Emergency Kit in a Can

Field and Stream magazine has posted a great article about creating a personal survival kit in an Altoids can.  The article has been hugely popular with scout troops and individuals wanting to create their own lightweight kits.

Photo c / Field and Stream

Read the article here.  Great Christmas presents?  Probably.  Great Saturday activity building them with your family?  Absolutely.

Technorati Tags: Emergency Preparedness,Emergency Kit,Pocket Kit

Preparedness Tips

1. Get plastic car keys made at AAA or a locksmith. Carry the card in your wallet or purse.
2. Sweat pants / shirts are ideal emergency clothing. Cut arms, legs short if used in summer.
3. Put a dryer sheet in each baggie containing clothes, towels, etc. Stops stale smell.
4. Put a flat bed sheet sheet in each pack. Use for privacy, shelter, triangular bandage, etc.
5. Use small plastic bags for inserts in a pillowcase. Blow up, tie off with elastic. Saves space.
6. Rotate storage water every 6 months. No Clorox in storage water. Use a few drops in the water you are going to rotate to clean out the container. Swish and dump on flowers. Replacement water is already treated by the city.
7. DO NOT store water in plastic containers by sitting them on cement or near any household chemical. The chemicals will leach through the plastic and contaminate the water. Store it up on wooden pallets or other similar platforms.
8. Packaged water keeps for 5 years.
9. Beef MRE’s are the best tasting. Shelf life in 60-degree temperature is 10 years.
10. Replace all batteries in your equipment yearly. Write on calendar for the change out date.
11. DO NOT store water in colored plastic bottles. The color will leach out and contaminate the water.
12. Make a carrier for liter-sized bottle out of strapping. Loop over shoulder, loop horizontal 6” above bottom of first loop, last loop at 90 degree angle starting on 2^nd loop, sewn at bottom of first loop and then ending on the opposite side of 2^nd loop. Liter bottle fits inside and can be carried over shoulder.
13. Keep 2 flashlights in your vehicles. The odds of one failing are very high.
14. Put a jacket and blanket in your car for each person it will carry.
15. Keep 6 liters of water in your vehicle in a box. Each bottle should not be more than ¾ full to avoid splitting the bottle if frozen. The box will keep the bottles from rolling around and punctures.
16. Port-a-potty: Line the 5-gallon bucket with plastic bags. Put a supply of the bags in the bucket along with Purell, hand wipes, etc. as well as a snap on toilet lid.
17. Get dry chemicals for the port-a-potty. The chemical foams up and has the consistency of thick soup when reacting to urine and feces.
18. Keep Band-Aids in your wallet and purse. You never know when you will need one.
19. Secure the water heater in your home. Get heavy strapping from your appliance store. If the water heater falls over during an earthquake, the gas line will probably break and your home will be destroyed by fire.
20. Use Quake Wax to secure your vases, etc. It comes in a jar and the objects and can be moved if needed but will not tip over during a quake.
21. Use rubber grip liner material under TV’s, microwaves, vases, on the back of pictures, etc.
22. Use Velcro behind pictures to secure them to a wall along with earthquake proof hangers.
23. Use Velcro under blinds to keep them anchored on the bottom. This will stop most glass from entering if it breaks and will keep you from being hit in the head with the blinds.
24. Use cords, bungee’s, etc. to keep your food storage items on the shelves. String from post to post at the desired height(s).

Technorati Tags: Emergency Kit,Emergency Plan,Preparedness Tips