I was reading an article the other day on what FEMA recommends people have on hand after a possible natural disaster. While I think it would be impossible to not know who FEMA is, in case you don’t know, FEMA is the abbreviation for Federal Emergency Management Agency, a government agency that works collaboratively with other programs Ready.gov, Disasterassistance.gov, U.S. Fire Administration, and National Flood Insurance program.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

What FEMA Says

FEMA says a basic disaster supply kit should include:

• Water - one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation. This means 6 gallons for a two person household and 12 for a four person household.

• Food - at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. 

• Manual can opener for food

   

SurvivalCreek Recommendation

I recommend having canned vegetables and grains that you enjoy eating. Remember to consider grains that don’t use too much water. The grains such as noodles and rice can be cooked with the water that is in the canned vegetables. I personally believe that every person MUST HAVE long-term instant eggs and also the SOY meat pack.

Why? First, I find that eggs are great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner making the long-term instant eggs one of the best options in emergency food preparation.  Second, for added protein and added flavor, I recommend the meat pack for those who have staple grains and carbs already on hand. Protein’s does a great job of satiating the body under stress. It normalizes blood sugar levels which is exactly what you need under stress.

What FEMA says

The basic diaster supply kit should also include:

• Battery-powered or hand crank radio with a NOAA Weather Radio with tone and alert and extra batteries for both.

• Flashlight and extra batteries 

• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation

SurvivalCreek Recommendation

I recommend customers who want to be prepared for the worst buy the Cobra HH 38 WX STMini Hand Held CB Radio with Weather Stations. Whatever your outdoor activity, the Cobra's compact handheld CB radios are a great way to stay in touch with friends, or the over 30 million other CB radios in use across the country. Plus complete access to 10 National Weather Channels (7 NOAA and 3 International) for the latest weather information. And there are no license or service fees! The Cobra's HH 38 WX ST incorporates SoundTracker®, a technology that dramatically improves the sound quality of the transmission and reception of CB radio signals.  

There are many options for light source; A Headlamp allows for your hands to be free so you are more mobilized. A Tactical Flashlight serves as a regular flashlight but come with a special mount that can be used on different types of weapons. 

What FEMA says

The basic disaster kit also includes: 

• First aid kit 

• Whistle to signal for help

• Dust mask

SurvivalCreek Recommendation

People who want to be prepared have a number of great first aid options.

First, the 12 Survival Roll-out-kit offers the basics in life saving medical intervention. Its contents will treat injuries ranging from the basic knee scrape to the life threatening extremity hemorrhage and offer you the ability to provide the intervention necessary to save a life. The kit unrolls to reveal zipped pouches for organized storage and do-it-yourself labels so you can easily identify all of your supplies under critical stress. With snap button straps, the kit easily attaches to the exterior of existing gear freeing up space in your pack and offering you unimpeded access to your medical supplies. Regardless of your environment, the 12 Survivors First Aid Rollup Kit provides the tools necessary to survive until help can be reached.

Second, the Pocket Survival First aid kit includes the Pocket Survival Pak, PLUS a CRKT RSK-MK5 knife, an E-Gear PICO LED light, Katadyn Micropur MP1 water purification tablets, and a 1-liter collapsible water bag. All items are packed in a waterproof welded-fabric pouch that fits in your pocket.

Finally, the Fundamental First Aid Kit  medical mountain offers the fundamentals of a first aid kit that would be used for bleeding, CPR, fractures and sprains, medications, wound care, and of course extra duct tape. Somehow, you always need more duct tape.

 What FEMA says

• Local Maps 

• GPS
• Cell Phone with charger, inverter or solar charger

SurvivalCreek Recommendation

Many people use the GPS from their cell phones. However, I think that there is a product on the market that has a built-in GPS that also provides fun and entertainment to a small group or family. The GEOMATE GPS Geocache - is a GPS used for geocaching. Not only will you be able to know where you are but will also have a built-in game that helps relieve stress and boredom.

While many phones may or may not work in an emergency, many people would like to be able to use their cell phone during an emergency so having with chargers, inverter or solar charger or other communication devices are recommended.

Remember above all else to practice using survival gear whenever possible!