A home survival kit is a very valuable tool to keep your family safe in the event of any emergency, including earthquakes. A well supplied home survival kit will allow you to eat, administer simple first aid, receive emergency information, and more. Your kit can be stored in your garage or backyard storage shed. Make sure that it will be accessible in an emergency. In addition to the home survival kit, you will want to have a personal emergency kit, and know how to purify drinking water.
33-Gallon plastic trash barrels make excellent storage bins for your home survival kit. These are even available with wheels, and can be purchased at your local hardware store. The barrel should have a tight fitting or latching lid to keep insects or household pets from disturbing your supplies. Store your emergency supplies in the barrel, in quantities sufficient to meet the needs of your household for at least 7-10 days.
Recommended contents for a home survival kit:
GENERAL SUPPLIES
– Water (1 gallon per person per day)
– First Aid Kit (ample, freshly stocked)
– First Aid Manual (know how to use it)
– Food (canned or individually packaged & precooked)
– Infant Food (canned or precooked)
– Manual can opener
– Blankets or sleeping bags for each family member
– Critical medication and eyeglasses
– Fire Extinguishers (dry chemical, type ABC)
– Flashlight (spare batteries and bulbs)
– Watch or clock (battery or spring wound)
– Dust Masks
– Portable Radio with spare batteries
– Spare Cash
– Duct Tape
– Basic Tool Kit
COOKING SUPPLIES
– Grill (use OUTSIDE ONLY – charcoal or sterno)
– Small Pots & Pans w/utensils
– Plastic bags (various sizes)
– Paper plates, plastic cups and utensils, paper towels
SANITATION SUPPLIES
– Large plastic trash bags (for trash, waste, water protection)
– Ground cloth or tarp
– Toiletries (personal hygiene supplies, toilet paper, feminine supplies, soap, etc.)
– Infant supplies
– Chlorine bleach and powdered chlorinated lime (add to sewage to disinfect and keep away insects)
– Newspapers (wrap waste and garbage)
