Surviving an emergency doesn’t have to be very stressful if you know how to go about it. But with proper items in stock, you can go through it.
There are 5 important things to stock up for emergencies, and that’s our focus today.
Prepare to face uncertainty by stocking the most important things for you and your dependents, including pets. Read on to find out the details.
Contents
Types of Emergencies
An emergency is an unexpected and sudden situation that calls for immediate action. It can put human life on the line. And if the solution is not provided, death may result.
There are different emergencies, including natural disasters, such as floods, drought, landslides, and storms.
Some may require urgent medical attention such as poisoning, flu, coronavirus, chemical emergency, etc.
Most emergencies disrupt normalcy, leading to an inadequate supply of basic needs such as food and shelter. In some cases, you can get none of those.
5 Important Things To Stock Up For Emergencies
We should stock up in anticipation of an emergency. Your preparation will define your survivability in case of an emergency.
There are five main things you should never miss to stockpile, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Food and water
- First aid and emergency medical kit
- Emergency supplies for your pets
- Personal items
- Additional items
The listed items are your backup during an emergency. Your stock should not run out of these basic needs.
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Food And Water
Food plus water equals life. Without them, there can never be any life on the planet. Emergencies can put you into a difficult situation when you cannot access food or water.
Drought, for example, can lead to crop failure and drying up of water resources.
So, what foods can you stock for an emergency? Here is a list you can refer to:
- Bottled Water
- Foods that do not require refrigeration, cooking, or less water
- Protein or fruit bars
- Dry cereal or granola
- Non-perishable pasteurized milk
- Peanut Butter
- Canned Tuna
- Canned Meats
- Beef Jerky
- Beans
- Canned Fruits
- Canned Vegetables
- Canned Soups
- Battery-powered (or hand-crank can opener)
- Sports Drinks
- Powdered milk
- Salt & Pepper
- Bullion
- Honey
- Sugar
- Cooking Oil / Shortening
- Cereal
- Granola Bars
- Pasta
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Nuts & Trail Mix
- Rice
- Crackers
- Hard Candies
- Dried Fruits
- MREs (Meals Ready to Eat)
- Multivitamins.
First Aid And Emergency Medical Kit
As mentioned, an emergency situation can require medical attention.
Floods, winter storms, fires, landslides, gas leakage, and food poisoning are all emergency situations that require immediate medical attention.
Without a well-equipped medical kit to help you act on time, it can be fatal.
An emergency first aid and medical kit should have the following:
- First aid handbook
- Two pairs of sterile gloves/eye protection
- CPR pocket mask
- Tourniquet
- Sanitizing agent
- Antibiotic ointment
- Adhesive tape and gauze
- Medical tape
- Triangular bandages
- Sam splint
- Scissors and tweezers
- Elastic wraps
- Pain relievers
- Cold packs
- List of emergency phone numbers
- Elastic bandage
- Trauma shears, etc.
Emergency Supplies For Your Pets
Don’t neglect your pets. They also need attention during an emergency. There are many things you can stock to save the life of your pets when they are poisoned or injured by natural disasters.
You should also include their foods since pets don’t rely on what we eat 100%.
Stock up the following items to help save your pet during an emergency:
- At least a five-day food and water
- Medicines and medical records, including vaccination programs.
- Documents, including registration information, adoption papers, and vaccination papers.
- First aid kit containing cotton bandage rolls, bandage tape, scissors, antibiotic ointment, flea and tick prevention, latex gloves, isopropyl alcohol, saline solution, etc.
- Collar or harness with ID tag
- Pet carrier
- Sanitation items such as litter boxes, newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags, etc.
- Treats, toys, and bedding
- Pet life jacket and paw protectors
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- A photograph of you and your pet
Personal Items
Personal items are crucial and should never be shared. Every person should have them in case the retail shops are closed or inaccessible for any reason.
You should not share your personal belongings for health reasons.
Consider stocking the following personal items for an emergency situation:
- Water bottles
- Handkerchiefs
- Soap bar
- Toothbrush
- Earrings
- Earphones
- Combs or hairbrush
- Lip balm
- Towels
- Razor/Nail clipper
- Eyebrow tweezers
- Ball deodorant
- Loofahs
- Makeup brushes
- Pants
- Underwear
- Socks
- Soft inside shoes
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Additional Items
What we have listed so far are the most important things to stock up for an emergency. However, there are additional items you should also consider. They include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Prescription medications and glasses
- Infant formula and diapers (if you have small children)
- Family documents, including identification, bank account records, insurance policies, etc.
- Cash or traveler’s check
- Fire Extinguisher
- Matches
- Personal hygiene items such as sanitary pads, toilet paper
- Paper and pens
- Books, games, puzzles
- Emergency cooking supplies such as Camp stove, utensils, insulated ice chest aluminum foil, charcoal, etc.
- Waterproof gear
- Emergency power such as a generator, firewood, solar and batteries, hand pump, etc.
- Emergency tools and gears such as axes, hatchet, flashlights, portable toilet, insect repellent, cell phone, etc.
- Sleeping and shelter items such as a tent, sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, inflatable mattress, sleeping mat, etc.
Some tips To Stock For Emergencies
How can you stock up for an emergency situation? Remember that the more efficient you do it, the higher your survival chance is for any eventuality. Use the following tips to stock up for emergencies:
- Visit the local food bank
- Find available recipes
- Consult your parents or family members
- Proper storage is key
- Use foods with short shelf life first, followed by the non-perishable ones.
- Keep your stock on raised grounds such as shelves to prevent damage by floods.
- Freeze vegetables and other perishable foods to extend their shelf lives for future use.
- Don’t store food in excess for the possibility of spoilage. A two-week worth of stock is enough.
- Store cereals in sealed bags and dust, if possible, to control pests that can cause damage.
- Refresh or rotate your stockpile regularly.
- Date all canned and frozen foods.
- Check your stock regularly to detect any spoilage or pests on time before it becomes an irreversible mess.
Conclusion
Food shortage is one of the most common emergencies that we all should be prepared for in advance.
Depending on your area, you may also need to prepare for floods, storms, landslides, fires, and many others.
You can stock all the items you will need in an emergency, as listed in this article, to stay safe.
We appreciate your time reading this article at the Em Offgrid. Please share it with your friends, and we also invite you to read our previous posts on related topics.