Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities
• Other items to consider

If a disaster happens in your area, you have to be prepared for it. Here are some tips to help you put together an emergency kit for your home. Also put together a package to take with you when you have to flee and keep it in your car.

To step

1. Look at the "Supplies" at the bottom of this article to see what should be in the package.
2. Put together a first aid kit if you don't already have one. During a disaster, you, your loved ones or local residents can be injured. Having the basics to provide first aid will help you prepare if someone is injured.
3. Consider the dangers in your area. Contact the municipality and ask. On this website you can find out which risks exist in your area.
4. Write a plan based on the risks and then put together a package that fits this plan.
5. Buy a flashlight and radio that you can charge with a dynamo. There are also dynamos to charge your phone. It also doesn't hurt to have a satellite phone in the house, in case all the telephone masts are down.
6. Create a package that is tailored to your environment. Depending on where you live, you will need other things in an emergency, such as a flood, a hurricane, or an earthquake. Of course there are also a number of things you should have at home regardless of your location.
7. Put a map in your emergency kit. These are especially useful when you have to flee, and when the escape routes can be complicated.
8. Collect the items on the list that you already have at home.
9. Make a shopping list. If you can't buy everything at once, keep adding some to your shopping list.
10. Put together a first aid kit for everyday use and one for emergency situations. Your first aid kit should include the following:
    • Minimal two pairs of latex gloves. Remember that you may have to help a stranger, and then you can protect yourself from infection with latex gloves.
      • Take vinyl gloves if anyone in your household is allergic to latex. A latex allergy can be serious.
      • Pack even more gloves into the package you're putting together for flight. You may need several pairs of gloves in an emergency.
      • Check from time to time whether the gloves are still good. They can become brittle, especially if they are stored at varying temperatures. Gloves that come in the bottom of a box are sometimes still good, so don't throw everything away if the top pairs are no longer good. Check them all out.
    • Sterile gauze to stop bleeding (buy thick pieces of gauze, also called surgical gauze, from the drugstore or pharmacy)
    • Disinfectant / soap and disinfectant wipes
      • Disinfectant ointment to fight infections
    • Burn ointment to relieve pain
    • Plasters in different sizes
    • Gauze bandage
    • Plaster tape
    • Tweezers
    • Scissors
    • Eye wash solution to rinse the eyes or a sterile saline solution. You can buy sterile saline solution in large bottles from pharmacies.
    • Thermometer
    • Prescribed medications to take every day, such as insulin, heart medications, and asthma puffs
      • If the expiration date has passed, replace the medicines and make a plan to keep the insulin cool
    • Pain relievers (such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen) and antihistamines (such as cetirizine)
    • Prescribed medical devices such as a glucose meter and a blood pressure monitor
11. Go to the store to buy the items you don't have at home yet.
12. Buy a waterproof box. It does not have to be expensive. Just a waterproof box with a lid. You can find them in the storage department of cheap stores such as the Action or the Blokker.
    • The box should be small enough to roll / lift to your car, yard or home in an emergency. See if you can find one with wheels and / or handles.
    • Consider putting different boxes around your house, in the car, and at work.
    • You never know where you are when a disaster strikes.
    • Use a backpack or plastic toolbox to assemble a pack for when you have to flee.
    • Sort everything in clear resealable plastic bags.
    • If you work in a big city, put a backpack under your desk with water, energy bars, a flashlight, a pair of socks, and walking shoes, just in case public transport stops running.
13. Stay well hydrated! Water is the most important resource for staying alive! Having enough water (in clean plastic bottles) in your home, car and workplace will keep you hydrated in a stressful situation.
    • Children, breastfeeding women and the elderly may need more water, and even when it is very hot you should have a larger supply of water.
    • You can also stock up on sports drinks (Gatorade, Extran, etc.) to get important minerals when it is very hot or when you need to be very active.
14. Make sure you have a minimum of three days' supply of the items listed under "Supplies" in the box.
15. Think about other things you may need - especially things like medicines, patches, flares, or other things depending on the age, location, and health of you and your family members.
16. Don't forget to include foods with a long expiration date in your package. Buy ready meals that you can eat for several days.

Tips

• Practice the flight plan with your family. Fire drills are very important in teaching your family where to go in the event of a fire.
• Make sure to bring only essentials when space is limited.
• Keep in mind that many injuries are not life-threatening and do not require immediate medical attention. It can be very helpful if you know what to do in case of minor injuries. Consider taking a first aid course. Often you will also receive a first aid kit that can serve as the starting point for your emergency kit.
• Phones are optional, but can be very useful in an emergency. Put two devices to charge your phone in the package. A power bank and a dynamo for example.
• Put old glasses in the emergency kit when you get new ones. Old glasses are better than no glasses at all.
• Make sure you can carry the box properly in case you have to flee.
• An inverter for in the car can be very useful to keep using your phone, radio or cool box.
• Stick labels on chargers of different smartphones. Then you can be sure that you are not mistaken when you are in a hurry or in a panic; and others know immediately which cable is for what without you having to tell them.
• Put an address book in the box, in case you can't look up all the phone numbers in your phone.
• Consider putting a glow-in-the-dark sticker on the box so that you can easily find it when the power is out.

Warnings

• Do not put too salty foods in the box, as they will make you thirsty.
• Only bring what you really need.
• When assembling the package, consider the temperature - heat can quickly spoil the products in it. Try to keep the box below 25ºC, and out of direct sunlight.

Necessities

• Sleeping bag or warm blankets. Make sure you have at least one good sleeping bag or thick blanket for each family member. Keep in mind that a children's sleeping bag or a very cheap sleeping bag is not suitable for sleeping outside.
• Water, if the drinking water is polluted you must have several liters in stock. A good guideline is 4 liters of water per person per day, for a minimum of 3 days.
• Food for the whole household for three days - cans and other non-perishable foods that last. Don't forget to include a can opener.
• First aid kit
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Dynamo lamp, for sale on the internet or at outdoor sports shops. Glow sticks can also come in handy. They are safer than candles and work without batteries.
• Wrench, or whatever you need to shut off appliances and pipes in your home. Other tools can also come in handy.
• Extra clothing to keep warm
• Waterproof matches, or a lighter
• Specific supplies for your household - medicines such as heart medications, glasses, baby food, diapers, etc.
• Radio with dynamo so you can stay informed when you run out of batteries and the power is out.
• Weather app so you can keep a close eye on the weather and warnings.
• An extra set of car keys, and cash and / or a credit card.
• Food for your pets and water
• A whistle so you can call for help
• Dust masks to filter particles from the air, a gas mask and gloves or plastic sheeting and duct tape to build a shelter.
• Wet wipes, garbage bags and toilet paper for personal hygiene.
• Local maps

Other items to consider

• Cash or travelers checks, and a credit card
• List of important telephone numbers and addresses
• First aid book or survival guide
• Complete clothing sets including a long-sleeved T-shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. When it is cold, you need even warmer clothing.
• Bleach and a pipette. If you dilute bleach with nine parts water, you can use it as a disinfectant. In an emergency, you can use it to disinfect water by adding 16 drops of bleach to 4 liters of water. Do not use bleach with additives.
• Fire extinguisher
• Tampons and sanitary pads
• Disposable cutlery, crockery and napkins
• Activities for children (and yourself) (books, games, puzzles, cards, etc.)
• It also doesn't hurt to have an air rifle and ammunition so you can hunt.
• Tents Maybe your house has been destroyed or damaged. So it is important to have a tent.