{"id":4351,"date":"2017-09-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prd-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=4351"},"modified":"2025-10-24T20:21:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T20:21:31","slug":"diy-preparedness-kits-tips-red-cross","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/diy-preparedness-kits-tips-red-cross\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY preparedness kits: Tips from a Red Cross volunteer","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

For National Preparedness Month, we\u2019re sharing advice from Jeff Pratt, an American Red Cross Disaster Action Team lead who responds to local disasters and emergencies.<\/p>\n

He\u2019ll break down what you\u2019ll want in a disaster kit for home, as well as a smaller \u201cpocket kit\u201d you can carry every day.<\/p>\n

What to put in a home kit<\/h3>\n

The home kit assumes you\u2019re sheltering in place, so it doesn\u2019t include items such as cooking pots, blankets, toiletries or water. If you need to evacuate, keep this in mind.<\/p>\n

The American Red Cross recommends a kit that can sustain a person or family for 10\u201314 days.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen there\u2019s a disaster, emergency services are likely to be overwhelmed,\u201d Pratt says. \u201cIt will take time for relief to arrive.\u201d (Hurricane Harvey<\/a> is a good example of this.)<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you\u2019ll need:<\/p>\n

Non-perishable food: Look for canned\/packaged food that (1) is high in protein, (2) can be eaten without being heated and (3) your family will actually eat. A disaster isn\u2019t the time to introduce unfamiliar or disliked foods, if you can avoid it.<\/p>\n

LED lantern and\/or flashlight: The power will likely be out in a disaster. Multiple sources of light are recommended.<\/p>\n

Battery-powered radio: Use this to listen to emergency alerts.<\/p>\n

Batteries: Include enough to power your lantern, flashlight, radio and anything else battery operated. Keep them stored separately. It may be tempting to put batteries in ahead of time for convenience, but the batteries will last longer if you don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Glowsticks: Put these at the top of the kit to help you see while you search for what you need. (You\u2019ll need some kind of light to help you find that flashlight and insert the batteries properly.)<\/p>\n

Masks: As we\u2019ve all witnessed this past month, ash can be a real concern in Washington. It can come from wildfires, volcanic eruptions or even earthquakes. Look for N95 rated masks and wear them to avoid breathing in dangerous particulate matter.<\/p>\n

First aid kit: A small kit is fine if you already have a larger kit stored at home.<\/p>\n

Chlorine bleach: Bleach can be used as a water purification tool if you\u2019re unable to boil water \u2014 but listen to the advice of local authorities first. To purify, combine 1\/4 teaspoon of chlorine bleach with 1 gallon of water and wait 30 minutes before using.<\/p>\n

Multi-tool: With a can opener, blade, pliers, file, bottle opener and other tools, this will serve a variety of purposes.<\/p>\n

Rope: Use as a clothesline to dry clothing, tie down tarps, make repairs<\/p>\n

Work gloves: For cleaning debris, broken glass<\/p>\n

Disposable gloves: For sanitation<\/p>\n

Zip ties and duct tape: For repairs<\/p>\n

Waterproof matches: To start fires for cooking, a heat\/light source, signaling<\/p>\n

Trash bags: For carrying items, taping over broken windows, wearing as a poncho or simply for garbage<\/p>\n

Bucket: Store everything from your kit in a sealable 5-gallon bucket because it\u2019s easy to transport and can be used in emergencies as well, either to carry things or as an impromptu toilet (line with a garbage bag first).<\/p>\n

A note about water:\u00a0The American Red Cross recommends one gallon of water per person, per day. It\u2019s a lot of water, but you\u2019ll need it for hydration, sanitation and hygiene.<\/p>\n

Pocket kit for everyday life<\/h3>\n

If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of creating your own emergency preparedness kit for natural disasters, start out with a pocket kit for daily life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pocket kit is an introduction to what you can carry every day to help you get into a preparedness mindset,\u201d Pratt says.<\/p>\n

Stored in a mint tin, the pocket kit fits easily in a purse or bag and houses a surprising amount of stuff:<\/p>\n

Rubber bands: These serve double-duty as a preparedness item and to keep your tin\u2019s contents secure.<\/p>\n

List of important phone numbers: If your phone becomes unusable and you need to communicate, would you be able to recall the phone numbers of family or friends?<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are so dependent on their cell phones that most don\u2019t know more than one or two phone numbers,\u201d Pratt says.<\/p>\n

Tip: Include an out-of-state contact who could assist in case of natural disaster. Local phone lines often go down during disasters, and you\u2019ll want to be able to reach someone not facing the same difficulties you are.<\/p>\n

Magnifying lens: To help you read small print. Could also be used to start a fire, if it\u2019s a sunny day.<\/p>\n

Alcohol swabs and bandages<\/p>\n

Aspirin<\/p>\n

Whistle: To call for help, should you get trapped. It\u2019s more effective than your voice because it can be heard over loud noises \u2014 plus, you can really only shout for help for 20 minutes, Pratt says.<\/p>\n

Mini flashlight<\/p>\n

Waterproof matches and striker\/sandpaper: To start a fire or in case your flashlight dies.<\/p>\n

Birthday candle: To light things, or to use if your flashlight dies. (And you\u2019ll always be prepared at birthday parties.)<\/p>\n

Zip ties<\/p>\n

Safety pins: For clothing emergencies.<\/p>\n

Compressed hand towel tablets: These tablets turn into small towels \u2014 just add water.<\/p>\n

Tiny screwdriver: In case your eyeglasses need repair.<\/p>\n

Note cards and golf pencil<\/p>\n

Emergency cash: For cab fare.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What you\u2019ll want in a disaster kit for home, as well as a smaller \u201cpocket kit\u201d you can carry every day.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":327,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[127],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthy-living"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDIY preparedness kits: Tips from a Red Cross volunteer - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/diy-preparedness-kits-tips-red-cross\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"DIY preparedness kits: Tips from a Red Cross volunteer - 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