Consider the aftermath of a hurricane or tornado (pictured). In a tornado situation you need wet weather gear, in a hurricane situation you might need a place to set up a tent on your own property that will be safe until help arrives, or until you can start building.
The Survival Mom (dot.com) has a guest post by Varian Wrynn called 36 Lessons Learned from Testing a 72-hour kit.
Another 72-hour kit idea comes from The Great Northern Prepper (dot com). Check out this site to see this and other good ideas.
My kit looks a lot like the one on the right. I have it in a rolling suitcase in my trunk. It's about time to rotate food again (every 6 months or less), and as Vivian Wrynn suggests above - test it. That's not going to be easy for an older person.
About dot com has an article that details How to Make a 72 Hour Kit for Emergency Preparedness and gives the following suggestions.
Food and Water
(A three day supply of food and water, per person, when no refrigeration or cooking is available)
- Protein/Granola Bars
- Trail Mix/Dried Fruit
- Crackers/Cereals (for munching)
- Canned Tuna, Beans, Turkey, Beef, Vienna Sausages, etc ("pop-top" cans that open without a can-opener might not be a good idea because you don't need to hunt for a can opener.)
- Canned Juice
- Candy/Gum (warning: Jolly Ranchers can melt and using mint gum might make everything taste like mint.)
- Water (1 Gallon/4 Liters Per Person)
- Make sure you take what you will eat. If you are vegetarian/vegan/ or intolerant to any foods you won't be able to eat them. Make sure you take things your children will eat as well. All the "prep" food in the world won't make a difference if they won't touch it. Just remember that a lot of candy will not be nutritious and will end up just making you sick while you wait to be rescued.
Bedding and Clothing
- Change of Clothing (short and long sleeved shirts, pants, jackets, socks, etc.)
- Undergarments
- Rain Coat/Poncho
- Blankets and Emergency Heat Blanks (that keep in warmth)
- Cloth Sheet
- Plastic Sheet
- Make sure your "stored" clothing is in the proper size range. Store clothes at least a size bigger than your child if they are growing fast. Put a reminder in your phone or on the calendar to switch out clothes or at least check for sizes ever 6 months. This goes for adult too if they are loosing or gaining weight.
Fuel and Light
- Battery Lighting (Flashlights, Lamps, etc.) Don't forget batteries!
- Extra Batteries (put a reminder on the calendar to check every 6 months for usability)
- Flares
- Candles (make your own candles in a tuna can or something small like a baby food jar)
- Lighter (check to make sure the fuel hasn't evaporated)
- Water-Proof Matches
Equipment
- Can Opener
- Dishes/Utensils (metal are nice, but heavy. A good melamine would be handy but remember that you need something to clean them. You might prefer paper so that you can burn it or throw it away)
- Shovel
- Radio (with batteries! check often)
- Pen and Paper
- Axe
- Pocket Knife
- Rope
- Duct Tape
Personal Supplies and Medication
- First Aid Kit and Supplies
- Toiletries (roll of toilet paper- remove the center tube to easily flatten into a zip-lock bag, feminine hygiene, folding brush, etc.)
- Cleaning Supplies (mini hand sanitizer, soap, shampoo, dish soap, etc. Warning: Scented soap might "flavor" food items.)
- Immunizations Up-to Date
- Medication (Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, children's medication etc.)
- Prescription Medication (for 3 days or more. If you have to bug out you would do well to take all your prescriptions with you as you might not be able to return. Even better - improve your health so you do not have to take prescriptions)
- Personal Documents and Money
- (Place these items in a water-proof container!)
Scriptures and other
- Genealogy Records (make sure you have them backed up on a flash drive - you won't be able to carry large binders with you)
- Patriarchal Blessing
- Legal Documents (Birth/Marriage Certificates, Wills, Passports, Contracts, etc)
- Vaccination Papers
- Insurance Policies
- Cash
- Credit Card
- Pre-Paid Phone Cards
- Passport if you have one
Miscellaneous
- Bag(s) to put 72 Hour Kit items in (such as duffel bags or back packs, which work great) Make sure you can lift/carry it! I have a suitcase on wheels that works well
- Infant Needs (if applicable)
Notes:
- Update your 72 Hour Kit every six months (put a note in your calendar/planner) to make sure that: all food, water, and medication is fresh and has not expired; clothing fits; personal documents and credit cards are up to date; and batteries are charged.
- Small toys/games are important too as they will provide some comfort and entertainment during a stressful time.
- Older children can be responsible for their own pack of items/clothes too.
- You can include any other items in your 72 Hour Kit that you feel are necessary for your family's survival.
- Some items and/or flavors might leak, melt, "flavor" other items, or break open. Dividing groups of items into individual Ziploc bags might help prevent this.
