Now that 2019 is in full swing, there are New Year’s resolutions that are being kept, and those that aren’t. With 2018 seeing some of history’s worst natural disasters worldwide, many people are making a point to start or improve their emergency preparedness survival kits. What should survival kits include? Obviously, food is one of the first things you’d think of, but there are many important additions to your survival kit that might never have even crossed your mind.

Food Storage

Federal agencies like FEMA recommend having enough food to last everyone in your household 72 hours, but that’s just the beginning. You’ll need a way to prepare food if the power goes out, and rotating your store of food is essential to ensure freshness. While enough food to last 72 hours is a great start, many emergencies last significantly longer than that. Because of this fact, it is recommended that you store more if possible, as long as your living situation and budget allows you to do so. Additionally, any good home survival kit should include drinking water - but don’t forget about storing water for other uses as well. In the event of a natural disaster like an earthquake, tornado, or hurricane, city and township water can be contaminated or shut off entirely. You’ll need water for cooking and personal hygiene purposes - and also and for keeping your pets hydrated.

Emergency Preparedness Supplies

In addition to including the necessary food and water, everyone’s survival kit should include some basic supplies. Medical items such as bandages and antibacterial ointment are important because you might not be able to get to the store to purchase these items. Be sure to store any medication you or your family members take, and keep it up to date. It’s never a bad idea to have a gasoline can for your vehicle or generators.

Emergency Preparedness Goals for 2019

Now that we’ve touched briefly upon the essentials of your home survival kit, what are some specific ideas for your 2019 preparedness goals? Here’s are some disaster preparation goals that you might not have on your list.

• Prepare a survival kit for your home, car and office, with varying items included for different disaster scenarios.
• Consider starting a fruit and/ or vegetable garden, if you can do so where you live. It’s a great feeling to not have to rely on grocery stores for your family’s nutritional needs.
• Learning how to preserve food. Processes like pickling will help your food storage last longer than it normally would have.
• Get in the habit of regularly rotating your food storage and checking expiration dates. Keep a detailed list of which food items will expire.
• Assess the likelihood of which natural disasters could potentially hit your area. Although you certainly can never be too careful, if you live in a warmer climate, you probably won’t need to store dozens of hand warmers and winter coats.
• Take your family camping and test out your survival kit. Make a pact to put away all digital devices. Does your kit contain all the emergency preparedness items you need to survive at least 72 hours? If the answer is no, write down exactly what additions you need to make to your kit.
• Learn enjoy doing things in nature like hiking, safely starting fires for cooking or warmth, building basic shelters, and so on. Any survival skills you learn now can possibly prove to be invaluable in an emergency.

Always A Good Decision

Getting in the mindset of maintaining your survival kit is great goal for anyone to have, considering the unpredictable nature of natural disasters. You can certainly spend quite a bit of time and money on building your survival kit, but you can also purchase a survival kit from More Prepared. All of our kits come with the necessary items you and your family need to survive for at least 72 hours, and have a 5 year shelf life.