Disasters are something that we would definitely prefer not to think about. However, being prepared for a disaster is very important, whether that disaster is an earthquake, flood, landslide or fire. You should be ready to survive for 72 hours by yourself after a major disaster. If you and your neighbours are forced to leave your home and be self-sufficient for several days, are you prepared?
To be truly prepared, you should have emergency supplies wherever you might be during the day. The home, office, car, and child care center or school all need to be ready to accommodate you during an earthquake. Mobile earthquake kits are best stored in backpacks so that you can move with the kit.
What should you have in an earthquake kit?
Rain gear like a folding poncho
Extra shoes for a home kit
A hat
A space blanket, several for a home kit
A flashlight
Toilet paper or wet wipes
A whistle
Gloves and a shovel to remove people from buildings
A basic first aid kit
Food bars for a mobile kit and canned food and tetra packs for a home kit
Water boxes or water purification tablets
A hand-crank charger for a cell phone
Remove your earthquake supplies and use them every couple of years so that they don’t get stale. Earthquake kit supplies should have a shelf life of three to five years.
An earthquake kit is just one part of a home earthquake emergency plan. Choosing a safe place to hide, finding exit routes from the home, learning how to turn off the gas, and having an emergency meeting place and contact people are other essential ways to plan for an earthquake.
What have you done to get your family ready for an earthquake? Is your school or office ready as well? How about your car or your purse?