| If a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, flood or other | | | | backpacks to store the emergency supplies. |
| disaster or emergency struck, would you have | | | | 4. Use Those Holiday Extras During the year and |
| the basic emergency supplies you need? This | | | | especially during holidays, do you pick up extra |
| might sound familiar. You have a box with | | | | holiday napkins, paper plates or utensils that get |
| batteries but the good batteries are mixed with | | | | put away into cabinets and closets? Instead of |
| the old ones. Somewhere you have a collection of | | | | letting these go to waste, pull them out and |
| flashlights. However, when you try them out, | | | | organize them into the emergency area. Using a |
| almost none of them work. The list could go on | | | | pretty napkin or festive tablecloth during an |
| of things that you probably have for emergency | | | | emergency could be just the treat you need to |
| supplies but just need to organize in a safe and | | | | help bring down the stress levels. |
| easy ways. | | | | 5. Gather Extra Clothes Would you want a clean |
| But, how do you find and organize materials for | | | | pair of socks or shirt during an emergency? |
| an emergency kit for all situation? How do you | | | | Everyone in the family should organize a whole |
| find emergency supplies for disaster situations so | | | | set of clothes for the emergency supply area. |
| that they are organized and easy to reach when | | | | Make this a good time for everyone in the family |
| you need them? Use these seven points to get | | | | to go through and clean out their closet. While |
| your emergency organizing started in the right | | | | doing this task, each person can gather an extra |
| direction. | | | | set of clothes to put in an emergency storage |
| 1. Find Everyday Items Do you worry about your | | | | area. |
| budget when you think about gathering supplies? | | | | 6. Look for Household Supplies Have you |
| Take a sigh of relief because supplies for | | | | considered the need for sanitation and cleanliness |
| disasters or emergencies do not have to be | | | | during an emergency? Gather cleaning supplies |
| difficult to find, expensive, or hard to use. In fact, | | | | that you already have on hand and organize them |
| emergency supplies are basically many of the | | | | in your emergency supply area. Look in the house |
| items you use on a regular basis. You might find | | | | and garage for extra cleansers, garbage bags, |
| them in a different form and store them | | | | tools to turn off the main switches in the house, |
| differently in order to protect them. But mostly, | | | | sponges, plastic tarps and other items. Some of |
| you will use the same type of things you use all | | | | these items could be in your garden shed, trunk |
| of the time plus a few specialty items good for | | | | of the car, back of the shelf, under the kitchen |
| emergency situations. | | | | sink, or in a corner in the hall closet. |
| 2. Create Several Sets of Supplies What would | | | | 7. Go Shopping What happens after you go |
| happen if you couldn't reach a set of emergency | | | | through every place in the home to find supplies |
| supplies? Consider creating two sets of | | | | and you need more? Well now it might be time to |
| emergency supplies. At least create a full set and | | | | go shopping. The good news is that you still don't |
| a partial set to store in another location. If you | | | | have to spend a fortune. When you find a |
| can't reach one set, you might be able to get to | | | | product you need that is on sale, buy at least |
| the other. If both are accessible that just gives | | | | two or the amount recommended according to |
| you extra supplies and you might be able to share | | | | your family situation or needs. Put the extras in |
| with others who are less prepared. | | | | the emergency kit. Look for items in thrift stores, |
| 3. Start Gathering What You Already Have Don't | | | | yard sales, consignment shops, grocery outlets, |
| start pulling your shopping list together just yet. | | | | through online stores or sites, or mail order |
| Start your emergency supply organizing with | | | | catalogs and even the Army-Navy Surplus Store. |
| items you already have around the house. For | | | | Always think of being prepared and you will start |
| instance, extra suitcases or backpacks, toiletries, | | | | to notice supplies in many new places. When you |
| and dry goods items such as paper towels, toilet | | | | travel, keep an eye open for discount stores or |
| paper, and garbage bags are probably already in | | | | even souvenir shops and bargain stores in new |
| your closets or shelves and only need to be | | | | areas. Before you realize it, you will have |
| organized into a designated place to be a part of | | | | emergency supplies organized and ready for an |
| your emergency kit. Use the suitcases or | | | | emergency or disaster situation. |