Staying Safe in a Short-Term Disaster Situation

Have you ever wondered what you and your family would do in the event of a disaster? You are not alone; however, planning for this situation is not as difficult or daunting as it may seem at first. There is nothing more important in life than keeping yourself and your family safe, part of doing this involves preparing for the worst so as your family can live through it in the most comfort possible. Being prepared with a survival kit allows you to survive through the first 24 hours with ease, usually even longer if you have planned ahead and stored all of the necessary items in a compact, safe and portable manner. Knowing what you need to include and what can be useful will allow you to be ready for almost any situation.

The Basics of Being Prepared for Survival Situations

Preparing for a possible survival situation can seem like a daunting task; your family will rely on you to remain calm, collected and to have a plan in such a scenario therefore planning ahead can allow you to keep your family in high spirits whilst keeping their panic, worry and fear levels low if you do become trapped or forced to stay in one area for an extended period of time. When preparing, assume you will be stuck in the situation for a minimum of 72 hours as this allows you to be equipped for a decent period of time for your whole family. The essentials of a survival kit include food, water, first aid, emergency supplies and tools, clothing and bedding as well as any essential special items that your family may require.

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Food and Water for Your Survival Kit

Staying hydrated and healthy is essential in a survival situation as without food and water your immune system can become much weaker, making you or one of your family members much more susceptible to serious illness. To ensure you have enough water for each member of your family you should store one gallon of water per person per day, allowing everyone to have an ample supply of water whenever they need it - this water should be stored in plastic containers. Vitamins should be included in with this part of the survival kit as they replace anything that the accessible food does not; sometimes supplements offer some of the best options. According to Glyco Energy such supplements can help to “maintain … and enhance your immune and nervous system function”, making it ideal for use in a survival situation to provide the necessary protection from illness as well as the vitamins and energy that your body needs. Food is a slightly trickier issue to handle as allergies and limitations must be taken into consideration. The food you intend using in your survival kit cannot require refrigeration, cooking or preparation. Some ideal examples of suitable foods include;

• Canned meats and fish – These come ready to eat in most cases, making them an ideal source of protein for a survival situation. They are also small and easy to store, with a very long shelf-life in most cases.
• Canned or powdered milk and juice – A great way to avoid any calcium and vitamin issues with a survival pack is to include these powdered drinks, they have a long shelf-life and can easily be stored as well as used.
• Dried fruits and vegetables – Giving you the necessary vitamins to remain healthy in an easy to store, convenient manner.
• Nuts, crackers and boiled candy – These items are ideal for survival kits, they are small, lightweight and fulfill certain areas of a daily diet to keep you healthy in an emergency situation.

Including these food and drink items in your survival pack ensures your family will be hydrated and fed properly for at least 72 hours.

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Clothing, Bedding and Special Items

Having a full set of spare clothing and footwear for each member of your family should be a standard you stick with in your survival kit; this ensures nobody needs to stay in wet clothes or footwear for extended periods of time, and nobody will get too cold because of this. Having blankets and sleeping bags for everyone to use is also very important for staying healthy and warm as winter nights can be very harsh in many areas. Special items usually refer to items that specific family members need on a daily basis such as prescription medicines, baby formula or sometimes even just items to help keep everyone entertained such as games or books. Special items should also include a waterproof container that holds copies of important documents such as insurance policies, birth certificates, important telephone numbers and similar papers that may be essential to have in the aftermath of an emergency situation.

Being prepared for a survival situation allows you to live without fear of what might happen to your family in the event of an emergency. You will not regret being prepared for an emergency situation if one arises, and your family will thank you for keeping them safe and well cared for too.