Items To Deposit In A Survival Bag
Should there be a disaster or a sever power outage in your area it is a good idea to have a survival bag that you can grab and run to safety. This bag might just keep you alive during a tornado, earthquake or other natural disaster. Put your bag in an area where you will find it easy to grab and run. If you live in a place where tornadoes are prevalent just put the bag in the safe area. If you live where there are earthquakes place the bag near the place you will run to get out of the house.
Some say that a survival bag must contain supplies for 72 hours to one week. But, how many people have the resources and the place to put a bag like that. If you do have the room then go ahead and plan for that long. If not there are a few essentials you will need.
You can use a duffel bag but the best bag to use is a book bag or back pack. You can put the straps over your shoulders and you will never loose the bag. You can have a large one for one person in the family to carry or smaller ones for each member of the family. Make certain that everyone is aware of the location of the bags. Make sure everyone knows the procedure on how to grab the bags and get to safety. If you do drills, especially when you have small children, they will automatically grab the bag and go to the safe area without panicking and without question.
Contents of a survival bag vary but high on the list is a flashlight that runs by battery and include new batteries. You can also get what is called a crank flashlight and these work better if you are going to be in the dark for more than a few hours. The handle must be cranked for a few minutes and the flashlight will work for a couple of hours. Once the light goes out you just start cranking again and you do not need batteries. Another good thing to have is a battery operated radio or a crank radio that works on the same system as the flashlight.
Always include a first aid kit with bandages, antiseptic and gauze. You may want to include some antacids and pain medication as well. If you take medication on a regular basis you will want to include a few days worth of each medication in the survival bag. Just remember to rotate it. When you get a new bottle of medication take the one out of the bag and switch the pills in there for some new ones. That way you will never have to worry if your medication is out dated. If you are a diabetic and take medication that has to be refrigerated you can put needles you might need in the bag and if you can stop at the refrigerator to grab your vial of insulin on the way to safety you should do so. If it would be dangerous to try and retrieve it leave it alone and find someone from Red Cross as soon as possible after the disaster is over.
If you wear contacts you might want to put some supplies in the bag like solution and a contact case. If you have an extra pair of glasses you might want to leave them in there as well. Females should put a few feminine products in the bag just in case you need them.
You need to put copies of important papers in your bag. Include copies of your driver’s license or state card, social security card, insurance ID, home insurance papers, and any other paperwork you think you might need in an emergency. Put only the photocopies in the bag not the originals. Also put in some paper money that you can spare. You might need it because those ATM machines are not going to work in an emergency.
You need some water and food in your survival bag so put in some bottled water and rotate it every once in awhile. Put in some candy bars, they last a long time, and some crackers, tuna in a bag and some other non perishable food. You might want to put in a pocket knife as well. Include a book of matches or two. If you can fit a change of clothing or several including socks and underwear you should put them in there. You can also get blankets that have a silver side and will either retain heat if it is cold or help to shield you from heat if it is hot. You may want to include family photos just in case you get separated. This will help in searching for the lost family member. Include a loud whistle. If you get buried under debris you can blow on it and people will hear you.
During a natural disaster or power outage a survival bag can be a life saver. Put the bag where you will always be able to get to it and grab it before you run outside or down into a safe area in your house. You can create one for just a little bit of money or buy just a few things one at a time to put in it. It might save your life during an emergency.
Get more information about the important supplies you will need if there is an emergency today! There are many supplies required for 72 hour kits to be effective. Having a survival bag can protect you and your family if there is a disaster!