Be Prepared with a 72 Hr Kit!

Make a 72-Hour Kit!

I have talked with people who do not have a 72 Hr Kit because they think they will be too expensive to get, they don't know what to put in one, and so they do nothing about it. Even if you don't have a big budget, you can put together a 72 hr kit that would be useful for you in case of an emergency. Here are some ideas:

Pillow Case Kit
I know a lady who desperately wanted to make 72-hour kits for her family, but she did not have extra money to do it. She came up with a plan that inspired me and so many others! She found an old pillow case for each person in the family. In each one, she put in a few water bottles, a few packs of crackers, a few granola bars, a pair of socks and a change of underwear, and some soap and shampoo samples she had gotten from someone who travels and stays in hotels a lot. In hers and her husband's, she put in a few dollars of change, a mini first aid kit she put together (bandaids, ointment, pain killer, etc.), a flashlight, some feminine hygiene products, some baby wipes, and a few odds and ends she had around the house that she thought might be useful. In the kids' packs, she had them add some paper and pencils or crayons, a small game or deck of cards, or a little toy (whatever was special or comforting to that child.) Then she tied the bags closed with a small piece of rope or cord, and put them on a shelf in her front closet. She had almost all of these items already in her house somewhere. She just had to put them together! 

These definitely were not fancy kits. But in an emergency, they would have provided some food and water, a little hygiene, and comfort! I can think of people who were in Hurricane Katrina who would have been so thankful to have a pillow case kit like this as they sat in the big Superdome for 3 days waiting for government relief to come. So start somewhere, and just make a little kit with what you have at home already! You'll be happy you did if you ever need it!

Car Kit
When I was first trying to get prepared, I started with a small car kit. I figured that I was always where my car was for the most part, so that was a good place for me to keep a small emergency kit. I put in some food and water, a flashlight, a few emergency blankets (the foil kind), some money, a first aid kit, and a blanket. I also added diapers and wipes and formula when I had little children. You would be amazed at how many times I ended up using things out of that kit! Many times it was for other people! 

My husband travels a lot, and I made sure there was a really nice kit in his car. He did not want to keep that backpack in his trunk because it took up so much room, but he kept it in there because I asked him to "just in case". He ended up using it on several occasions, and was really thankful for that kit! Especially the time that he lost his wallet and was 3 hours away from home at a meeting! I had put enough money in there that he could get a tank of gas and make it back home safely! He was happy for that kit!!!

Office and School Kit
It is really smart to have a simple kit that you keep at the office, or that your kids keep at college with them. Just having the basics in an emergency can make all the difference!

Do It Your Way!
Make a kit that makes sense for you and your family members! 72-hour kits can come in all shapes or sizes! I've seen people put them in milk jugs, small plastic shoe box containers, small boxes, backpacks, rolling luggage, coolers or ice chests, big plastic storage containers, and even 55 gallon trash cans with lids. There's lots to choose from! Pick what works best for you!

I know a tiny little older lady who has her 72-hour kit in a 55 gallon plastic trash can! I tease her that she could dump it out and sleep in it if she needed to! Ha ha! I'm not sure how she would transport that huge kit if she had to leave her home, but she at least had good supplies gathered in case of an emergency!

Pre-Made Kits
There are some great pre-made kits out there, but the ones I used to recommend are no loner available. I'll have to look around again for some good ones. Just Google them and see what you find. If nothing else, they give you some good ideas of what you could put in your kit!

Make Your Own
There are lots of lists out there of what you should or could put in a 72-hour kit. Every person's kit will be different, but here are some ideas:

I always think of:
Food
Water
Light
Warmth (Blanket)
Cooking Method
Shelter
Clothes
Hygiene 
Money
First Aid
Tools/Equipment (Knife, Shovel, Rope, Duct Tape)
Important Papers 
Family Contact Info
Comfort Items (Games, Paper and Pencils, Toys, etc.)

Find something in each of those categories to put in your kit, and you would have a fabulous emergency kit if you needed it! Remember it's better to have something than nothing! Have fun making them!