Quick Kit

This is for the person who wants to quickly put a kit together.  It’s important to still print some docs, order FEMA Publications and do the 15 Minute Grab List, but I provide an abbreviated shopping list with the most important items.

ACTION 1: Quick Print and Order

1.  Do an internet search to find the Emergency Plans for  your local city and county.  These will be important!
2. Use the SHORTCUT for ordering FEMA Publications to order FEMA documents.

ACTION 2: Create a 15 Minute Grab List

Don’t skip this step.  Print the Grab List and quickly fill it in.  Use Step 2 to give you ideas of what to include.

ACTION 3:  Buy these items at your local Grocery Store

The food items on this list will supplement the kits and give you a week’s worth of food.  Get as much water as you can!  Remember that it’s 3 gallons per person per day.  Add more for pets.

ACTION 4:  Buy these items from a General Store

You can get these at a Target, Walmart or other general store:

• Purchase an extra propane tank for your BBQ (if that will be your primary stove)
• Charcoal briquettes if you don’t have a BBQ and you are not planning to use a propane or butane stove for heating the water.

ACTION 5:  Buy these items Online

Product	Description/Links	Notes
	Case of 24 Blue Cans of Water (50 year shelf life) 16 in BOB 4 in each car OR	They are not cheap but they last 50 years!!!  They get great reviews on taste, even when left in the heat.  And each can holds 12 ounces (or 1.5 cups).  I personally chose this option because I saw it as a one time investment.  I then put the cans in the cars and in our Bug Out Bins.  I love that I don't have to ever worry about rotating them!
	Survivor Filter Pro	If you can afford it, then a small pump filter is the way to go.  It gives you the power to filter larger amounts of water at a much faster rate and you can take it with you if you have to evacuate.  I personally own the Survivor Filter Pro and keep it in my Bug Out Bin. The Survivor Filter company is a US company that has done extensive testing on their filters.  It is worth reading their link on the quality of their filters.  The report indicates that their tests showed that their filter meets CDC requirements for Crypto removal.  I also bought their Portable Collapsible Canteens to make it easier to collect the filtered water.
	Aquamira Water Treatment Drops (using Chlorine Dioxide)	This is another cheap and easy solution for disinfecting water and killing waterborne pathogens. It uses chlorine dioxide, so it doesn't produce the aftertaste that you get with iodine.  The AquaMira Website explains it's effectiveness against viruses, bateria and cysts including cryptosporidium and giardia.  Aquamira is also excellent for use with water storage.  Adding it to your storage containers (see Action 6) will keep the water safe for 5 years. This saves you the hassle of having to change out the water every 6 months.
	Reliance 7 Gallon Containers	These water jugs are a great way to store water in the garage. The advantage of the 7 gallon containers is that you can bring them into the house as you need them. Just be aware that 7 gallons of water is VERY heavy! These containers are not expensive. The key thing is that you want to store them in a cool place. Thoroughly wash the containers before storing the water!
	MH 3 Day Emergency Food Kit for 1 person: Biscuits & Gravy (1), Scrambled Eggs with Bacon (2), Beef Stroganoff (2), Chicken Terriyaki (1), Pasta Primavera (2), Rice & Chicken (1)	BUY ONE FOR EACH FAMILY MEMBER. Meals in this Kit: Biscuits & Gravy (1), Scrambled Eggs with Bacon (2), Beef Stroganoff (2), Chicken Terriyaki (1), Pasta Primavera (2), Rice & Chicken (1)
	MH 4 Day Emergency Food Kit for 1 person: Breakfast Skillet (2),Granola with Blueberries (2), Beef Stew (2), Italian Style Pepper Steak (2), Lasagna (2), Noodles & Chicken (2)	BUY ONE FOR EACH FAMILY MEMBER. Meals in this Kit: Breakfast Skillet (2),Granola with Blueberries (2), Beef Stew (2), Italian Style Pepper Steak (2), Lasagna (2), Noodles & Chicken (2)
	AF Freeze Dried Broccoli(#10 can)	This freeze dried broccoli can help add vegetables to your meals. You can use freeze dried cheddar cheese to add flavor to it.
	Freeze Dried Sharp Cheddar Cheeze (10 oz)	OPTIONAL: This can be used on vegetables to add flavor (especially if you have picky eaters). Please note that this comes in a 10 ounce can (not #10 can).
	MH Pilot Crackers(#10 can)	Combine these crackers with peanut butter (if no nut allergies) for a high protein snack.
	Datrex 3600 Calorie Food Bar 2 for 1 Week Meal Plan 2 for Bug Out Bag 2 for car	Purchase as snacks for meal plan, food for car and food for Bug Out Bin. Taste test the Calorie Food Bars to see which one your family would like best.
	Insulated Bag for 3600 Bars and Water	You will want to store the 3600 Calorie Bars and portable water in insulated bags if you plan to put them in the car. These bags will help protect its contents against high temperatures.
	First Only All Purpose First Aid Kit (299 Pieces)	This is a great first aid kit with a good supply of the basics.
	ACEP First Aid Manual	I know how to apply a bandaid. OK, I could probably handle a sprained ankle, but my nursing skills are limited. This is a very comprehensive book that will be my medical go-to-book if we can’t get to medical staff.
		Surviving a nuclear or chemical attack is a concern as tensions increase with North Korea (particularly for Hawaii and the west coast). The U.S. Armed Forces Nuclear, Biological And Chemical Survival Manualis a book that provides guidance on how to survive a nuclear, biological or chemical attack.
	Small First Aid Kit for car
	N95 Mask-Regular Size Box of 20	Dust masks are on Ready America list. Upgrading to N95 masks makes them pandemic ready as well.
	Disposable Gloves
	HotHands 18 hr Warmers (instant heat pack)	These can be used as heat packs.
	IOSAT Potassium Iodide Tablets-5 PACKETS 5 Packet Supply 10 Packet Supply	The thyroid gland is sensitive to radioactive iodide during a nuclear incident. These tablets are used in a nuclear radiation emergency to block access to the thyroid. We live in California. After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, there was a period where we didn’t know if the west coast would be exposed to radiation. These tablets immediately sold out. They were selling on Craigslist for $100 a packet!!! I was happy that I had these in my kit and had paid much less! I highly recommend adding this to your First Aid Kit, especially given the current climate with nuclear weapons. I also recommend a book on surviving Nuclear, Biological and Chemical disasters.  The duct tape and sheeting are for sheltering in place during a biological or chemical disaster. Click here for the CDC sheet on taking Potassium Iodide.  The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission provides Frequently Asked Questions About Potassium Iodide that includes information on it's shelf life.  You may want to add this to your binder. Plan for one packet for each family member for use in nuclear emergencies. Each packet has a 2 week supply.
	Burn Dressing
	Dental Repair Kit
	Saline Eye Wash	Recommended for both human and pet first aid kits.
	Recover ORS	This is a great product to address hydration after diarrhea or vomiting. It helps replenish electrolytes.
	Gas and Water Shutoff Wrench This is important to own! Make sure you can turn the gas off. Store the wrench in an outside location. Make sure everyone knows where it is stored and how to use it!	IMMEDIATE SAFETY A gas leak is dangerous! This is a priority purchase! You want to be able to turn off gas or water if the pipes break during a disaster. PG&E recommends that you only turn the gas off if you smell gas, hear gas escaping, see a broken gas line or suspect a leak.  Only a PG&E employee can turn it back on, so don't turn it off unnecessarily.  It could be a long time before someone could get to your home after a major disaster.
	Midland Consumer Radio	It is important to have a radio with NOAA Weather band frequencies, flashlight and cell charger. I also make sure my radios can be powered by batteries, hand crank or by solar panel. I want to make sure I can get updates on any disaster recovery. What sets these radios apart from others is their durability and their ability to run on good old AA or AAA BATTERIES!
	Running Snail Both of these radios are excellent.	I keep the Midland radio in my Bug Out Bin and a Running Snail radio in each car.
	Hausbell Ultra Bright Mini	LED Flashlights - preferably 1 for each family member.
	LED Headlamp(s)	LED Headlamps are a great safety item for the car. It will allow you to work on things with both hands. I keep one in my Bug Out Bin and one in each car.
	LED Lantern	This is another favorite lantern. These guys pack a punch and they are very economical since you get 2 lanterns.
	Batteries for Radio and Flashlights	Make sure you have a GOOD supply of batteries for the radios and flashlights flashlights. The Midland radio takes AA batteries as a backup option. The Vont Lanterns also use AA batteries.
	Batteries for Radio and Flashlights	The Running Snail radio takes AAA batteries as a backup option. I keep a set of these in the car with the radio.
	Fox 40 Emergency Whistle 120+ decibals You can get cheaper whistles but these are loud and that's what you want.	These whistles are very loud. I keep one in each car and in our house.
	Reflective Thermal Blanket	These are great for the car! I keep these and the HotHand warmers in case we get stranded in the winter. I keep 4 in each car and put the other 2 in the Bug Out bin. ** These blankets are part of a Pet First Aid Kit so be sure to get one for your pet. **
	Duct Tape	This is on the Ready America list for sheltering in place. There are so many uses for duct tape. I keep a roll in my Bug Out Bin. It is important to have this on hand in case you need to seal windows in doors.
	Plastic Sheeting	This is on the Ready America list for sheltering in place. I recommend heavy duty plastic sheeting because you will want something easy to cut if you have to cover windows and doors.
	Fire Extinguisher	Make sure you have a good fire extinguisher! It will give you the ability to put out any small fires after a disaster.
	Rope	Rope is like duct tape. There are a lot of uses, especially in an emergency situation where there is a lot of debris. I keep rope in each car and in the Bug Out bin.
	Leather Gloves	Leather gloves are recommended for clearing debris after a disaster. I keep a pair in the car as well.
	BBQlighter	This is an important tool in your fuel plan since a lot of these options require a flame.
	Bags of charcoal briquettes	Briquettes are great because they are very economical and you can use them with a grill or a dutch oven (these are covered in the oven section below). You can get very inexpensive grills for under $20 at hardware or general stores like Target and Walmart. If you are on a tight budget, you can create a grill using a flower pot. I keep one bag of charcoal in a sealed plastic box in the garage. It is my backup and will be used for my Dutch Oven baking.  A very useful accessory for charcoal cooking is a briquette or chimney starter.
	20 lb Propane for BBQ	I recommend getting the propane tanks locally. A propane BBQ is an excellent resource for cooking during an emergency.  If you're going to rely on your outdoor BBQ for cooking, then make sure you have a good supply of propane! I keep 3 tanks on hand at all times. The more the better. The downside to the BBQ is that it must be used outdoors.
	Iwatani Portable Butane Burner	This is a GREAT option for people who live in apartments.  It uses butane and this particular burner is CSA Commercial Indoor Approved. It is rated for Commercial Indoor use because it requires proper ventilation for indoor use, so be sure to have good ventilation if you use it indoors. I own one of these and it heats things very quickly.
	Butane for Iwatani Stove	You'll need specific Butane canisters for the Iwatani Stove. You can sometimes find deals at asian stores.
	Dual USB Solar Battery Charger and External Battery Includes an external battery that you can pre-charge but has less powerful solar charging capabilites.	Keeping phones charged after a disaster will be very important. That's why you may want to consider getting a battery backup and solar panel cell for USB devices. This is the smaller model, so the solar panel is not as powerful as the one below.  But it has the advantage of having a built in battery!  So you can charge up the battery and have it ready for a disaster.  The solar panel can be used to recharge the battery.
	Nekteck 20 W Solar Charger with 2 Port USB Charger Charges quickly but does NOT include an external battery. It only charges if sun is available.	This is the larger model, so it's more expensive. But you need to remember that your whole family will want their phones charged.  The downside to this charger is that it does not have a battery, so you can only use it if there is sunlight.  That said, I own this charger and it can charge the phone quickly when there is sun.  It has ports to charge 2 devices at the same time.
	Garbage Bags for toilet
	Toilet Paper	I have a friend who went through a disaster situation due to flooding. Power was down for a long time and the stores were wiped out. He said the one commodity that was in highest demand was toilet paper! No one wants to run out of toilet paper, so keep a good stash of it on hand. ** Put a roll in every car in case you get stranded. **