Your disaster supplies kit should contain essential food, water, and supplies for at least three days. That is the standard advice. But ask yourself this: Is three days actually enough? Look at the supply chains. Look at the grid. If the lights go out, they might stay out for a lot longer than a long weekend. Keep this kit in a designated place. Have it ready. You might need to leave your home in seconds, not minutes. Make sure every single family member knows where the kit is hiding.
You need to think bigger. Consider having supplies for sheltering for up to two weeks. This kit should be in one container, ready to “grab and go” in case you are evacuated from your workplace. Do you have water in there? What about comfortable walking shoes stashed under your desk? If the roads are gridlocked, you are walking. Maybe for miles. In case you get stranded on the highway, keep a separate kit of emergency supplies in your car. This isn’t just about food and water. It’s about flares, jumper cables, and seasonal supplies. It’s about surviving the initial chaos.
The Illusion of Safety: Why Preparation is Everything
We live in a bubble. A fragile, digital bubble. Most people walk around believing the grocery store will always have bread and the tap will always flow. But history tells a different story. The Bronze Age Collapse. The fall of Rome. The 2021 Texas power crisis. Systems break. And when they break, they break fast.
There is a theory circulating on the darker corners of the internet right now. It suggests that the “Just-in-Time” delivery systems used by major supermarkets are the biggest vulnerability in modern society. If the trucks stop moving for 72 hours, the cities starve. That is not a conspiracy; that is logistics. This is why your checklist matters. It isn’t a hobby. It is insurance against a chaotic world.
The Golden Rule of Water
Water is the single most important variable in the survival equation. You can go weeks without food. You will die in days without water. The hallucinations start after 48 hours.
How Much Water Do I Really Need?
The official line? You should store at least one gallon of water per person per day. A normally active person needs at least one-half gallon of water daily just for drinking. That sounds easy, right? But have you ever tried to flush a toilet without running water? Have you ever tried to wash a wound with a thimble of liquid?
Deep Dive: The Hidden Water Crisis
In a true grid-down scenario, the water treatment plants stop working. The pressure in the pipes drops. When pressure drops, groundwater seeps into the main lines. That means contamination. Bacteria. Sickness. The water in your pipes becomes poison almost instantly.
Additionally, in determining adequate quantities, take the following into account:
- Individual needs vary: Your age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate change the math. A 200-pound man digging a latrine needs more hydration than a child reading a book.
- Vulnerable Groups: Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more water. Do not underestimate this.
- The Heat Factor: Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed. If the AC dies in August, you are sweating out liters of fluid.
- Medical Needs: A medical emergency might require additional water for cleaning and sterilization.
Food Supplies: The Fuel for Survival
The following are things to consider when putting together your food supplies. This isn’t about gourmet dining; it’s about calories and morale.
- Avoid the Thirst Trap: Avoid foods that will make you thirsty. This is a rookie mistake. Salty chips? Jerky? They suck the moisture right out of you. Choose salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals, and canned foods with high liquid content. Canned peaches are a lifesaver—you get the fruit and the sugary syrup for energy.
- The “Set it and Forget it” Stash: Stock canned foods, dry mixes, and other staples that do not require refrigeration, cooking, water, or special preparation. You may already have many of these on hand. Note: Be sure to include a manual can opener. If you only have an electric one, you have a brick, not a tool.
- Dietary Restrictions: Include special dietary needs. An allergic reaction during a blackout is a nightmare scenario.
The Psychology of Hunger
There is an old saying: “Civilization is only three missed meals away from anarchy.” When people get hungry, they get desperate. Your food stash does two things. It keeps your body moving, and it keeps your mind calm. Knowing you have a week’s worth of beans and rice gives you a psychological edge over the panic happening outside your window.
The BASIC Disaster Supplies Kit
The following items are recommended for inclusion in your BASIC Disaster supplies kit:
- Three-day supply of non-perishable food. Start here, but aim for two weeks.
- Three-day supply of water – one gallon of water per person, per day.
- Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries. Why? Because when the internet goes dark—and it will—AM/FM radio or NOAA weather bands will be the only source of information. The “Kill Switch” theories regarding the internet are becoming more popular for a reason. Centralized control means centralized shutdown. Radio waves are harder to stop.
- Flashlight and extra batteries. LED is best. Long life.
- First aid kit and manual. Knowledge is weightless. The manual is more valuable than the bandages.
- Sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes and toilet paper). Disease killed more soldiers in the Civil War than bullets. Hygiene is defense.
- Matches and waterproof container. Fire is life. It boils water. It cooks food. It signals for help.
- Whistle. Your voice will give out long before a whistle does. If you are trapped under rubble, this little piece of plastic saves your life.
- Extra clothing. Dry socks prevent trench foot.
- Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a can opener.
- Photocopies of credit and identification cards. If the systems reboot, you need to prove who you are.
- Cash and coins. This is massive. If the power grid fails, credit card machines are useless. ATMs go dark. Cash becomes king again. Small bills are best. No one can make change for a hundred-dollar bill in the apocalypse.
- Special needs items, such as prescription medications, eye glasses, contact lens solutions, and hearing aid batteries.
- Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers.
- Other items to meet your unique family needs.
The Freeze: Surviving the Cold
If you live in a cold climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that you will not have heat. Think about the Texas deep freeze. People were burning furniture to stay alive. The grid is old. It is tired. It will fail during the extremes. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies. Be sure to include one complete change of clothing and shoes per person, including:
- Jacket or coat. Layers are the secret. Air trapped between layers insulates better than one big coat.
- Long pants. Denim or wool. No cotton if it’s wet. “Cotton kills.”
- Long sleeve shirt.
- Sturdy shoes. You might be walking through glass, debris, or snow. Flip-flops are a liability.
- Hat, mittens, and scarf. You lose a massive amount of heat through your head. Cover it.
- Sleeping bag or warm blanket (per person). Wool blankets retain heat even when wet. Synthetic sleeping bags are good, but keep them dry.
Be sure to account for growing children and other family changes. You may want to add some of the items listed to your basic Disaster supplies kit depending on the specific needs of your family. Review this kit every six months. Expired meds and leaky batteries are dangerous.
The Medic: First Aid Supplies
Hospitals might be overwhelmed or inaccessible. You are the doctor now.
Essentials:
Adhesive bandages, various sizes
5” x 9” sterile dressing
Conforming roller gauze bandage
Triangular bandages (Good for slings or tourniquets)
3” x 3” sterile gauze pads
4” x 4” sterile gauze pads
Roll 3” cohesive bandage
Germicidal hand wipes or waterless, alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Antiseptic wipes
Pairs of large, medical-grade, non-latex gloves
Tongue depressor blades
Adhesive tape, 2” width
Antibacterial ointment (Infection is the silent killer)
Cold pack
Scissors (small, personal)
Tweezers (For removing debris/ticks)
Assorted sizes of safety pins
Cotton balls
Thermometer
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Sunscreen
CPR breathing barrier, such as a face shield
First Aid Manual
The Pharmacy: Non-Prescription and Prescription Medicine
What happens if the pharmacies close for a month? Millions of people depend on daily meds. This is a major chokepoint in society.
Stockpile these:
Aspirin and non-Aspirin pain reliever
Anti-diarrhea medication (Dysentery is a real threat with bad water)
Antacid (for stomach upset)
Laxative
Vitamins (To supplement a poor diet)
Prescriptions (Try to get an extra month’s supply ahead)
Extra eyeglasses/contact lenses
Sanitation: The Unpleasant Truth
Nobody wants to talk about where the waste goes. But if the sewers back up, disease spreads fast. Cholera doesn’t care about your preparation if you don’t handle hygiene.
Sanitation and Hygiene Supplies:
Washcloth and towel
Heavy-duty plastic garbage bags and ties for personal sanitation uses and toilet paper (The “bucket toilet” method)
Towelettes, Soap, hand sanitizer
Medium-sized plastic bucket with tight lid
Toothpaste, toothbrushes
Disinfectant and household chlorine bleach
Shampoo, Comb, and brush
A small shovel for digging a latrine
Deodorants, Sunscreen
Toilet paper (You can never have enough)
Razor, shaving cream
Lip balm, insect repellent
Contact lens solutions
Mirror
Feminine supplies
The Toolkit: Rebuilding and Repairing
You need to be able to shut off your utilities. Gas leaks cause explosions after earthquakes. Do you know where your main valve is? Do you have the tool to turn it?
Equipment and Tools:
Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra Batteries
Manual can opener
NOAA Weather radio, if appropriate for your area
Mess Kits or paper cups, plates, and plastic utensils
Flashlight and extra Batteries
All-purpose knife (A good multi-tool is invaluable)
Signal flare
Household liquid bleach to treat drinking Water
Matches in a waterproof container (or waterproof Matches)
Sugar, salt, pepper (Comfort foods/trading items)
Shut-off wrench, pliers, shovel, and other Tools
Aluminum foil and Plastic wrap
Duct tape and Scissors
Re-sealable plastic bags
Plastic sheeting (For sealing windows against chemical threats or ash)
Small cooking stove and a can of cooking fuel (if Food must be cooked)
Whistle
Small canister, ABC-type fire extinguisher
Comfort Items
Tube tent
Games
Compass
Cards
Work gloves (Protect your hands; they are your most valuable tools)
Books
Paper, pens, and pencils
Toys for kids
Needles and Thread
Foods
Battery-operated travel alarm clock
The “What If” Factor
Why is the government pushing these lists? Why is the billionaire class buying bunkers in New Zealand? Maybe they know that the systems we rely on are thinner than paper. Maybe it’s solar flares. Maybe it’s a cyber-attack. Or maybe it’s just the inevitable cycle of history. Being prepared isn’t about fear. It is about freedom. The freedom to survive without waiting for a rescue truck that might never come.
Originally posted 2016-04-18 00:28:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Originally posted 2016-04-18 00:28:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
