What a survival kit should have

During times of emergency or catastrophe, such as earthquakes, when it is necessary to leave your home, or during epidemics, when it is recommended to stay indoors, it is very important to have a survival kit prepared and always on hand.

This kit must contain water, food, medicines and all types of important supplies to guarantee the survival and safety of all family members who share the house.

Ideally, the survival kit should be located in an easily accessible and safe place, which allows all supplies to be kept in good condition, and should be reviewed periodically so that no product ends up out of date.

What can’t be missing from the basic kit

Each family’s survival kit can vary greatly according to people’s age and existing health problems, but there are some items that need to be part of any basic kit.

These items include:

• Minimum 1 liter of water per person per day. Water must be sufficient to drink and ensure each person’s daily hygiene;
• Dry or canned food for at least 3 days. Some examples are: rice, pasta, peanuts, tuna, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms or corn;
• Basic eating utensils, such as plates, cutlery or glasses;
• First aid kit with material for making bandages and some medicines. See how to prepare your first aid kit;
• 1 pack of each medication for daily use, such as antihypertensives, antidiabetics or corticosteroids, for example;
• 1 pack of surgical or filter masks, type N95;
• 1 pack of disposable gloves;
• 1 multifunction pocket knife;
• Battery-powered flashlight;
• Battery-operated radio;
• Extra batteries;
• 1 pack of matches, preferably waterproof;
• Whistle;
• Thermal blanket.

Some of these items, especially edible ones, have an expiration date and, therefore, a good tip is to place a sheet next to the kit with information about the expiration dates of each item. This sheet must be reviewed every 2 months to ensure that products that are close to their expiration date are consumed and also replaced.

Other important groceries

Depending on the needs of each family, the region where they live and the type of catastrophe that could happen, it is recommended to add other items to the basic kit, such as tablets to disinfect water, feminine hygiene products, toilet paper, extra clothes and even a tent, for example. Therefore, the ideal is for each family to make a plan for everything they might need for at least 2 weeks.

If there is a baby in the family, it is important to remember to stock up on all the types of materials that the baby uses most, such as diapers, extra bottles, milk formula and any other type of food needed.

If you have a pet, it is also important to include bags of food and extra water for the animal in the kit.