72 hour kits - how quickly could you evacuate?

I for one have never considered Virgina nor Colorado "earthquake" states. Yet they had some this last week measuring over 5 magnitude each. I don't consider Salt Lake City a Tornado zone, yet in 1999, fluke tornadoes appeared downtown and destroyed homes, shattered windows, and even claimed a life. No matter where you live, you should never consider yourself "safe" from natural disasters. Just because your region doesn't have a history of something, doesn't mean it can't occur. And even if you don't expect something will happen, you should still be prepared for if it does. After all, the unexpected, by nature, tends to happen when you least expect it.

Natural disasters aside, what if your neighbor's house caught fire, and jeopardized to burn yours along with it? What if your own home caught fire? What if a fireman came knocking on your door saying you needed to grab everything you would need for 3 days, and you had to be out in 10 minutes. Could you do it? Could you gather everything your family would need and remain level headed? Most of us would probably be running around in a panic, forgetting important things.

For these reasons and so many more, I think its important for each family to have 72 hour kits. These are ready packed bags that contain everything your family would need in case of an emergency.  You can make your own using any backpack, gathering all the supplies you might need, or you can buy some pre-made kits. Shelf Reliance sells both the individual emergency items you would want to include, as well as the pre-assembled kits.  Either way, make sure you add to your kit family specific items, such as medications, copies of phone numbers, IDs, pictures, lists of allergies, emergency contacts, etc. It's also a good idea to add in a book or deck of playing cards (something to pass the time) as well as some cash in low denominations.

Here's an example of the 2 Person Survival Pack 72 hr kit. It retails for $160, but if you order through me, it will only cost $79.10 (plus tax and shipping). Considering how much a decent backpack would cost just by itself, I think this is a great price. Here's what comes in it:

Kit Includes:
Essentials

• 1 Heavy Duty Backpack (1 main compartment, 2 small top compartments, 1 medium compartment, and 2 zipping side pockets).
• 1 Multi-function Knife (includes scissors, screwdriver, and nail file)
• 2 (two) 3M®, N95 Deluxe Dust Masks
• 1 Pair of Industrial Leather Work Gloves
• 2 (two) 10-hour, Disposable Heat Packs
• 10 Yards of 2” Duct Tape
• 2 Bright Sticks (provides up to 24 hours of light, 12 hours each)
• 2 name brand OB Tampons
• 1 (one) 50-foot Rope

Shelter and Bedding

• 1 Tube Tent with Rope
• 2 Emergency Sleeping Bags – 84”x36” (windproof and waterproof)
• 2 Ponchos with Attached Hood (one size fits all)

Communication

• 2 Whistles
• 1 Hand Crank Flashlight/Radio/Siren (no battery or electricity needed)
• Universal DC Adapter for Portable Electronics (will charge cell phones, portable DVD Players, and any electronics with a DC plug in! Simply plug your DC device into the adapter, and plug the adapter into your hand crank flashlight. No batteries or electricity needed).
• 1 Notepad and Pencil

First Aid

• 1 First Aid Booklet
• 1 Deluxe First Aid Kit Including:
  • 1 Pair of Scissors
  • 1 Ace Bandage
  • 1 Small Roll of Athletic Tape
  • 2 Iodine Pads
  • 2 Large Band-aids (4” x1.75”)
  • 20 Standard Size Band-aids
  • 4 Extra Strength Tylenol Caplets
  • 4 Pepto-Bismol Caplets
  • 2 Blistex Chapstick Pouches (.5g each)
  • 2 Antibiotic Ointment Pouches (.5g each)
  • 2 Sterile Alcohol Prep Pads
  • 1 Ammonia Inhalant Respiratory Stimulant
  • 2 (two) 3” x 2.25” Gauze Pads (2 ply)
  • 2 (two) 2”x2” Gauze Pads (12 ply)
  • 2 (two) 4”x4” Gauze Pads (12 ply)
  • 1 Pair of Tweezers (plastic)
  • 1 Pair of Disposable Vinyl Gloves

Food and Water

• 12 - 8.45 fl. oz. Coast Guard Approved Emergency Water Servings
• 2 Coast Guard Approved 3600 Calorie Food Bars
• 1 Plastic, 8 Liter Emergency Water Bag (not pre-filled)
• 8 Water Purification Tablets (1 liter per tablet)

Sanitation

• 1 (one) 2-ply Toilet Paper Roll
• 4 Tissue Packs (10 tissues in each pack)
• 2 Toothbrushes
• 1 Fluoride Gel Toothpaste (.6 oz)
• 1 Hand Sanitizer(.5 oz)
• 4 Wet Naps
• 2 Cloth Wash Towels
• 2 Re-sealable Storage Bags
• 1 36” x 36” Heavy Duty Garbage Bag

If you're interested in ordering this, or any other emergency kits or emergency supplies, you can visit my website at http://www.whitneyhemsath.shelfreliance.com/.  Under the "Shop" tab, you'll see a link for the Main Website. And on the Main Website, you'll see a tab that reads "Emergency Kits and Supplies". You can order straight from the website, (the web pricing might be slightly higher than the prices I've quoted here), or you can contact me directly to get your order at the lowest possible price. ThriveWithHemsath@gmail.com.