While a grab-and-go bag is important, not all disasters will require evacuation. You may need to shelter in your home without electricity, potable water or a working sewage system. Your house may sustain damage that requires repair, such as broken windows, leaks in the roof or build-up of debris. Therefore, it is wise to keep supplies in your home to support you and your family to live in emergency situations for at least three weeks: food and water; alternate lighting, shelter and heating; and basic home repair items. Here are some detailed suggestions.
Type & Location of Home Kit
• Portable supplies should be kept near an exit, for example, in a coat closet.
• Use a waterproof or airtight container or store supplies in plastic bags within one or two easy-to-carry containers (e.g., clean trash can on wheels, duffle bag, suitcase or backpack).
• Avoid storing supplies on concrete floors that can cause humidity to build up and increase corrosion of cans.
• If you have a camper or trailer, consider what emergency supplies you already have in it.
Items for the Home Kit
• face masks, alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• several candles, large flashlights
• first-aid kit
• additional clothing
• food, water and cooking supplies (see below)
• generator and additional fuel
• garden hose for siphoning and fire fighting
• emergency sanitation and toilet
Items for Home Repairs
• broom(s) and shovel(s) for removing debris
• tarps, hacksaw, axe, crowbar; wrench to shut off gas and water valves
• sheets of plywood for urgent repairs
• vapour barrier to cover broken windows, seal holes in the exterior walls or seal an interior room for warmth
• hammer, screwdriver, nails and screws
Items for Sheltering
• sleeping bags, cots and air mattresses
• tent or tarp to set up a tent indoors or close off a room to maintain body heat in one area during cold weather
• firewood, if you have a wood stove or fireplace
Food
It is difficult to predict how much food you will need for emergencies and how difficult it will be to replenish your supply, so it is best to stock more than you expect to need. To determine the right quantity, track your family’s consumption for a week and aim for three times that amount. Stockpile by buying extra items when things come on sale, keeping extra food in the cupboards and replacing it once consumed. In an emergency, limit food intake because healthy people can get by with much less food than normal if needed.
Aim for foods that:
• your family enjoys
• require a minimum of cooking, preparation, fuel, refrigeration and water
• do not increase thirst
• accommodate your dietary needs
• have a long shelf life
• are high in calories and nutrition
Suggestions:
• canned beans, lentils, legumes
• marinated or canned vegetables
• canned fruit, soup, pasta, chili
• quick-cooking dried noodles, rice, oatmeal
• protein bars, dried fruit, nuts, crackers
• tea, coffee, powdered milk, spices, peanut butter
• dehydrated meals or ready-to-eat foods, such as those purchased at camping stores
• comfort foods like candies and gum
For cooking:
• Include an alternative cooking source in your kit (candle warmer, fondue pot, camping stove or charcoal grill).
• Keep your barbecue tank full and have two full propane tanks on hand—propane supplies will run out quickly during a disaster.
Cooking supplies to include in your kit:
• manual can opener, utility knife
• ladle, spoons, forks, knives, bowls, plates, cups (collapsible cups and bowls are handy)
• waterproof matches
• oven mitt
• collapsible dishwashing container (can also be used for personal hygiene)
• dish detergent, pot scrubber, bleach
Water
We cannot live without water! You need at least a 7-day supply of water (aim for three weeks). For each person, each day, international guidelines recommend having 2–3 litres of drinking water, 2–6 litres for personal hygiene and 3–6 litres for cooking.
Individual needs vary and most people don’t normally drink as much as the guidelines suggest, maybe needing only 1–2 litres per day. Depending on the foods you include in your kit, you may need only 1–2 litres per person each day for cooking and the same for personal hygiene. This adds up to a total of 3–6 litres per person, per day, including what’s needed for drinking.
Monitor your family’s water consumption during a few days at home to make your own estimate.
If Something Goes Wrong
Disasters are unpredictable, but if you take the steps outlined here to prepare your home, your immediate needs will be taken care of, and you will be able to focus on keeping everyone safe.
