't be knocked over or dig a hole up to half as deep as the can is tall and lower it in. As you fill it with supplies keep in mind that where in the can you put something has everything to do with the size of the item and the order in which you are likely to need it. Here's our suggestions of what supplies to have and where in the can to put them.
First put in:
- Bedding
- Eating Utensils
- Clothes
- Personal Supplies
- Baby or Kid Stuff
- Equipment
- Fuel and Fire starting Stuff
- A Little Cash (small bills)
- Copy of Your ID's (in ziploc bag)
- Water Purification Stuff
Here's a more complete list for the bottom third of the can:
- Blankets
- Tarp or plastic sheeting
- Sleeping bag
- Can opener
- Cooking pan, Paper plates, plastic utensils
- One change of clothes per person
- Shoes
- Gloves
- Warm coat or jacket
- Hat (for sun)
- Diapers
- Baby supplies
- Stuffed toy for little kids
- Game for diversion for everybody
- Book to read
- Writing paper
- Pencils
- Toilet kit
- Toilet paper
- Towel
- Plastic bags for sanitary disposal
- Axe
- Folding Shovel
- Bucket
- Candles
- Matches
- Sterno (canned heat)
- Fire extinguisher
- Eye dropper
- Liquid chlorine
- bleach
- Water purification tablets
Next put in food, water and an extra can opener.
A minimum three days food supply for one person should contain at least 2100 calories per day, require no refrigeration, and no preparation. Here's an example. One half pound of each of the following will do for one person for three days:
- Canned fruit juice
- Canned tuna or pork and beans
- Dried fruit
- Graham crackers
- Nonfat dry milk
- Peanut butter
- And throw in a bottle of multi-vitamins. You'll need your strength.
The minimum for water is one gallon per person per day. More in hot climates. The water containers should be resealable.
On the top put:
- Flashlight
- Folding knife
- First Aid Kit
- Prescription medications
- Extra glasses or contacts
- Portable radio with extra batteries
- Whistle to attract attention
- Extra car key, disguised in something else for security.
A tent or your car may be your only shelter for a while. If you have one store it safely and accessibly near your supply can. A larger family or more extensive supplies may easily require more than one can. But don't be daunted by the size of the list. Even if you get only a few of what you consider the most important things stashed in one can in the yard, you'll be away ahead of no preparation at all.
EarthquakeAdvisor.Com Safety
