Creating survival kits is in my blood. Many times I have shared how my mother could not keep bouillon cubes in the kitchen because every time I saw them I took them to make tiny survival kits to survive just like my hero in the book, My Side of the Mountain.
My experiences as a prepper and as an emergency manager have only served to hone my belief in kits. I don’t want to have to search for the item I need during an emergency. I want to KNOW where it is. By building a kit I can ensure I have exactly what I think I will need exactly where I think I need it to be.
A search of any prepper website will mention kits in some form. We preppers have our own lingo. We have BOBs, Get Home Bags, EDC Kits, LFAKs, GOOD Bags, INCH bags, and 72- hour kits. At its base, these kits are nothing more than collections of essentials. Each term leads the user to build a bag with a slightly different emphasis.
INCH Bags
I’m Never Coming Home (INCH) bags will be larger and more complex than a Get Home Bag that contains the essentials needed to walk home from work. In many cases they are trailers. My INCH kit consists of several 27-gallon totes in a utility bed pickup (also known as a bug out vehicle).
EDC Kits
Every Day Carry kits are simply things that you carry in your pocket EVERY DAY. An urbanite that works in a suit will have a different set of needs than a farmer. I work in a prison so my EDC is extremely limited. It is mostly a two-way radio, a set of keys, and a very active and observant mind.
IFAKs
Individual First Aid Kits are basic kits that are designed to render aid to the person carrying the kit. Larger kits are normally carried by whoever in your group has the most medical training. My IFAK for teaching a gun class fits on my vest and is based around trauma. The IFAK in my Get Home bag is focused on blisters and minor injuries.
INCH bag kits are full of tools and are more complex.
By David Lippincott via Wikimedia Commons.
The secret to EDC is to carry every day.
By Warraqeen via Wikimedia Commons.
GOOD Bag
Get out of Dodge Bags are very similar to INCH kits, but the focus is on grabbing and going, where you may have more time to pack if you’re leaving and not coming back. When building my home storage I kept the GOOD concept in the back of my mind. Instead of packing 5-gallon buckets with single commodities like wheat, I sacrificed some storage space to put in smaller sealed packages of multiple commodities. So it I only have time to grab a couple of 5-gallon buckets then I have a good chance of getting enough salt, sugar, wheat, etc. to make meals rather than accidently grabbing a bucket of salt and another of baking soda. I also color-coded large totes with categories. Red duct tape designates totes of a defensive nature. White is for containers that hold infrastructure items such as solar power items, candles, pumps, etc. Blue is for food and water items.
IFAK Kits aid the individual carrying it.
By vetcw3 via Wikimedia Commons.
GOOD bags are large bags but are smaller and faster to move than a full INCH kit.
By cmor15 via Wikimedia Commons.
72-Hour Kits are one of the first projects new preppers take on. This is a good idea. Coming up with items to survive a long weekend without power, water, or going to the store is both good practice and a kit that you will have the best chance of using.
There is a reason that FEMA, the Red Cross, and almost all other organized disaster organizations suggest having at least enough on hand to be on your own for three days. It takes time to get disaster response moving. Even if food is ordered immediately after a disaster, roads need to be cleared, and the trucks shipped out. I have worked disaster logistics and I made sure my 72-hour kit can last the three people in my household for at least 120 hours.
You need to rotate stock in your 72-hour kit.
Photo by the author.
A kit does not have to cost a lot of money. When I started out, I made a plan and bought a few extra items each time I went to the grocery store. It did not take a long time to build an impressive stash of items. I put an incremental shopping list in my 52 Prepper Projects book as well as on my website. However, with a little thought you don’t need anyone else’s plan. Just buy what you will use.
No matter the kit, you need to keep two things in mind. The kit is for emergencies—not for the time you need a lighter for the grill or a can opener for dinner. The other thing is that you need to try out the kit. The first time I tried to use my 72-hour kit I discovered all the things I wished I had included.
Make testing your kit a family adventure. One Friday night turn off the power and the water. Live out of your kit. Don’t cheat yourselves and keep notes of all the things you wish you had. Don’t forget entertainment. Life without cable television is hard for some. A good book, a deck of cards, crayons for the kids makes a difference. I keep candy in mine. I have some jewelry I got at Goodwill hidden away in case a short-term disaster turns long-term and my wife feels the need to look pretty.
As you test your kit you will learn what you left out. You will rotate your stock. Batteries can go bad over time. If you test your kit a couple times a year it will get easier, your family will get stronger. It will be worth it.
Basic 72-Hour Kit Suggestions
A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:
• At least one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation. This is a bare minimum. It seems like a lot, but you will quickly wish you had more.
• A three-day supply of non-perishable food. Think about things that can be eaten out of the can as you will probably be dirty, cranky, and have little ability to prepare food. Include paper plates, disposable spoons/forks, and can openers.
• Battery-powered and/or hand crank radio, AM/FM radio, and extra batteries. Listen to NOAA Weather Radio.
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle
• N95 rated dust mask
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter in place
• Personal hygiene items such as moist towelettes
• Garbage bags
• Wrench or pliers to turn off power/gas in an emergency
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
This is not enough, but it is based on the recommendations from ready.gov and it is a good start.