Home Survival List Essentials: Gear Up for Safety

Preparing for emergencies starts with accepting the need to be ready for anything.

Equipping your home with disaster preparedness supplies ensures you can withstand and recover from storms, earthquakes, infrastructure failure, or other crisis events.

This comprehensive guide outlines emergency kit essentials, utility preparations, safety equipment, and protocols to follow, helping you fully prepare with the right home survival list.

Introduction to Home Survival Readiness

Creating a comprehensive home survival list is crucial for ensuring safety and preparation during unexpected emergencies like natural disasters or power outages. Having the right supplies on hand can make all the difference. This section will explore the importance of putting together your own home survival list.

Understanding the Need for a Home Survival List

When an emergency strikes, you may be stranded without power or access to food and water for days or even weeks. That's why a home survival list is so vital - it helps you identify, gather, and organize the essential gear and supplies your household needs to safely endure a crisis scenario.

Whether it's an earthquake, hurricane, snowstorm, or other unforeseen event that knocks out critical infrastructure in your area, an emergency supply kit allows you to provide for yourself and your family until help arrives. It also reduces panic and stress when disaster strikes, as you'll know exactly what provisions you have on hand.

A comprehensive home survival list should include food, water, first aid items, tools, hygiene products, clothing, documents, and more. It's important to customize your list to your family's unique needs as well. Developing an emergency plan alongside your survival kit is also wise, mapping out actions to take when catastrophe hits.

The bottom line? Being prepared saves lives. Use this guide to begin putting together your own home survival list for whatever tumultuous situations may come your way.

What are 20 items in a emergency kit?

KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT YOUR DISASTER EMERGENCY KIT NEEDS BY READING MORE BELOW:

Having a well-stocked home survival list is crucial to being prepared for any emergency situation. Here are 20 essential items every disaster preparedness kit should include:

First aid kit

A complete first aid kit with bandages, gauze, medicines, etc. This allows you to treat injuries and illnesses during an emergency when medical care may not be available.

Prescription medications

At least a week's supply of necessary prescription medications for your family.

Water

Store at least one gallon of water per person per day to have clean drinking water if taps are unusable.

Special needs items

Customize your disaster survival kit with any special medications, foods, or supplies needed for infants, seniors, pets, or those with disabilities.

Flashlights

Pack LED flashlights and extra batteries so you have light if the power goes out. Glow sticks also help.

Multi-purpose tool

A Swiss Army knife or multi-tool with pliers, screwdrivers, knife, etc. Helps in rescue efforts or makeshift repairs.

Battery-powered radio

To check emergency broadcasts if electricity and wifi are down. Choose a hand cranked or solar powered option.

And much more! Building your emergency preparedness kit takes some time but ensures your family's safety when unexpected disasters occur. Use this essential home survival list to stock up on key provisions today.

How many days should a stay at home survival kit last?

Being prepared for emergencies means stocking up on essential supplies to last at least 3 days. However, experts recommend preparing enough provisions to sustain your household for up to 2 weeks or more.

Here are some tips on how long your home survival kit should last:

3 days is the minimum. Having 3 days worth of water, food, first aid, etc. covers short-term power outages or minor disasters.
1-2 weeks provides necessities if supply chains are disrupted or you cannot leave home for an extended period. This duration allows more flexibility.
For severe or long-lasting scenarios like weather catastrophes or infrastructure damage, pack supplies for 1 month or longer. Access to additional resources may be extremely limited.
Tailor your kit duration to possible threats in your region and household size. Those in remote areas or with bigger families may need more.
Rotate and replace food/water every 6-12 months so nothing expires. Re-evaluate quantities as household changes.
Have cash on hand as ATMs may not work in emergencies. $100-500 can purchase essentials.

Building an emergency kit is vital preparation for disasters both big and small. Customize your provisions to withstand realistic risks, from hurricanes to viral outbreaks. Aim for 2 weeks of supplies, replenished over time, for adequate resilience. With smart planning, your household will have what it takes to shelter safely at home through any crisis.

What should I stock up on in case of war?

Building an emergency supply kit for wartime can give you peace of mind knowing that you and your family have the essentials to survive. Here is a checklist of some must-have items:

Food & Water

Canned goods (vegetables, fruits, soups, meats)
Dried fruits and nuts
Granola and protein bars
Powdered milk
A manual can opener
Bottled water
Water purification tablets

Choose foods that don't require refrigeration and are not high in salt. Make sure you have enough non-perishable food and water for several days.

Communication & Information

Battery powered or hand crank radio
Extra batteries
Flashlights
Cell phone chargers
Maps of the area
Cash

A radio and flashlight will allow you to stay updated and see in case of a power outage. Have some form of emergency communication as cell towers may be compromised.

Health & Sanitization

First aid kit
Prescription medications
Personal hygiene items
Disinfecting wipes
Garbage bags

Be prepared to treat any injuries with a well-stocked first aid kit. Have at least a week's supply of medications and feminine hygiene products. Disinfecting wipes and garbage bags allow you to maintain cleanliness.

Documents

Passports
Birth certificates
Insurance information
Bank account info
Backup of digital files

Store paper copies of important documents in a waterproof bag or container. Having identification and backups of any digital assets can help you recover after the emergency.

Preparing an emergency kit takes time but can give you invaluable peace of mind. Follow this wartime survival list to ensure your family's basic needs are covered during a crisis. Replenish any expired items every six months.

What emergency supplies do you think everyone should have in their home?

Having the right home survival list is crucial to ensure you and your family are prepared for any emergency situation. At a minimum, every household should have these essential supplies ready:

Water - 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days. Have enough for 2 weeks if sheltering in place. Store in sealed containers and replace every 6 months.
Non-perishable food - Enough for 3 days if evacuating or 2 weeks if sheltering, including protein bars, canned goods, nuts, dried fruits. Rotate stock to keep it fresh. Consider special dietary needs.
Can opener - Manual type that doesn't require power.
Flashlights - Hand crank and/or battery-powered. Stock extra batteries. Glow sticks also handy. - **Radio** - Battery-powered or hand crank Emergency Survival Kit. Tune into NOAA for latest emergency info.
First aid kit - At least basic supplies like bandages, gauze, OTC meds, gloves. Check and refresh kit annually.
Hygiene/sanitation items - Toilet paper, baby wipes, feminine products, plastic bags for waste.
Tools - Manual can opener, utility knife, duct tape, matches, work gloves.
Cash - ATMs may be inaccessible so have small bills on hand.

Preparing your home survival list takes some effort but gives crucial peace of mind. Follow expert guidance to determine the right supplies for your household's unique needs.

Assessing Your Situation for Potential Emergencies

Determine potential threats in your area like natural disasters or civil unrest to guide your home survival preparations. Consider risks like hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, flooding, and more based on your location.

Researching Local Hazards and Crafting a Disaster Survival Kit List

Use government resources like FEMA or your state's emergency management agency to find historical data on hazards like hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, winter storms, flooding, wildfires, and civil unrest in your region over the past 50 years. This will help you determine the top disaster risks for your area to prepare for.

Some examples of potential hazards to research:

Hurricanes - if you live near the Atlantic or Gulf coasts
Earthquakes - if you live out West or regions with fault lines
Blizzards - if you live in the Northeast or Midwest
Flooding - check flood maps and proximity to bodies of water
Civil unrest - if you're in or near a major city

Once you've assessed likely hazards, make a comprehensive home survival list of gear and supplies tailored to potential disaster scenarios, like a hurricane kit list or earthquake emergency kit list. For example, include heavy-duty tarps, work gloves, and lumber if at risk for storms. Or include seismic gas shutoff tools and hard hats if at risk for quakes.

Mapping Evacuation Routes and Preparing an Emergency Kit for Earthquakes

Use online maps or city resources to map out primary evacuation routes away from flood zones or chemical plants, plus alternate back-up routes in case roads are blocked or gridlocked. Mark rally points and shelters along the way.

Print out maps or download offline map apps to devices in case internet/cell service fails. Give copies to family and neighbors with highlighted routes.

Tailor your home survival list with earthquake-specific items like:

Sturdy helmets and gloves for protection from debris
Wrench for turning off utilities if lines are damaged
Whistle and glow sticks to signal and illuminate collapsed areas
Space blanket for warmth

Planning With Family and Neighbors for Coordinated Emergency Response

Hold a localized meeting to coordinate emergency plans, share skills/resources, and combine home survival list items with immediate household and neighbors.

For example, if one neighbor is a doctor, ensure they carry a First Aid Kit to treat injuries after a disaster. Or if another has a generator, they can provide power to others without it. Discuss coordinating evacuations using mapped routes.

Compile all your family's survival supplies together with neighbors' to distribute key items where lacking - food, water, fuel, first aid. This way no one is left struggling alone. Print out copies of coordinated emergency plans.

Essential Emergency Survival Supplies

Stock up on essentials like food, water, first aid, tools, and more to sustain your household for at least 72 hours without external support.

Building a Hurricane Kit List with Emergency Essentials

When building your home survival list for hurricane preparedness, be sure to stock up on emergency essentials like:

Canned goods and non-perishable foods with a long shelf-life
A crank or battery-powered radio to receive weather updates if the power goes out
Extra batteries for flashlights and devices
Several flashlights and lanterns with extra bulbs and batteries
Waterproof matches and lighters
A first aid kit
Prescription medications
Cash in small denominations
Copies of important personal documents in a waterproof bag

Having these basic hurricane safety supplies on hand will help you safely ride out power outages and stay informed. Rotate your stock every 6 months to keep it all fresh.

Outfitting Food for Emergency Kit to Sustain Nutrition

When packing food for emergency kit, focus on nutrient-dense, non-perishable foods that don't require refrigeration or preparation:

Canned proteins like tuna, chicken, salmon, and beans
Peanut butter and other nut butters
Dried fruits and nuts
Granola/protein bars
Crackers and cereals
Canned vegetables and fruits packed in juice
Comfort foods like candy, cookies, instant coffee, tea bags
MREs or freeze-dried camping meals

Aim for at least 2000-2500 calories per person per day. Also be sure to pack a manual can opener! Rotate stock every 12 months.

Assembling a First Aid Kit and Sanitation Supplies

A well-stocked first aid kit should contain:

Sterile gauze pads, rolls, and tape
Bandages and antibiotic ointment
Common OTC medications like antacids, antihistamine, ibuprofen
Prescription medications
Blanket, gloves, masks
Hand sanitizer and hygiene supplies
Tweezers, scissors, safety pins
Flashlight, batteries

For sanitation, have toilet paper, baby wipes, plastic bags, bleach, and garbage bags on hand. Store in a labeled, portable container. Inspect and refresh kit contents yearly.

Preparing an Earthquake Emergency Kit List with Structural Safety Tools

Your earthquake emergency kit list should include:

Sturdy shoes and work gloves for debris cleanup
Cash in small bills - ATMs may not work
Respirator masks to filter air
Duct tape and tools like a crowbar, hammer, pliers
Labels, chalk or paint to mark gas/water lines
Utility shut-off instructions
Fire extinguisher
Escape ladders if living above ground floor

Having these structural safety items on hand will help you quickly address risks, damages or utility issues following a quake. Check supplies every 6 months.

Utility and Equipment Preparations for Infrastructure Failure

Ensuring you have essential tools and can secure your home utilities even if infrastructure fails is a critical part of emergency preparation. Being able to swiftly act after disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, or floods can save lives.

Securing Emergency Utility Supplies for Swift Action

When major emergencies happen, damage to infrastructure often leaves homes without basic utilities like electricity, water, and gas. Preparing items like headlamps, work gloves, pliers, and duct tape means you can safely turn off utility lines if needed after disasters strike your area.

Having a set of supplies ready allows you to act quickly in securing your home. We recommend gathering together:

Sturdy gloves and eye protection to handle debris or dangerous materials
A reliable flashlight or headlamp if the power goes out
Pliers and basic tools like screwdrivers, wrenches, and cutters
Duct tape, rope, and tarps to temporarily secure broken pipes or windows

Storing these items together in an easily accessible emergency kit ensures you can swiftly take action even in darkness or dangerous conditions. Consider placing the kit in a hallway closet or near your electrical and plumbing access points.

Practice shutting off utility valves or switches ahead of time so you understand the proper procedures. Share knowledge of emergency processes with everyone in your household. Working quickly as a team makes safely securing your home utilities faster during real catastrophic events involving earthquake emergency kit necessities like gas and water lines.

Investing in a Gas Shut-off Wrench for Earthquake Preparedness

Earthquakes pose extreme risks from fires triggered by broken natural gas pipeline leaks and explosions. Investing in a specialist wrench designed explicitly to turn off the gas line at your meter or appliance is a smart move for quake-prone areas.

These gas shut-off wrenches are available from most hardware stores and come in standard sizes to fit residential gas shut-off valves. They allow you to swiftly turn the outdoor gas meter off to stop leaks. Practice shutting off your gas with the home emergency supplies ahead of any actual earthquake emergency.

Having your own gas line wrench is advisable as fire departments often cannot respond quickly enough following major seismic events. Fires from pipeline breaks can rapidly spread between homes. Protect yourself by planning ahead – a $15 wrench could save your life.

Consider storing the shut-off wrench right at your gas meter alongside printed directions on safely turning off the line. Add glow sticks or reflective tape to mark the location for easier night access. Share the meter shut-off processes with your household to empower everyone to act decisively.

Installing Window Safety Film Against Severe Weather Impacts

Applying security window films is an affordable way to strengthen glass windows against devastating impacts from events like hurricanes or earthquakes. The hardy polyester film holds shards in place even when windows crack or shatter from severe weather like high hurricane winds.

Specialty films only around $10 per window can secure your home against glass shrapnel that causes most storm-related injuries. Professional installation ensures solid adhesion and smooth results, giving household safety for years against future panes breaking.

DIY application kits are cheaper but have a high margin of error – incorrectly applied sections peel over time. We recommend using reputable local installers experienced with window safety film jobs. Most films reject up to 99% of UV rays too, keeping home interiors cooler and reducing fading.

When severe weather inevitably strikes your region, window films buy you vital extra preparation time to enact emergency survival plans. Protect your family by investing in these adhesive reinforcements well before storm season arrives.

Specialized Safety and Medical Equipment for Home Survival

Home survival requires some key gear for medical issues, self-defense, lighting, and contingencies. Having the right equipment on hand can make all the difference in an emergency situation.

Stocking a Comprehensive First Aid Kit for Medical Emergencies

When disaster strikes and professional medical care is limited or unavailable, having a well-stocked first aid kit is essential. Be prepared for trauma wounds by having tourniquets, chest seals, compression bandages, and other critical supplies to stop bleeding and treat injuries without access to hospitals.

Consider including prescription medications you normally take, antibiotics to prevent infection, pain relievers, allergy medication, antidiarrheals, electrolyte solutions, medical gloves, trauma scissors, tweezers, a thermometer, medical tape and wraps, antiseptic wipes, triple antibiotic ointment, sterile saline, safety pins, sterile razor blades, and other essential medical items.

Rotate and check expiration dates every 6 months on first aid supplies to ensure they will be effective when needed most. Also have quick access to important medical information like your blood type, medications, allergies, emergency contacts, and more.

Investing in Backup Power Sources and Emergency Lighting

When the power grid gets knocked out for an extended period, recharging devices and having light sources becomes difficult. Consider obtaining solar chargers, generators, or portable power stations to charge essential electronics, medical devices, and communication equipment in a blackout.

Having backup lighting is also critical - stock battery, propane, or kerosene lanterns and fuel to safely illuminate living spaces when the lights go out. Headlamps, glow sticks, and flashlight apps on phones also help provide personal lighting.

Test backup power sources quarterly and use fuel stabilizers to extend shelf life. Safely store fuel away from living areas and ensure proper ventilation when running generators or alternate heat sources.

Ensuring Warmth and Visibility with Alternative Heating and Light Sources

In colder climates, being prepared with alternate heating and light sources for winter storms and outages can save lives. Have battery, propane, or kerosene lanterns available not just for lighting but also for spot warming frigid rooms when the heat stops working.

Stay warm with wool blankets, battery powered socks and gloves, warm winter layers, and safe alternate heating sources like wood stoves or propane/kerosene heaters. Also be mindful of fire hazards and carbon monoxide poisoning risks that increase with alternate heating methods.

Having the right gear, contingency plans, and knowledge ahead of time mitigates panic when disaster strikes. Evaluating potential risks in your area and investing in specialized supplies now better prepares your home for survival.

Practice and Familiarization with Your Home Survival Gear

Perform regular hands-on safety drills with household members to confirm everyone knows evacuation plans and can operate emergency equipment confidently if real disasters strike.

Rehearsing Emergency Scenarios and Inspecting Disaster Kits

Practicing real-life emergency situations like sheltering from storms, turning off utilities, administering first aid, and operating communications equipment is crucial to being prepared when actual disasters happen. Set aside time every 3 months to act out scenarios and respond as if they were real events unfolding. For example, have everyone gather emergency supplies and proceed to your predetermined safe zone during a fake earthquake drill. Or rehearse securing windows, doors and outside objects during a mock hurricane. These practice runs will ingrain proper protocols so that reactions are automatic if true emergencies occur.

Just as important is routinely inspecting your home survival kits to confirm all contents remain intact and functional. Every 6 months, thoroughly check your disaster preparedness kits, replacing any expired or damaged items. Make sure batteries still hold a full charge, non-perishable food is within eat-by dates, first aid supplies are fully stocked, flashlights work properly, and all other survival gear is in good operational condition. Practicing with your equipment while also keeping it maintained ensures your household will stay safe if catastrophes hit.

Conducting Regular Maintenance and Organization of Emergency Supplies

In addition to disaster kit inspection during drills, you should be regularly maintaining and organizing emergency provisions even when they're not in active use. Mark a recurring quarterly appointment in your calendar to devote time solely for this purpose.

Check all expiration or 'use by' dates, disposing of any food, medicine, or batteries that are past their prime.
Take inventory and make a list of items needing replacement.
Ensure all electronics are fully charged.
Wipe down tools and equipment to prevent corrosion.
Re-pack supplies so they're neat and orderly, making key items easy to grab quickly in real emergencies.

Following this routine every 3 months guarantees you'll have fully functioning survival supplies and well-organized disaster kits when catastrophes strike.

Educating Household Members on Proper Gear Usage and Emergency Protocols

The best home survival preparations mean nothing if the people in your household don't know how to correctly utilize equipment and follow emergency protocols. Schedule periodic training sessions to educate everyone on proper usage of key disaster response tools, including:

Fire extinguishers - Show proper operation, explain different types of device and the fires they extinguish.
Gas/water shut-off tools - Demonstrate how and when to turn off utilities.
Two-way radios - Practice setting channels and using for communication.
First aid kids - Review what each item treats and how to apply bandages, medicines, tools like tourniquets.

Also set aside family meeting time every month to discuss and reinforce emergency response plans, ensuring all members understand evacuation routes, shelter locations, communication chains and any specific role they need to carry out. Solid education across your household is what converts disaster preparations into effective life-saving actions.

Ensuring a Resilient Homestead: Key Takeaways

Recap the crucial components and steps for creating an effective home survival list, emphasizing the significance of preparedness and regular practice to face any disaster with confidence.

Summarizing the Home Survival Essentials

Having an up-to-date home survival list 🏡 is critical to ensure you and your family are prepared when an emergency strikes. At a minimum, your list should include:

Water 💧 - Stock up on bottled water and consider setting up water storage containers.Aim for at least one gallon per person per day. Don't forget water purification tablets or filters.
Long-lasting food supplies 🥫 - Canned goods, dehydrated meals, protein bars, and other non-perishables. Target at least a 3-day supply to start.
First aid kit 🩹 - Essentials like bandages, ointments, scissors, medications, etc. Know basic first aid as well.
Flashlights and batteries 🔦 - Hand crank and battery-powered options to deal with power outages. LED bulbs last longer.
Radio and chargers 📻 - Stay updated on news and weather alerts. Hand crank and solar options help when electricity fails.
Having the gear is only part of the equation. Also vital is regularly taking inventory and using/replacing items before they expire. Additionally, bring together household members to discuss emergency plans and conduct safety drills. Readiness takes practice! 💪

Preparing for disasters may seem daunting, but taking it step-by-step makes all the difference. Use this guide as your launchpad to begin putting together your own home survival list suitable to your household's unique needs. The peace of mind of being equipped to handle emergencies is invaluable. You've got this! 😀