Emergency Kits: What Should You Store?

[Cold Steel]

On another thread, we discuss how appropriate it is to spite guns and ammo for our emergency kits. My list is as follows. What would you add or delete?

  1. Gun and ammo (what kind?)

  2. Food

  3. Water (water filters)

  4. Thermal blankets

  5. Knives (folding, fixed blades) 

  6. Gun cleaning kit

  7. Cleaner, lubricant, preservative (CLP, BreakFree)

  8. Toothbrushes, floss, salt and baking soda mixture

  9. Good LED flashlight (Klarus RS20)

10. Batteries (CR123A, 18650, solar charger, AA)

11. Fire starter, matches in medicine container

12. Underwear, clothing

13. Medicine, antibiotics

14. Hand sanitizer

15. First Aid kit

16. Walkie-talkies/batteries 

17. Gold, silver

18. Radio /batteries

19. Scriptures

20. Tablet, solar charger with helpful aps (conversion, calculator, knots)

21. Nylon cord (various sizes, lengths)

 

Edited January 12, 2016 by Cold Steel

[VideoGameJunkie]

Nintendo 3DS XL and all my games.  Emergencies can get boring.

[Bernard Gui]

Chocolate. You can trade 

anything for chocolate

[Rain]

TP

[Buckeye]

Cash is better than precious metals for emergencies. 

I've looked at dozens of prep lists as part of my former emerg prep callings (Ward and stake) and none of the standard lists have guns or ammo. 

Maybe you're looking at emergency different than most. For the Red Cross, LDS church, and other agencies that taught preparedness, an emergency is a short term event for which there will be little time to react. Water and communication are always tops. Basic medical, critical documents, and food come next. Clothing, cash and basic tools as a third tier (yes, knives). But firearms don't ever make the cut  

Even scriprures are typically left off such lists. Lehis family only went back for scriptures once they were safely set up . 

[Anijen]

7 hours ago, Cold Steel said:

On another thread, we discuss how appropriate it is to spite guns and ammo for our emergency kits. My list is as follows. What would you add or delete?

  1. Gun and ammo (what kind?) 22lr for smaller varmints, and buckshot and larger caliber for hunting (I hope to never have to defend my family from others).

  2. Food The kind you eat, I like canned stuff, soups, stews, grains for making bread. Comfort food can help with making a dismal situation feel a little better (candy)

  3. Water (water filters) Berky water filters are great.

  4. Thermal blankets

  5. Knives (folding, fixed blades) 

  6. Gun cleaning kit

  7. Cleaner, lubricant, preservative (CLP, BreakFree)

  8. Toothbrushes, floss, salt and baking soda mixture

  9. Good LED flashlight (Klarus RS20)

10. Batteries (CR123A, 18650, solar charger, AA)

11. Fire starter, matches in medicine container

12. Underwear, clothing

13. Medicine, antibiotics FYI one can buy antibiotics for pets without a prescription that are the same as over the counter, might save a life if there is no doctor around and one gets an infection.

14. Hand sanitizer

15. First Aid kit

16. Walkie-talkies/batteries 

17. Gold, silver

18. Radio /batteries

19. Scriptures The old hard copies, your smart phones and mobil devices might not last that long.

20. Tablet, solar charger with helpful aps (conversion, calculator, knots)

21. Nylon cord (various sizes, lengths)

 

I think that list is good. I might add perhaps consider a generator, hand grinder, seeds for a future small crop for your family and neighbors, and a wood stove for cooking and warmth. Of course this would be for more of an emergency supply, not just a kit. I think of kit as a 72 hour kit. A lot of the stuff I mentioned is for more serious situations (long term).

This is a good topic for discussion.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Anijen

[thesometimesaint]

Lots depends on how long you anticipate that emergency is going to be. Carrying a little bit of water, food stuffs like Jerky, and Gorp, and a Space Blanket in your car is probably a good idea for short term emergencies. In your home for a long term emergency your finances and space are the limiting factors. But food, water, medicine are essential. 

[Gray]

Medical supplies, water, limited supply of food, and some cash. No more than a week's worth. Any more than that is probably a waste of money. A better investment is saving money against future emergencies. 

[Sleeper Cell]

2 hours ago, Gray said:

Medical supplies, water, limited supply of food, and some cash. No more than a week's worth. Any more than that is probably a waste of money. A better investment is saving money against future emergencies. 

The general consensus among Los Angeles County emergency managers is at least 3 weeks of food. If (heaven forbid) there is no disaster before the “expiration date” you can always eat the food.  If you build and maintain your food storage using bulk purchases when particular items are on sale, you may actually save money over the long run. 

I would certainly not discourage anyone from storing substantially more food and water, if they can properly manage it (and if doing so doesn’t disrupt the rest of their lives).  Especially if, in the event of a disaster, you feel obligated to share with your neighbors.  

Some cash is a very good idea (ATM’s credit card machines may not be working).  As you probably know, “medical supplies” should also include your prescription medications.

If one does nothing else, store some water.  It is cheap and you can survive without food longer than you can without water.

And don’t forget to store “knowledge.”  Its free, portable, and doesn’t require additional storage space.  For example, the standard CERT class (Community Emergency Response Team) is designed for civilians with no previous knowledge about disasters.  It is free and generally available at most Fire Departments  and some law enforcement agencies.

[Sleeper Cell]

12 hours ago, VideoGameJunkie said:

Nintendo 3DS XL and all my games.  Emergencies can get boring.

Actually, this is a good idea (with possible reservations about “all”).  And not just because emergencies can get boring (e.g., there can be a lot of “hurry up and wait.”).  Disasters are also stressful.  Anything that can reduce stress and anxiety will be useful.  And yes, that includes “comfort food,” such as chocolate.  After assembling the “essentials” it is generally recommended that you  “personalize” you disaster kit to some extent.

[Amulek]

12 hours ago, Rain said:

TP

+1

This is far and away the most useful item that I see not included on emergency lists with some degree of regularity. 

[Calm]

5 hours ago, Gray said:

Medical supplies, water, limited supply of food, and some cash. No more than a week's worth. Any more than that is probably a waste of money. A better investment is saving money against future emergencies. 

Actually purchasing food supplies ahead of time, looking for sales and such can save more money than savings accounts, etc.  you have to use stuff you eat normally, otherwise it will go to waste eventually.

I recommend Food Storage for the Clueless if you can find it.

[Gray]

51 minutes ago, Calm said:

Actually purchasing food supplies ahead of time, looking for sales and such can save more money than savings accounts, etc.  you have to use stuff you eat normally, otherwise it will go to waste eventually.

I recommend Food Storage for the Clueless if you can find it.

Could be. Maybe we're just doing it wrong but we've spent a lot of money on food storage in the past and most of that was wasted. 

[rockpond]

Years ago and wise bishop in my ward stood at the pulpit on Sunday and announced a "drill".  He asked the ward members to pretend, for one full week, that there had been some kind of catastrophe and that they had to live off only what was in their homes for the next week.

It was brilliant.  That week I realized many things that should be in my emergency storage that weren't.

So, my response to the question posed by the OP is to give it a shot... impose a drill on yourself but don't do any extra prep for it.  Just decide, perhaps right now, that you are going to go one week (or x days) without going to the store or going out to eat.  See how it goes.  Take notes.

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Gray said:

Could be. Maybe we're just doing it wrong but we've spent a lot of money on food storage in the past and most of that was wasted. 

It has to be food you use or yes, you will be throwing it out. One thing I learned and works for most people is that most will eat the same foods at least a good part of the time. Take those recipes and "schedule" them for 30 days. Some you may have once a month. Some you may have one a week regularly. Whatever it is your family does. Make a list of all the ingredients. Then triple that list. You now have a three month supply list. 

So when these items are on sale then get them. That doesn't mean you have to get it all. Just get what your budget allows. Then continue getting extra till you have three months worth. At that point you should still get things on sale, but you only need to worry about replenishing. For example if you notice diced tomatoes regularly go on sale for a great price every 5-6 weeks then you only buy 5-6 weeks worth instead of 3 months. 

Last, make sure to rotate them. Most food will keep in the freezer or cans etc 3 months, but if you constantly use the newest hamburger you will end up tossing the oldest. 

A lot of people think you need to spend a lot of money this way. I just share one of my companion's stories. When she was a child she was concerned about food storage, but her parents weren't. So she started sneaking one can into the grocery cart each time her mom went to the store. Then she hid it under her bed. When her dad lost his job her parents were amazed at the storage she had created for them. So even if you can only do one can extra on sale each trip you save money in the long run.

[Rain]

1 hour ago, rockpond said:

Years ago and wise bishop in my ward stood at the pulpit on Sunday and announced a "drill".  He asked the ward members to pretend, for one full week, that there had been some kind of catastrophe and that they had to live off only what was in their homes for the next week.

It was brilliant.  That week I realized many things that should be in my emergency storage that weren't.

So, my response to the question posed by the OP is to give it a shot... impose a drill on yourself but don't do any extra prep for it.  Just decide, perhaps right now, that you are going to go one week (or x days) without going to the store or going out to eat.  See how it goes.  Take notes.

One day I felt the need to do this for a month. It was eye opening. The thing we missed the most by the end of the month was fresh produce. We were blessed because that week we discovered our lettuce from the last year had gone to seed and sprung up just in time. 

When DH lost his job a couple of years ago we didn’t worry much at all about what we were spending because we had done that month and it prepared us. 

[Rain]

OK, can you tell I was once a provident living specialist with all my posts?  You can find a great spreadsheet here to help make your list of three months worth of food. 

[carbon dioxide]

Clearly duct tape and Twinkies should be at the top of the list.  

[The Nehor]

6 minutes ago, carbon dioxide said:

Clearly duct tape and Twinkies should be at the top of the list.  

I plan to get the jump on it and start with the cannibalism on day one.

[Cold Steel]

Just had a few more thoughts. Yes, money! I meant to list it with gold and silver. And the precious metals need not be a lot. In my bugout bag, I have ten ounces of silver and several gold coins. 

Years ago on my mission, several of us went up the tram in Palm Springs to go camping. We had a couple of Spanish speaking elders with us and they were to bring the flashlight. We set out a bit late and the sun had soon set and we were walking in darkness along a trail. My heart sunk when I saw our friend produce the flashlight. Out was a 99¢ bargain bin model with silver flashlight batteries (this was 1972). After about fifteen minutes, the light was barely visible and there was no moon. We could see campfires in the distance through the trees, but were on a trail with no light. Never forgot that little adventure.

Modern flashlights are much better. They're brighter, have different modes and much longer runtimes. On the lowest setting, it's not unusual to get 150-450 hours of light on a single charge (or set of lithium batteries).

Other items you might want to consider:

22. Q-tips

23. Paunchos

24. Energy Bars

25. Socks

26. Magnifier glasses (for reading, fire, first aid)

27. Lava soap

28. Sleeping bag

29. Nylon and reflective tarps

30. Nylon ties

31. Machete

32. Leatherman Ti multi-tool 

33. Nebo Big Larry Light (Amazon)

34. Whistle

35. Leather punch

36. Sewing kit

The first aid kit should have tweezers, a large, sealed tube of medicated ointment and bandages. Get a good kit and don't cheap out. 

Two things you can't get at Home Depot are 1) a quality flashlight and 2) a quality knife. Better to get those at Amazon or eBay. 

You'll need a good folding knife and one or two fixed-blades. Your flashlight should be a quality LED that takes CR123A lithium and 18650 rechargeable batteries. Great manufacturers include Nitecore, Klarus, Fenix and Olight. The Big Larry (above) takes three AA batteries and should be in everyone's kit. I also like the tiny Fenix E01 AAA light (I have four or five of them packed away).

Regarding knives, do any of you have any recommendations?

 

[Calm]

Quote

Paunchos

If I know what you mean, typical spelling is "ponchos" but perhaps you are talking about making sure to have coats that can be buttoned over one's stomach.

[mfbukowski]

As I see it, I might not trade for gold or silver because I would not know the value, or if it was real or what.

A better choice might be pre 1964 US quarters, because they are known to be silver, are easily identified and their value is easy to look up.  Make sure you get a bag or bags without numismatic value- old worn out coins, in other words.  You are interested strictly in metallic value and not value as collectables.

[mfbukowski]

18 hours ago, Buckeye said:

Cash is better than precious metals for emergencies. 

I've looked at dozens of prep lists as part of my former emerg prep callings (Ward and stake) and none of the standard lists have guns or ammo. 

Maybe you're looking at emergency different than most. For the Red Cross, LDS church, and other agencies that taught preparedness, an emergency is a short term event for which there will be little time to react. Water and communication are always tops. Basic medical, critical documents, and food come next. Clothing, cash and basic tools as a third tier (yes, knives). But firearms don't ever make the cut  

Even scriprures are typically left off such lists. Lehis family only went back for scriptures once they were safely set up . 

In a real melt-down paper money may be more paper than money.  Who knows?

[mfbukowski]

4 hours ago, Cold Steel said:

Just had a few more thoughts. Yes, money! I meant to list it with gold and silver. And the precious metals need not be a lot. In my bugout bag, I have ten ounces of silver and several gold coins. 

Years ago on my mission, several of us went up the tram in Palm Springs to go camping. We had a couple of Spanish speaking elders with us and they were to bring the flashlight. We set out a bit late and the sun had soon set and we were walking in darkness along a trail. My heart sunk when I saw our friend produce the flashlight. Out was a 99¢ bargain bin model with silver flashlight batteries (this was 1972). After about fifteen minutes, the light was barely visible and there was no moon. We could see campfires in the distance through the trees, but were on a trail with no light. Never forgot that little adventure.

Modern flashlights are much better. They're brighter, have different modes and much longer runtimes. On the lowest setting, it's not unusual to get 150-450 hours of light on a single charge (or set of lithium batteries).

Other items you might want to consider:

22. Q-tips

23. Paunchos

24. Energy Bars

25. Socks

26. Magnifier glasses (for reading, fire, first aid)

27. Lava soap

28. Sleeping bag

29. Nylon and reflective tarps

30. Nylon ties

31. Machete

32. Leatherman Ti multi-tool 

33. Nebo Big Larry Light (Amazon)

34. Whistle

35. Leather punch

36. Sewing kit

The first aid kit should have tweezers, a large, sealed tube of medicated ointment and bandages. Get a good kit and don't cheap out. 

Two things you can't get at Home Depot are 1) a quality flashlight and 2) a quality knife. Better to get those at Amazon or eBay. 

You'll need a good folding knife and one or two fixed-blades. Your flashlight should be a quality LED that takes CR123A lithium and 18650 rechargeable batteries. Great manufacturers include Nitecore, Klarus, Fenix and Olight. The Big Larry (above) takes three AA batteries and should be in everyone's kit. I also like the tiny Fenix E01 AAA light (I have four or five of them packed away).

Regarding knives, do any of you have any recommendations?

 

What you probably do NOT want is a typical :survival knife" with the hollow handke and stuff inside it, unless the knife and handle are machined out of one piece of steel and those are rare and expensive.  The problem is that you need something that will take abuse and that can act almost as an axe if needed, and the hollow handled knives tend to separate from the blade with serious abuse,  You want something you can actually use like a wedge to split small logs if necessary to make kindling, but yet sharp enough with a fine edge for some heavy duty whittling as needed.  It will be your most important overall tool.

A good fixed blade are the Ka-Bar "Marine" models - http://www.kabar.com/knives/detail/30

And I like the CRKT M-16 series- they are good sturdy folders with a double blade lock so they are nearly as good at taking abuse as a fixed blade.  They come in various sizes so you can choose the big mama like this one  http://www.crkt.com/M16-14-Z-Desert-Special-Forces-Tanto-AutoLAWKS-Combo-Edge

Or even small folders with a similar locking system for daily pocket carry. http://www.crkt.com/M1603Z

Those are my personal favorites.

I linked to the company site, but you can find better prices just by searching the model numbers and buying through dealers instead of the company itself.  The company prices are "suggested retail"

You will also need a good sharpening system or some skill and a good stone.

Edited January 13, 2016 by mfbukowski

[mfbukowski]

And these are absolutely fabulous- I am a total fan.  These are solar powered lights that never need or use batteries.  They are not super bright, but give a soft and generous light and are super dependable and I just plain love the technology

https://www.mpowerd.com/