Surviving a disaster requires two things: a plan and the supplies necessary to carry out that plan. The Department of Homeland Security's national disaster awareness program, Ready.gov, recommends having three days' worth of supplies in case of a disaster. Make a plan for each family member to follow during a disaster, including a meeting place or procedure for reconnecting if separated. If your family includes small children, tuck a familiar toy or coloring book for each child into the survival kit to help ease stress during a disaster.
Water
Plan to store at least 1 gallon per person per day. This covers the minimum for drinking and washing. If you have a pet, don't forget to include extra water for him in your survival kit. If you run out of water or didn't pack enough, you can take water from ponds, creeks, lakes or other collection points and purify it. Pack a bottle of unscented chlorine bleach in your kit. Use the ratio eight drops of bleach per gallon---add the bleach, stir it into the water and wait 30 minutes before drinking, cooking or washing.
Food
Stock your survival kit with food that doesn't need to be refrigerated or prepared. Dry goods like granola bars, cereal, crackers, peanut butter, dried or canned fruit and nuts are good choices. If you have kids or pets, include jars of baby food, infant formula and/or pet food. You can also stock your survival kit with military meals-ready-to-eat. These are the basic combat rations the U.S. military uses for nutrition while on the move. They're pre-packaged, lightweight, sturdy and readily available for purchase online.
First Aid
During a disaster, you have to be prepared to deal with everything from a broken bone to a fever. Although it may seem like overkill to stock your first aid kit with multiple types of bandages and ointments, these basics are what get you through an emergency. The Red Cross recommends your first aid kit contain multiple pairs of Latex gloves, adhesive bandages, compress dressings, cloth tape, antiseptic wipes, ointment, aspirin, scissors, rolled bandages, gauze pads, a thermometer and tweezers. If you or anyone in your family takes a prescription medication, you'll need to store a supply of these as well.
Radio
To find out what's happening in an emergency, you can use a hand-crank radio---this avoids dependence on batteries. The National Weather Service is partnered with the Federal Communication Commission's Emergency Alert System, offering public broadcasts that update listeners on natural disasters, chemical spills, phone outages and other public safety issues. You can buy a special NOAA radio that automatically pulls in these updates or you can tune your radio to any of seven VHF frequencies from 162.4 to 162.5. If you do have a battery-powered radio, stock your survival kit with enough batteries to run it for at least three days.
Shelter
You may not be inside your home when disaster strikes. If you're away from home or your home is destroyed, you can create your own temporary shelter with a plastic poncho, two pieces of rope, two trees and three stakes. Keep the poncho, rope and stakes in your survival kit; if necessary, you can string the poncho between trees with the rope and anchor the bottom to the ground with sharpened stakes. You can try something similar with any large sheet of plastic, including tarps or garbage bags. You may need a knife and/or duct tape, depending on whether your tarp has grommets.
Miscellaneous Supplies
There are plenty of other useful supplies you may want to have on hand during an emergency. Sleeping bags, a change of clothes, solar blankets and rain ponchos are always good ideas. Pack a can opener, flashlight and batteries, garbage bags, local maps and a cell phone with charger. A whistle works as a life alert if rescuers need to find you amid ruins or rubble. Ready.gov recommends dust masks, a fire extinguisher and matches stored in a waterproof container. You may also want to tuck away cash or copies of your ID or passport.
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