| Report after report comes in about how many | | | | screwdrivers and so on) for taking care of small |
| people couldn't or didn't escape the wrath of | | | | but sometimes life-or-death repairs and jury-rigs. |
| Hurricane Katrina. More reports come in about the | | | | - A small first aid kit containing at least bandages |
| disorganized relief effort, the communications | | | | of various sizes, antiseptic ointment, sunscreen, a |
| problems they're having and the difficulty in | | | | bottle of contact lens saline solution (good for |
| getting survivors to safety even when they are | | | | cleaning injuries and flushing eyes) and OTC pain |
| reachable by rescue personnel. | | | | relievers. |
| Hopefully, few of us will ever be caught in such a | | | | - A safety lighter and a few small candles. Never |
| widespread and devastating disaster as Hurricane | | | | light these unless you are sure that there is no |
| Katrina. But should a natural or man-made disaster | | | | chance of an explosion from natural gas, propane |
| threaten your family or force an evacuation, | | | | or other leaking fuels. For safety, use your |
| having a fully-stocked and easily-reached | | | | flashlight for your primary light source. Save the |
| emergency "bug-out" bag could help save your life | | | | lighter and candles for starting cooking or heating |
| during the first stages, and help make rescue, | | | | fires. |
| recovery and a return to normalcy easier and | | | | - An indelible, waterproof black permanent marker |
| more successful. | | | | (buy new and keep in package until needed, to |
| A bug-out bag is basically a duffle bag or other | | | | maintain freshness). Useful for many things |
| easy to carry luggage piece stocked with the | | | | including leaving notes for rescuers or others on |
| following items: | | | | whatever is at hand, marking your gear at a |
| - Photocopies of important documents such as | | | | shelter, and writing ID and medical info on the |
| birth certificates, drivers' licenses and so on for | | | | arms of kids, the elderly, the ill or anyone who |
| the entire family. Note: keep the originals in a safe | | | | may become separated or are unable to speak |
| deposit box or other safe place - non-notarized | | | | for themselves. (There are also white markers |
| photocopies cannot generally be used for official | | | | that can be used for darker-skinned individuals, or |
| actions like getting a drivers license, but are more | | | | simply write on a lighter area of their body). |
| than fine for temporary ID in emergency | | | | Sturdy hospital or nightclub-style ID bracelets are |
| situations. And don't forget insurance papers and | | | | also handy for this purpose. Note: there is always |
| other items you might need to begin rebuilding. | | | | danger in having children's ID plainly visible to |
| - A small sum of cash ($20-50) for immediate | | | | strangers. Use your best judgment in each |
| emergency use. | | | | situation to weigh the various benefits and |
| - A temporary supply of prescription drugs in their | | | | concerns. |
| originally-labeled containers, regularly rotated for | | | | - Don't forget the pets! Keep their carriers handy, |
| freshness. This is easily done by buying one refill | | | | clean and ready to go. Your kit should have any |
| ahead. As you finish your current package or | | | | food, medications, leashes and important papers |
| bottle, take the next one out of the bag and | | | | necessary for them, as well. Not all evacuation |
| replace with a newly purchased refill. | | | | shelters will take animals. If you have pets, it is |
| - A supply of meal replacement and energy bars. | | | | important that you know ahead of time where |
| Look for items that are designed more for calorie | | | | they can go and how you will take care of them |
| and nutrient density, such as protein bars and | | | | in an emergency. |
| hikers' meal bars, rather than those sold as snack | | | | The bag should be checked and the edibles or |
| products or candy bar substitutes. You can also | | | | expirables rotated at least every 6 months or as |
| include dried foods or hiking meals and other | | | | needed (schedule a regular check during daylight |
| lightweight, easy to prepare and eat items such | | | | savings changeovers, when you also check your |
| as nuts, small candies and oatmeal packs. | | | | smoke alarm batteries and do other seasonal |
| - A water purification kit or hiker's filter system. | | | | activities). Although this will cover most survival |
| Bottled water is bulky, heavy and goes stale | | | | situations, you should customize it to fit your |
| quickly. Dirty water, while distasteful, can often be | | | | needs (toiletries, special gear, food additives, small |
| easily found, roughly filtered through cloth to | | | | paperback books, etc). Just keep in mind the |
| remove large particulate matter and then sterilized | | | | weight and size of the final kit and that in an |
| for safe drinking. In a worst-case scenario, boiling | | | | emergency situation you may have to carry it for |
| dirty water for 15 minutes will serve until | | | | a long time over rough terrain while tired, hungry |
| alternatives can be found. | | | | or even injured. |
| - A pre-paid phone card and a list of relatives, | | | | Your bug-out kit should be placed near the main |
| friends and emergency numbers. Check for | | | | entrance and exit, or in an easy-to-reach central |
| expiration date and rotate out or renew as | | | | location. Every member of the family should know |
| needed. | | | | where it is and to make sure it is part of any |
| - A non-battery-dependent, rechargeable flashlight, | | | | emergency evacuation. (It is important to stress, |
| radio and cell phone charger, if you have a phone | | | | however, that no one ever go after any item, |
| (alternatives include solar, squeeze-charge or | | | | even the emergency bag, in the case of a house |
| kinetically charged options). Even when phone | | | | fire. In that case, focus only on getting out as |
| service was available, many Katrina survivors | | | | soon as you can.) Smaller versions of this bag can |
| could not call out to get help or update relatives | | | | also be kept in offices and vehicles. |
| because their phones were dead and there was | | | | Although having a bug-out kit cannot guarantee |
| no power. Keep in mind also that even when | | | | your safety, it goes a long way toward ensuring |
| phone service is spotty, small text messages can | | | | that you and your family have the best chance |
| sometime get through. | | | | possible of making it through any unforeseen |
| - A multi-tool (the kind with blades, pliers, | | | | emergency as healthy and safe as possible. |