WHAT IF A DISASTER CAME TO YOU?
It’s called a 72-hour kit and you ought to have one.
It’s something you have ready, that you can grab at any time, that contains everything you need to sustain your family for three days.
In case something bad happens.
Like happened with the hurricane.
In case there’s a fire, or an earthquake, or a blizzard, or anything else that chases you out of your home, or shuts down society and its services and supplies.
We were reminded in New Orleans of what we should have already known, and that is that we have the ultimate responsibility for ourselves. When push comes to shove, you can’t sit there and crybaby because nobody’s taking care of you – you’ve got to take care of yourself.
It’s a moral obligation.
A moral obligation that can be met by practical means.
Like a 72-hour kit.
You start with a backpack or a duffle bag or some other grip that you can easily pick up and carry. Ideally, it should be something that leaves your hands free.
And you should keep it near a door. Somewhere where if push comes to shove and you’ve got to get and get quick you can grab your stuff and go.
So what do you put in it?
That will depend on you and your family, on your particular needs and circumstances. What’s right for one family may not be right for another.
But some needs are universal.
Like water, food and shelter.
In your 72-hour kit you will want water. If you can carry it, you’ll want three days worth of water for everyone in your family.
But that can be heavy. So some people will have some water in their kit, and they will also have a water filtering pump, which can be bought at most camping or outdoors stores. That way they can purify and drink water that otherwise wouldn’t be potable.
You’ll also need food.
But don’t be tempted to run for a bunch of cans. They’re heavy, and three days worth of canned food, especially for a family, can weigh you down.
So what do you get?
Well, whatever makes sense to you. Remember to balance the number of calories with the amount of weight. When it comes to emergency food, the more calories the better and the less weight the better. Some people will get military meals, or dehydrated camping food. Some will get big sticks of pepperoni, or candy bars.
It’s a personal choice. And it doesn’t have to be an expensive one. Some survival suppliers will have emergency rations, but they can be very expensive. You will have to decide if it is worth it, of if you can find what you need at the grocery store.
Other things to consider include rain ponchos, space blankets, a small but serviceable tent, a wind-up radio, material to start and feed a fire, a compass, flashlights and plenty of batteries, emergency candles and extra clothing, especially if it’s the cold season.
If someone in your family needs special medications, over the counter or prescription, it would be good to have them in your kit. It also might be a good idea to have some first aid supplies and general medications, including over-the-counter products that fight infection and diarrhea, as well as pain relievers.
Some people have particular skills – like amateur radio operators – and will bring specialized equipment that might be useful to themselves or others.
You may also want to think about including a gun.
That might seem controversial or unsettling, but it is practical and worth considering.
A good one to have might be an accurate .22-caliber pistol, like the Browning Buckmark. It is small, reliable, capable of hitting what it’s aimed at and won’t take up much space in your backpack. And you should have a thousand rounds of ammunition for it. That might sound like a lot, but it’ll only cost about $20.
If you prefer a rifle, stick with a .22, but get one that can break down and fit easily in your pack.
Why have a gun?
Well, there’s more reasons than one.
In the Superdome, for example, it took more than a gallon of water to survive. In New Orleans, a variety of crimes broke out. Looting, of course, but also rape, assault and even murder. Most emergencies don’t involve a break down of social order, but some do. And when they do, you’d better be prepared.
But it’s not just about World War III.
There’s also the practical matter of getting something to eat. You have three days worth of food, and if you go to light rations you’ll get more than three days out of them. But there is a chance, maybe a good chance, that three days worth of food won’t be enough.
So you might have to shoot some.
Maybe pigeons, maybe woodchucks, maybe deer. Maybe after a while anything you think you can cook.
Those are some suggestions.
The specifics are up to you.
But the idea is a good one. It might be an essential one. Your survival could depend on it.
- by Bob Lonsberry © 2005
