Preparedness is Never Wrong: 3 Things You Want in Your Emergency Kit

Nobody wants to think about the grim and troublesome situations that life might send our way, but sometimes, it’s simply a necessity. Knowing there is so much that can be done in advance to prevent a problematic situation later on can be just the thing that motivates you to take action. In no particular order of importance, here are the top 3 things no emergency kit should ever be without:

1. Communications devices

In cases of natural disasters, you simply can’t count on the typical means of communication to remain operational. This means no landline phone, no internet, and no way of reaching your loved ones (or call for help) but using what you’ve prepared in advance.

Apart from your trusty smartphone, other gadgets could also come in handy, so you’re covered in most if not all possible scenarios. One of these is a shortwave radio, which should remain in working condition even if you can’t get anything else to work. Of course, make sure that you have a way to charge it, so an USB charger and some batteries will certainly make it easier to sleep at night, knowing you’ve taken care of every possible scenario.

2. Food, water, and shelter

A disaster may very well force the stores to close down. This means your food supply can be cut off at a time you need it the most. The only way around it is to make sure that there are enough food supplies in your home or emergency shelter.

Storing plain old water in air-sealed bottles is a good way to go, as long as you make sure that the expiration dates are in order and replace them every so often. When it comes to food, expiration dates are a huge concern as well; in other words, you need to store something that can hold up for a prolonged period of time. So things like nuts and canned food are definitely a good option.

Finally, if your home has a basement, this could be used instead of a dedicated shelter. If you want to stay mobile, having a couple of tents ready for action could enable you to move to a more favorable location where you can spend the night.

3. First-aid gear

When disaster strikes, you need to have a way to deal with either your injuries or those of your friends and loved ones. Every first-aid kid that’s worth its salt should contain essential elements like band-aids, disinfectants, and some gadgets to stop serious cases of bleeding.

For example, the tourniquets manufactured by OMNA will prevent the body from bleeding out, and are designed for extreme cases such as shark bites, laceration, and injuries sustained during racing, climbing, or other potentially-dangerous sports activities. Without a decent tourniquet, your body could bleed out in as little as 3 minutes if the injury is serious enough.

Conclusion

As they say, preventative measures are better than curative ones. By investing just a little bit of your time and resources, you will be well-positioned to survive any order that life throws at you.