Making a 72-hour emergency kit for $20
A “72-Hour Emergency Kit” is portable, has basic supplies and tides a couple of people over for 72 hours.
It may take that long for local, county, state, and non-profit agencies to respond to a disaster or emergency. Until then, you’re on your own.
A commercial kit can cost hundreds of dollars. A truly comprehensive 72-hour kit requires a truck to haul it.
If you’ll settle for a smaller, homemade kit, you can make one for around $20. Here’s what you need:
• Carrying bag. Use eight grocery store plastic bags, stuffed to make two bags four layers thick. You could use a school knapsack or a backpack.
• 3 gallons of water per person, for three days. Carry the water in three 1-gallon plastic jugs. These weigh 25 pounds, and a kid’s little red wagon or suitcase with wheels could haul them. For two people, that’s 6 gallons or 50 pounds of drinkable water.
• Canteen. A two-liter plastic soda pop bottle with a rope tied on it makes a great canteen.
• Clothing. You’ll be wearing clothing, and you could wear or carry a sweater, jacket, and hat. You’ll need enough clothing to stay warm at night, regardless of weather. Wear the same clothes for 3 days? Yes, this is practical. Ask a hunter.
• Raincoat. My Boy Scouts used big 44-gallon garbage can-sized black plastic bags. Wal-Mart sells a plastic rain poncho, or you could use some plastic sheeting.
• Blanket. The space blanket is an aluminized plastic sheet that reflects 90 percent of your body heat, and it fits in your pocket. Any blanket will do, if kept dry. You won’t freeze if you sit on insulation, pull your knees up, and droop the blanket around you. Wear a cap to keep your head warm.
• Food. Instead of buying expensive freeze-dried food, raid your cupboards for high-calorie, low-weight foods that don’t require cooking. Consider peanut butter, raisins, candy, jerky, nuts, granola bars, cookies, etc. Add a plastic fork and spoon.
• Personal hygiene. Put half a roll of toilet paper in a Zip-lock plastic bag, and bring a toothbrush and 12 salt packets from a fast-food restaurant. Why salt? For toothpaste. Feminine hygiene items are an essential.
• Communications. Bring a battery-powered transistor radio and some good spare batteries so you can hear disaster news. Bring a cell phone and some kind of charger that doesn’t require 110-volts from a wall socket. If you can’t talk on the cell phone because circuits are busy, text messaging may be possible.
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