Question 1

What should be in a 72-hour emergency kit?

Accepted Answer

72-hour emergency kit essentials for a family of 4: Water — 12 gallons (1 gallon/person/day × 3 days); Food — 36 servings of shelf-stable food (12 per day); First aid — commercial first aid kit with added tourniquet and moleskin; Medications — 7-day supply of prescription meds + OTC pain reliever, antidiarrheal, antacid; Documents — copies of birth certificates, passports, insurance cards, cash ($200+); Communications — battery/crank weather radio, charged battery bank; Lighting — 2 flashlights + extra batteries, headlamp; Tools — multi-tool, wrench to shut off utilities, duct tape, whistle; Hygiene — toilet paper, hand sanitizer, feminine products, diapers if needed; Baby/pet supplies if applicable; Warmth — emergency blankets (one per person), extra clothes. Store in a waterproof container near the exit. Check and rotate every 6 months (coincide with daylight saving time changes).

Question 2

How do I create a family emergency communication plan?

Accepted Answer

Family emergency communication plan steps: (1) Choose a meeting spot — two locations: one near home (neighbor's house if you can't return home); one outside neighborhood if you can't return to the area; (2) Out-of-area contact — designate one person (family friend or relative 100+ miles away) as a message relay; it's often easier to call out-of-state than local numbers after a disaster; (3) Document contact numbers on paper — don't rely on phones; each family member carries a laminated card with: local emergency contacts, out-of-area contact, school emergency numbers; (4) Practice: run a family emergency drill twice a year; (5) Text first in a disaster — texts require less network bandwidth than calls and are more likely to go through; (6) Know your local emergency alert system (sign up for Wireless Emergency Alerts and county notification systems); (7) Plan for separated family members — what if kids are at school? Know school lockdown and reunion procedures.

Question 3

What supplies do I need for hurricane preparedness?

Accepted Answer

Hurricane preparedness supply list: Pre-storm (weeks before): board up windows (plywood, hurricane shutters), trim trees, anchor outdoor furniture, fill sandbags if available, fuel vehicles and generator, fill prescriptions; Water — 1 gallon/person/day × 2 weeks minimum; non-electric water reserve (bathtub bladders like WaterBOB, 100 gallons); Food — 2-week shelf-stable supply; generator fuel with Sta-Bil stabilizer (store 30-50 gallons); Portable cooler with ice for refrigerated medications; First aid — enhanced kit with trauma supplies; Cash — ATMs may be offline for days/weeks; Communication — NOAA weather radio, charged devices and battery banks; Documents — in a waterproof bag including home photos for insurance; Chainsaw for post-storm debris; Blue tarps for roof damage. Never evacuate late — leave when told to. Hurricane Katrina showed that staying behind when ordered to evacuate is often fatal.

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