Today, I started making my hurricane kit. What is a hurricane kit you may ask? Well, You came to the right place. I had no clue what to put into this kit. I grew up in upstate South Carolina. Generally, we didn’t worry about hurricanes or making an emergency kit of any kind.
The more I looked into how to prep the more I realized everyone should have a kit similar to this. Tornados, lightning storms, snow storms, and other weather events are unpredictable. We should take initiative and be prepared. It doesn’t matter if you are in Florida with me, Iowa, or back in my South Carolina hometown, you should have this kit handy.
One of the most important items is water. FEMA recommends one gallon per person per day. You will also need canned foods (hello soup and Chef Boyardee) and other nonperishable food items. You should have a two week supply of food and water.
A big reason we have these kits is power outages. So make sure you have a few flashlights and the correct sized batteries for those flashlights. I also have a Coleman lantern that has come in handy a few times.
As far as health and safety, make sure you have a basic first aid kit. You will also need a two-week supply of your medications. Personal hygiene and sanitation items are also important. I recommend having some Wet Wipes in case there is no access to running water.
Copies of personal documents should be in a fireproof and waterproof safe. This saves you the trouble of having to search for them or having to replace them if they become damaged. Have a list of emergency contact information in your kit. If your phone dies you will want to have this list written down.
If you have pets, young children, or family members that require special care make sure you have a list of items specifically for them. You don’t want to be stuck in an emergency and not have the crucial items you need.
Lastly, if you have a generator make sure you have extra fuel! It may also come in handy to have fuel for you car as well.
This is a LONG comprehensive list. Depending on your location all of this may not be necessary to have on hand at all times. So take this list and make it work for you! (For example: If you live in an area prone to fires you may need a dust mask. If you rarely see these storms, maybe you only need a week of food.) I suggest going through your kit once a year so you can take out any items that may be expiring. This will ensure you use it before it goes bad and that you have time to replace these items.
Congrats if you made it to the end of this post! It wasn’t a super interesting one, but it pertains to real life. I have never had to think about these things and am totally unprepared for the coming storm. I wanted to share with all my lovely readers so that you can be more prepared than I am.
More information can be found HERE on the Fema website.
If you think I left anything out, please let me know in the comments below. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a post. See you on Monday!
The FashionABLE Milso 