Home items for emergencies are a key factor in your preparedness during unforeseen natural events. With the rapid climate change, we have been faced with an unprecedented number of disasters yearly, from wildfires to snowstorms.
Many of these events are unexpected, and you may find yourself relying on some of your supplies to provide basic care and assistance when you cannot get to the nearby store or other emergency sources quickly.
It is not possible to stock up on all of your home items for emergencies. You can prepare for emergencies by stockpiling items that are important to you and by preparing for specific disasters that your area is being warned of.
One of the best ways to do this is to create a pre-plan for emergencies in advance. This is best done by making a list of all the items vital to your standard of living and storing those items in emergency supply kits that you can access during emergencies. If you’ve never done this before, here are some items that should be on the list.
- Water – Storage Containers
Water is a must-have item that should be part of any emergency kit. It would be one of the first things you would need in case of a disaster. Most first aid kits will contain water storage containers. These are easy to carry around in water bottles and can help save lives. Many families have small water storage containers that you can store in cupboards or pantry shelves.
Some families have a supply of bottled water. You may have some water for cooking with, cleaning up from spills, or flushing the toilet. If there is an emergency where water is needed, having plenty of water with you can ensure that you have enough for your basic needs at least, especially if the pipes clog and you can’t leave the house.
If your home gets hit by a hurricane or flood, having water with you will also prove useful if you need to use it to drink, clean up, clean clothes, or dry off belongings. There are numerous water storage containers in different sizes you can use to store water in preparation for said events. Choose the best suitable for the number of days you’re expected to stay indoors and the number of people in your household.
- Water Filtration System
Another disaster survival item that should be in a kit is a water-filtration system. With the rising prices of bottled water, having clean water available for your family in case of a hurricane or disaster will give them peace of mind.
A pressure-filtering system will ensure that water is purified before drinking. This can also be extremely helpful for doing dishes, or cooking.
- Medication – Medicine Kits
You probably have some type of emergency medicine that you or someone in your household needs to depend on. It might range from an EpiPen to a nebulizer.
This may include prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, or even supplements. All of these items should be part of your emergency kit, along with extra prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses, Band-Aids and gloves, bags, blankets, and more.
- Flashlights
Most people think of flashlights when it comes to emergencies, they are a must-have item in an emergency kit because of the possibility of a power outage. Flashlights can be portable battery-operated models or more powerful electric models that you plug into an outlet.
If you have flashlights in your home, you should make sure that they are easily accessible and can recharge as well. The last thing anyone wants is to be stranded or taken by surprise when the power goes off due to a lack of proper home items like flashlights.
If you have a garage or work shed, storing tools may be easier than with other areas of the house. Items that are normally in storage containers can be easily accessed and used in an emergency.
You can store these containers in the garage, make them small and portable so that you can easily grab them when you need to. You can go the extra mile by preparing one for each member of your household.
- Pest Control Items
Insects are another type of nuisance and might come as an aftermath of natural disasters like flooding. You need to stock them ahead of time as stores might likely be closed or inaccessible. Several pest control products can be purchased and placed around the home in case of a hurricane.
Most of these pest control products are effective against ants, flies, and fleas and can be extremely effective against ticks. Ticks, mosquitoes, and flies can carry diseases that could harm humans, so it is important to get rid of them as soon as possible after a storm or disaster.
- Additional Items That Should Be In Your Emergency Kit
Other items that should be part of an emergency kit include canned or packet foods, flashlights, batteries, matches, and candles. And other candle supplies, toiletry items such as toothpaste and soap, canned goods, and water purification tablets.
A can of compressed oxygen is an excellent item to have on hand for breathing while trapped in a hurricane or tornado. Especially if a member of the family has a respiratory issue.
In Conclusion
Homeowners should be aware of emergency supplies that they should keep in their homes in case of a disaster. Having survival items such as food, water, blankets, toiletry items, cooking supplies, first aid kits, and other necessary supplies can mean the difference between life and death for you and your family.
There are many kits that you can buy that contain all sorts of items that could be very important during emergencies. These kits can be purchased at your local drugstore or even at your local home improvement store. Even if you do not have an emergency kit or storage container in your home, it will help to keep supplies handy in case of a disaster.