Perhaps the largest step forward for emergency preparedness at home in the last several decades was the introduction of mass produced home smoke detectors in the 1970's and 80's. Today about 93% of homes have a smoke detector to warn of fire. Countless lives have been saved by these devices over the years and most people would agree that having one or more in the home improves safety and just makes common sense.
For years we have been encouraged by the government and disaster response organizations to take another step forward in preparing ourselves and our families for an emergency or disaster. We have been encouraged to have an emergency preparedness kit on hand to provide basic survival supplies to last for at least 72 hours (3 days) on our own in case of an emergency or disaster. Despite the encouragements, a survey by the American Red Cross and The Council for Excellence in Government indicates that:
"The majority of Americans remain unprepared. Only 4 percent have taken all of the preparedness actions recommended in the RQ and 23 percent have not taken a single step."
(The RQ, or Readiness Quotient, is a tool used to evaluate one's level of readiness for an emergency or disaster based on several suggested steps including having an emergency plan and an emergency kit.)
Test your own RQ - Readiness Quotient.
Tips for increasing your RQ - Readiness Quotient
Of 1,000 adults surveyed nationwide, only 42% had some kind of emergency supplies or kit on hand. Other studies, and my own experience in the emergency preparedness business, indicate a much smaller percentage of people actually have a full three day supply of emergency basics as recommended by the Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross.
The percentage of individuals and families with a fully stocked emergency kit varies widely from location to location throughout the country. In many neighborhoods one would be hard pressed to find a single "prepared" family on any given block. My experience would indicate that well less than 10% of households are fully prepared for a disaster.
The media coverage following Hurricane Katrina brought home the reality that federal, state, and municipal authorities will not be able to immediately help everyone in case of a major disaster. Just as there is a need to have smoke detectors because we can't each have a firefighter on duty 24/7 in our own home, we each need to prepare to be able to provide for our own basic needs in an emergency or disaster.
The recommendation to prepare for at least 3 days comes from the fact that experience has shown that it will take at least that long (and maybe longer) for authorities to provide assistance to most of the people who may be affected by any given large disaster.
If you find yourself among those whose current level of preparedness is at the "Well, at least I do have a smoke detector" stage, we suggest that you take the "next step." The next step as outlined by the Department of Homeland Security on www.ready.gov is to "Get a Kit".
A well stocked emergency kit should meet your basic needs for up to three days (72 hours) and should include supplies that provide for the 10 BASIC EMERGENCY NEEDS:
- water
- food
- breathing protection
- first aid
- shelter
- warmth
- communication
- light
- tools
- sanitation/hygiene
Click on each of these links to see checklists from the Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross on what should be included in each in each 72 hour emergency kit. These are the two lists we use to guide our development of LifeSecure home emergency preparedness kits.
Whether you buy an emergency kit ready-assembled by an emergency preparedness company or build your own, beyond the 10 BASICS, you will also need to add several personal items to increase your comfort and preparedness. Both the Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross lists address suggestions for added personal items.
Though it is helpful to have several items that can be used in your home if you need to shelter-in-place, it is critical to have a compact, light-weight grab-and-go kit in case you need to evacuate. Consider how much you can realistically carry should you end up on-foot. We find that many people prefer to have a rolling bag kit in case they need to travel on-foot for some distance. Some of these bags convert to backpacks or have a shoulder strap should they have to be carried over debris or rough ground.
One other important consideration when preparing an emergency kit is the shelf-life of the components. Most people don't care to be constantly inspecting and updating their kits nor paying to replace outdated items. If you value the ability to "buy it once, pack it once, and forget it", make sure that you select food, water, light and communication options that will last for 4 to 5 years or more. Most comercially assembled kits provide long-shelf life options for these supplies. Because of their long-life, kits purchased from reputable emergency preparedness companies can help to prepare a family for in the range of only $7.00 to $14.00 per person per year. That's not a lot of money to spend to secure one's family in case of a disaster.
On the Ready America website, the Department of Homeland Security recommends 3 Steps to be Prepared for an emergency or disaster: Get a kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed. Getting an emergency kit is a concrete and achievable "next step" for most people to take in increasing their personal and family preparedness for any emergency or disaster.
Need personal help in meeting your home preparedness needs? Just contact us at LifeSecure.
Every Life Secure
An Emergency Preparedness Blog helping to make "Every Life Secure" in any emergency or disaster... at home, work, school, or on-the-go
