You never know when Mother Nature will strike and force you to evacuate with little or no notice. Emergency preparedness experts recommend maintaining an evacuation kit or Go-bag with enough supplies to last for at least three days. In addition to food, water and clothing, here are 10 items and tips to keep you ready to go.
Keep your family illuminated and in the know with this combination lantern and radio. Powered by a hand crank, you can put it in your Go-bag and not have to worry about draining batteries while lighting a larger area than a standard flashlight.
Retail: $34.99
Water is essential to survival, but you may not always be able to find fresh water on the move. The Lifesaver Bottle uses a 15-nanometer filter to remove dirt, chemicals, bacteria, viruses and other contaminants to provide drinkable water with no tablets or boiling.
Retail: $149.99
Don’t neglect your teeth if you have to bug out. The OHSO toothbrush stores toothpaste in the handle and will squeeze it onto the bristles when you twist the base. It can be refilled with any toothpaste with the included adapter.
Retails between $14.95 and $19.95
FEMA recommends packing copies of important papers like insurance policies, bank accounts and other identification records as well as some cash in a secure, portable container. The Otterbox 3500 is watertight and crushproof, sure to keep important documents dry and secure.
Retail: $28.49
About the size of a hockey puck, these powerful, rugged LED strobes can be used to attract the attention of rescuers, warn people off from dangerous areas, replace burning road flares or even as a lantern. The light can run as much as 100 hours on a single charge with 10 different strobe patterns.
Retails between $49.95 and $59.50
The K3 is a trifecta of mobile device charging. The internal battery can be charged from a wall plug, the solar panel or the built-in-miniature wind turbine and then be used to re-charge any number of devices. The unit has a storage area for various adapters and a built in USB port for a wide range of devices.
Retail: $99.95
Odds are if you need your Go-bag, cell phones and land lines will be impacted. The Garmin RINO combines a two-way radio with a range between two and five miles and a GPS navigator. It can even transmit your location over the radio to help find others in your group.
Retail: $194.27 each
If you absolutely can’t live without your computer in an emergency, the Toughbook may be the one for you. Classed as “business rugged.” the 3.6 pound laptop has a 14.1” screen, DVD drive and a 320 GB shock resistant hard drive as well as a spill and liquid resistant keyboard. You won’t have to worry about this laptop when on the move but it will be there and working when you need it.
Retail starting at $2,899
FEMA recommends a number of other items to keep at the ready.
• Non-perishable food and water
• First-aid kit
• Dust mask
• Wrench or pliers for turning off utilities
• Small pocket knife or multi-tool
• Local maps
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Some cash and/or traveler’s checks and change
• Spare reading glasses and medications
• Baby formula and diapers
• Can opener
• Protective goggles
• Paper and writing implements
• Whistle
• Changes of clothes
• Copies of important documents like home and health insurance, bank accounts and other identifications.
• Know where the gas and fuel line shut off valves are in your home
• Have an emergency rally point set for your family
• Designate a safe location in your home away from glass and outside walls if possible
• Select an out of town contact to help keep track of and communicate with separated family members and make sure everyone knows the number
• If you have pets, don’t forget them when setting up your plans and Go-bag
• Be sure you know the emergency plans for your child’s school or daycare and at your spouse’s workplace
• If you live in a colder climate, make sure you have appropriate clothes and blankets
• The government maintains a website with more information on emergency preparedness: http://www.ready.gov/america/index.html