Building Your Family’s Emergency Kit | SERVPRO® of Kingston/New Paltz

8/22/2019 (Permalink)

Having a well-stocked emergency kit offers peace of mind in a very stressful situation.

Having an emergency kit that is fully stocked and ready can make such a big difference in your survival during a disaster at your Ulster County home. When a weather emergency strikes, there might not be time to gather your supplies before heading to a basement or other safe space.

Many experts suggest that your emergency kit contain at least 72 hours of provisions and some necessities such as personal hygiene supplies and emergency radios. Keep in mind, that it’s also a smart idea to fill up the gas tanks on your vehicles beforehand, many alerts come with enough time to get to a gas station.

The Basic Emergency Kit:

While every emergency kit should be for your individual needs and considerations, to build a kit with the bare necessities, this is what the American Red Cross recommends:

• At minimum, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days
• A three-day supply of non-perishable food per person
• Plenty of portable cell phone and electronics chargers and cords.
• A battery-powered radio for local alerts and a NOAA Weather Radio for national alerts
• Flashlights for each person
• A well-stocked first-aid kit
• Any prescription medications your family members may require
• A surplus of batteries for the flashlights
• Dust masks for filtering debris-filled air
• Paper towels, garbage bags, hand sanitizer and any other personal hygiene supplies
• A non-electric can opener and utensils for food
• Local maps of the area with shelters clearly marked
• Important personal and financial documents sealed in a plastic Ziploc bag

Other Suggestions of Supplies:

The items above are an ideal place to begin, but if you have the space and ability to build out a larger kit, there are some additional items you may want to include:

• Tools such as wrenches, hammers, nails and pliers
• Plywood in case it is necessary to barricade doors or windows
• Duct tape and plastic sheeting in case an impromptu shelter needs building
• Solar-powered chargers for using electronics long-term
• Weather-appropriate spare clothes
• Thin, camping-style blankets, small carry-along pillows
• Unscented bleach, which can be used as a disinfectant or water purifier
• A deck of playing cards, a few board games, pens and paper
• Cash and coins

If you have sustained water or storm damage, SERVPRO® of Kingston/New Paltz is always here to help. Our trained technicians are available 24/7, we’re faster to any size disaster.