People who live in earthquake zones know that disaster could strike at any time. Even though emergency preparedness may not be foremost in peoples’ minds, it’s important to have an emergency reunification plan and an emergency kit for the home, office, childcare center, and the car.
Be Prepared to Survive Without Help for 72 Hours After An Earthquake
Emergency preparedness specialists tell us that even in urban centers, roads and buildings may be inaccessible for some time after an earthquake. Hospitals and other emergency personnel will also be busy taking care of those who are most critically injured. Families must have an earthquake kit that allows them to survive with enough food, water, and other supplies for up to three days or 72 hours after an earthquake.
Where to Put a Disaster Survival Kit
Think about all of the places that a typical adult or child visits during the day. A family member might be in any of these places when an earthquake occurs. Home, work, school, child care centers, and even the car are all places to put a disaster survival kit. Most of these kits are not large.
What is in an Earthquake Emergency Kit?
Earthquake kits for the office or the car are often in a backpack so that the owner can move around the area. Earthquake kits for the home can be larger and stored in a box in an accessible area. What does an emergency kit contain?
- A rain poncho
- An emergency or space blanket
- A hand-crank flashlight
- Toilet paper or wet wipes
- A whistle
- Gloves
- A basic first aid kit
- Food bars
- Water boxes or water purification tablets
- More deluxe earthquake kits contain supplies like:
- A hand-crank charger for a cell phone
- A folding shovel to remove people from buildings
Consider adding items like warm clothing, extra shoes, hats, and several space blankets to the home kit as well. A home kit can also contain canned and tetra packed goods if there is space. These can be added and removed over time.
Earthquake kit supplies should have a shelf life of three to five years. They are available in different sizes to suit classrooms, offices, child care centers and larger families.
Where to Find Earthquake Preparedness Supplies
For many people, it can be difficult to find the time to create an earthquake preparedness kit. Yet this kit will be vital if there is an earthquake event. There are emergency supplies and kits available online through organizations like Quake Kare. In the community, find earthquake kits and supplies at outdoor stores, first aid suppliers, military supply stores, and through many cities offices that have emergency preparedness programs.
Every family who lives in an earthquake-prone area needs to be able to survive for 72 hours without help. Buying a pre-packaged earthquake preparedness kit or creating a homemade survival kit for the home, car, and office is one way to get prepared.
Tricia Edgar - Tricia Edgar is a gardener, environmental educator, and science writer from the Pacific Northwest.
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