Pets

Our pets are dear. For many of us, pets are family. 

PET KIT: This is such an important topic. Make sure each pet has a tag with your identification. You must bring pets in carriers to any gathering/shelter environment – another use for wheelies as part of your kit. 

Pets also must have leashes.  Include pet medical records, (especially proof of immunization). Should you end up in an American Red Cross shelter please know they permit only legitimate service dogs inside shelters. 

If you are a pet owner, I suggest you join w/other pet owners in your locale to create a Pet Emergency Response Plan.  This would involve having a safe place for pets adjacent to your human gathering location/shelter.  No one is going to set this up for you. This will only occur as a result of networking, pre-need.  

Seasonal Supplies and Comfort & Entertainment

Some of your supplies will need to change with the seasons.  

SEASONAL: Include a change of clothing in your essentials: Package seasonal clothing and other items separately so you can swap out one season for another easily as temperatures change.

Personal Hygiene

PERSONAL HYGIENE: It can boost your morale to feel as fresh as possible but think twice before using much water for that purpose, if you have only brought 1 gallon per day. (This is a good reason for bringing extra water).  A large travel kit could work nicely for hygiene. Pre-moistened towelettes are so helpful in emergency conditions and don’t require “spending” your precious water supply. 

Medications and First-Aid

MEDICATIONS: In a serious disaster, it may be a while before pharmacies are open and stocked to meet refill needs. You must include an adequate supply of your medications in your kit, not merely enough for 96 or 120 hours. You can accumulate an emergency supply by re-ordering your 30-day meds after 3 weeks or your 90-day meds after 75 days (or as soon as your drug insurance will allow). However, some meds do require the full time period before refill. Pack extra eyeglasses and/or contact lenses.

PRESENTATION: Three Response Strategies and Networking

The information herein is useful to all ages, but is directed toward seniors -- because our age group suffers disproportionately more injuries and fatalities in disasters.

I can attest to this from personal experience in 3 Earthquakes and 3 Civil Riots AND from searching out Lessons Learned from each national disaster. 

In all disasters I have studied, missteps -- primarily, communication breakdowns -- were made among the professionals that cost senior lives. The most dramatic is the final report about the Maui fire, made public in October 2024, revealing that 75% of fatalities were age 64 or older.  It is heartbreaking.

However, the primary reasons our age group suffers disproportionately comes down to US.  First, many of us older people are often NOT prepared at all; or, second, if we have of a kit, it is likely insufficient and inappropriate for our aging needs; and third, most seniors are not networked with younger, stronger neighbors who care, living on their same street, or connected to community or religious groups committed to include them.

Your Emergency Kits Revisited

The new preparedness standard is 120-hours.  Initially 72-hour kits were the recommendation.  Then the last few years it became a more realistic 96-hours.  At present, professional responders strongly recommend each person/family needs to be prepared to meet their essential needs for a minimum of 5 days and 5 nights.  We are told not to expect outside help reaching our communities in a major disaster for 120-hours.  They know this from reviewing the aftermath of many national major disasters.

How to revamp 96-hour emergency kits?  Add an additional day of water, food and medications to your Emergency Kits for each member of your household.

Things That I Learned from Hurricane Sandy -- A Heads Up For All of Us!

by Frantz Ostmann on Saturday, November 17, 2012 at 7:13am 

1. The excitement and coolness wear off around day 3.
2. You are never really prepared to go weeks without power, heat, water etc. Never!
3. Yes it can happen to you.
4. Just because your generator runs like a top, does not mean its producing electricity.
5. If you do not have water stored up you are in trouble.  A couple of cases of bottled water is “NOT” water storage.
6. You should have as much fuel as water:   a. Propane,     b. Gas,      c. Kerosene,      d. Firewood,      e. Firestarter, (kindling, paper, etc.)
7. Even the smallest little thing that you get from the store should be stocked up. (spark plug for the generator, BBQ lighter, etc.)

Added Observations Regarding Hurricane Sandy

by Amie Ostmann

1. Store a lot of ‘mix-ins’ to help flavor your stored water.  
2. Being without running water was more inconvenient than having no power.  
3. Before-hand we stored milk jugs filled with water, ¾ full, and put in the freezer.  When we had no power, we put the jugs, a couple at a time, into the fridge to keep food cold.  When they melted, we used for drinking.  
4. I wished I had more candles.
5. 10-hour candles were awesome.  
6. Candles give a broader light than a flashlight.  
7. We had one lantern; it was better than the candles.  I wished for more.

96-Hour Emergency Kit

NOTE:  I recommend carts/wagons/dollies, not back-packs, to transport a 96-hour kit on foot.  But DO pack supplies in back packs/bags instead of putting items loose in cart/wagon.

Water:  1 gallon/person/day for 4 days weighs over 33 lbs.

Sanitation: Toileting supplies for the individual and family. Vital for family and public health.

Food:  Snacks are easiest, but think how comforting a warm meal of some kind would be.

Mess Gear: Necessary if planning on meals, even as basic as cereal.  Not needed for snacks.

Seniors and Disasters

While disasters take a toll on everyone, no group is more impacted than aging adults - seniors - especially those of us who also have physical limitations and mobility issues.

Though our nation regularly experiences major disasters, it was the devastating hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Sandy that made it crystal clear – seniors suffer the most fatalities, severe injuries and are the most likely to be left behind.

96-HOUR Kit - Components and Contents

Below is my personal view of practical components to create a 96-Hour Emergency Kit suitable for On-Foot evacuation. 

A money belt can be worn under your clothing to hold cash (Mostly small bills- $1, 5, 10), personal ID, certifications (such as CERT, Red Cross cards, Ham radio), contact list, vital meds in small plastic zip bags, etc. 

A large fanny pack can be comfortably worn at all times that could hold additional doses of meds, important papers, cell phone, charger, keys, pencil, paper, protein bars (so you have a “food” source at-hand in case you get separated from larger kit components), emergency whistle, lip gloss, lotion, candy, gum etc. From the belt of the fanny pack you can hang such items as a walkie-talkie, light flashlight, light weight water purification filter, face mask, etc.

96-HOUR Kit Suggestions

Below is my personal view of practical components to create a Senior 96-Hour Emergency Kit suitable for On-Foot evacuation.

A money belt (travel stores) can be worn under your clothing to hold cash, personal ID, any certifications (such as CERT, Red Cross, Ham radio), contact list, vital meds in small plastic zip bags, etc.

A fanny pack can be comfortably worn at all times that could hold such things as additional doses of meds, important papers, cell phone, charger, keys, pencil, paper, protein bars (so you have a “food” source at-hand in case you get separated from larger kit components with better food), emergency whistle, lip gloss, lotion, candy, gum, etc. From the belt of the fanny pack you can hang such items as a walkie-talkie, light flashlight, personal water purification filter, face mask, etc.