Many families today are preparing emergency kits. They don’t want to find they are without essential items when a crisis arises. The pandemic taught countless individuals how unprepared they were for unforeseen events.
When preparing this kit, most people know to put essential items in the container. The items they might include range from food and water to first aid supplies and manual light sources. They may also include AGM Global Vision night vision goggles or a full-face gas mask. However, there are many household items a person might not add to the container and should. The following is a partial list of helpful items during an emergency.
Pest Control Items
You’ve been building a stockpile of food for emergencies. Most people store these items in airtight containers to protect them from rodents and contaminants that could make them spoil. However, they don’t think of other problems associated with pests and what they may deal with when the world turns upside down overnight.
A person might not be able to run to the store to pick up bug spray. At the same time, they could be spending more time outdoors chopping wood, hunting for food, or engaging in countless other activities designed to help them survive until things return to some semblance of order. This bug spray reduces the risk of them being bitten by an insect and becoming ill, which is important because medical care may be lacking.
Mouse traps are also needed to protect the home and family from unwanted guests. Pest control specialists might not be able to make it to the home to carry out basic tasks, so they fall on the homeowner. Nobody wants to share their house with mice, rats, and other creatures. Having supplies to deal with these problems will be priceless if professional pest control methods are unavailable because of the emergency.
Solar Charger
A solar charger works much like solar panels do. It takes energy from the sun and converts it to energy to charge electronic devices. What makes this unit different from those many people use today is you don’t need to plug it in to recharge it. While most solar chargers offer this option, the sun remains the preferred energy source to power this device, so it can run electronic gadgets you use regularly.
Solar chargers are environmentally friendly, and many outdoor lovers use them regularly when hiking, camping, and more. However, every household should have at least one unit to power devices in an emergency. Nobody wants to learn their cell phone has no power if they need to make an emergency call or check the latest news and weather. While this device doesn’t offer the power seen with solar generators, it is useful immediately following a natural disaster or emergency.
Manual Can Openers
Imagine having several cabinets or a pantry full of canned goods you cannot open. That’s what might happen if you don’t put a manual can opener in the emergency kit. Countless men and women forget this item and discover they cannot open many of the cans they have been stockpiling for a situation like this. Fortunately, many manufacturers now have cans you can open without external devices, but that is not the case with all.
While it is possible to open cans with other household items, such as a metal spoon or pocket knife, doing so takes time and energy. You need to pick which things to focus on. Having a manual can opener makes this task much easier, so you can do that. Purchase a manual can opener for both the home and the emergency kit, so you never have to do without your favorite canned foods or use lots of energy trying to open cans to eat.
Zip Ties
Zip ties have many uses. People often turn to these handy items when they want to connect items in the home, law enforcement officers use them to detain suspects in place of handcuffs, and travelers pull out zip ties to lock their luggage. As they are so helpful, include a package or two in your emergency kit. Why might you need zip ties in a crisis?
These little plastic pieces are helpful when you need to construct a shelter from tree branches and a tarp. The zip ties can bring branches together and hold them in the desired position or secure the tarp to the branches once they are in place. In addition, you can connect multiple zip ties to form a rope if you don’t have one with you or need one that is longer than the rope you brought.
While zip ties cannot be used as tourniquets, they are ideal for securing a bandage to keep it in place. You won’t need to hold the gauze or other first aid supplies on the injury, as the zip ties do that for you. They can also be used around your wrists and ankles to secure clothing and keep bugs out.
Finally, make more room in your bug-out bag. Use zip ties to secure items, such as clothing, that may become loose when placed in the bag. The zip ties keep them compressed, so there is more room for other essentials that you may need in an emergency.
Ziplock Bags
Ziplock bags are of great help in keeping items in the emergency kit clean and dry. Place different items in ziplock bags and place them inside a larger container of the same type. For example, when gathering first aid supplies, place bandages in one bag, antiseptic creams in another, and medical tape in a third bag. Place the three smaller bags in a larger one that zips closed. When a bag is needed, it will be available, yet it won’t have taken up valuable space in the kit.
Reuse the bags to line your boots and keep moisture out. They also serve as gloves when needed. Take one of these bags, turn it inside out, place your hand inside, and pick up something dirty. The bags can also carry items you find when out foraging for food or getting water from a stream to do laundry or cook. Boil this water before cooking with it to prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.
Place a bag in a crevice to collect water if other containers are too big for the space. Use the same bags to protect electronics and sensitive equipment from being harmed by the elements. If reusing bags that were used for water collection, make certain they are dry before putting electronic devices in them.
When purchasing these bags, stick with name brands. Store-brand bags may be of lower quality, so this is one time you want to spend more. Don’t forget to rotate the bags, either, as plastic weakens with time. You don’t want to discover the bags are useless when in an emergency.
Baking Soda
Most people have at least one box of baking soda in their homes. They may have multiple boxes, including one in the refrigerator to absorb odors and one in the bathroom they use to clean their teeth. When disaster strikes, they are thankful for this household staple, as they can use it for many other purposes.
You may spend more time outside during an emergency, leading to a sunburn. Use it to heal a heat rash and take the itch out of mosquito bites. The same product can reduce the pain of canker sores and treat heartburn and acid reflux.
Don’t put the box away once you are done treating minor household ailments. Baking soda can be used for many other things. Baking soda is an excellent dry shampoo and it also works to absorb foot odors. Sprinkle a little in your shoes to take smells away. Use it as a homemade deodorant by simply sprinkling some in your armpits.
Who knew baking soda could keep roaches away? Sprinkle it around the perimeter of the kitchen. If roaches try to enter, the baking soda will dehydrate and kill them, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. It will also give your car tires traction on ice and clear a clogged drain. Once you see the many things this one substance can do, you’ll want a box in every room of the home. Don’t forget to throw at least one in your bug-out bag too.
Men and women who prepare for emergencies find they are better equipped to handle anything that is thrown at them. Countless other items may be beneficial in this bag, including toothpicks and cotton balls. They will easily fit in the kit alongside your full-face gas mask and body armor. Talk with others to see what items they find most useful. You can include these items in your kit or partner with them to have more items on hand by each stocking different materials. Preparation is key in situations such as these, so begin expanding your emergency kit today. You won’t regret doing so when the bag is
