Bedrooms Each bedroom should include a grab-and-go bag. This can be anything from a small backpack to a carry-on suitcase. The point is to have some essentials packed in case you have to quickly depart your home because of a fire or natural disaster. Keep a bag for each family member, or store everything in one larger bag. You can also place these bags near an exit or in a centralized location where everyone knows how to find them. Here are some important items to include: ▶ ▶ Change of clothing ▶ ▶ Medications, eyeglasses and contacts ▶ ▶ Flashlight and extra batteries ▶ ▶ Emergency contact numbers ▶ ▶ Insurance information ▶ ▶ Critical documents ▶ ▶ Phone charger ▶ ▶ Cash (ATMs and cardmachines may be offline) ▶ ▶ First Aid Kit ▶ ▶ 1-3 days of food and water ▶ ▶ Baby diapers, wipes, formula and other essentials ▶ ▶ Personal hygiene supplies ▶ ▶ Pet supplies. Also prepare a grab-and-go for any pets you have. Include medications and food.
Shelter in Place Gathering the essentials to shelter in place means putting together a list of items that not only includes emergency response items (like the first aid kit and fire extinguisher) but also items you’ll need to survive several days or longer, perhaps without electricity or water. As a side note, you should also keep a shelter-in-place bag at work or in your car that includes food, water, medications, a flashlight and a change of clothing including comfortable shoes. Food Canned goods can include store- bought or home-canned options. Be sure to rotate your stock every year. Also stockpile dehydrated foods, especially fruits, vegetables, jerky and nuts. You can also pick up pre-packaged dehydrated meals, which have a shelf life of up to 30 years! If you lose power, minimize how often you open the refrigerator and freezer. If it looks like the outage will be lengthy, cook all fresh foods before digging into your long-term storage. Water Storing water should be the very first thing on your list. The average household should store one gallon
per family member per day. There are several things you should keep in mind when storing water. When using plastic jugs, use only those labeled for consumption. These are identified with the plastic codes 1, 2, 4 or 7 on the bottom of the container. Also, do not use containers that previously held other foods or liquids, such as milk containers. If you use metal containers, make sure they are stainless steel. All other metals will break down over time and contaminate your water. Also, ensure your water container has a tight-sealing lid. Never store water in an open container. Glass containers are safe and effective, but you should protect them by cushioning them in fabric, bubble wrap or newspaper.
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