Give the Gift of Preparedness this Holiday Season

1. At home emergency preparedness kit. When an emergency happens at home, you may find yourself without running water or electricity for days at a time. Equip a family in need with an emergency preparedness kit with enough food, water, and supplies for at least 72 hours. This kit should be ready to go in case of an emergency.

• Buy an emergency preparedness kit.

• Make your own! FEMA recommends: Water (1 gallon per person per day), non perishable foods, battery/crank radio, NOAA weather radio, flashlight, first aid kit, whistle, dust mask, moist towelettes, wrench, pliers, garbage bags, can opener, local maps, cell phone with charger (solar).

2. Vehicle emergency preparedness/winter weather survival kit. Anything can happen when you’re driving and it’s important to be prepared when you are away from home.  At any given time, you are more likely than not going to be within close proximity of your car, so it’s helpful to have an emergency preparedness kit handy.

• Buy a vehicle emergency preparedness kit.

• Make your own! Ready.gov recommends: Jumper cables, flares, reflective triangle, flashlight, first aid kit, medication, non perishable foods, can opener, water (1 gallon per person per day), basic tool kit (pliers, wrench, screwdriver), pet supplies, baby supplies, battery/crank radio, cat litter/sand (for traction), shovel, ice scraper, warm clothes, blankets, cell phone with car charger. *Omit snow related items if you are buying for someone in Florida.

3. Pet emergency preparedness kit. Are your fur babies prepared if disaster strikes? If you’re like us, pets are family; and in an emergency, we want to make sure they’re safe.  Put together a preparedness kit for your pet or someone else’s this year.

• Buy a pet emergency preparedness kit.

• Make your own! The American Red Cross recommends: Medications, medical records, leash, collar, carrier, photos of your pet, food and water for at least 5 days, bowl, cat litter, can opener, veterinarian information, blanket, toys.

4. Knowledge. If you’re really shopping on a budget this year, give the gift of knowledge. Tell your friends and family exactly what it takes to be prepared. Dave Baxter from Baxter Restoration tells us to remember these three things when faced with an emergency, “Human safety first, personal property next, and always keep a written list readily available of who to call for help during and after the emergency.”