When deciding which goods to invest in, you’ll want to consider the types of emergencies that your area is prone to. Next, you’ll want to create a personalized emergency plan with a list of emergency contacts, a planned escape route, and—you guessed it—an emergency kit filled with essentials that will last your family at least three days. Read on for the top products to have on hand to keep you safe and organized in any emergency. Drinking water needs to be at the top of your emergency preparedness kit, yet not everyone has the room, resources, or inclination to start hoarding hundreds of bottles of water. This slim, lightweight personal water filter does one better: As you sip through it, it removes 99.9 percent of waterborne bacteria and protozoan parasites. Each unit filters up to 1,000 gallons of contaminated water—that’s more water than the average person drinks in a year—and it does so without iodine, chlorine, or other chemicals. It works without batteries and doesn’t have an expiration date. With every LifeStraw purchase, a child in need receives safe drinking water for an entire school year. The barrel weighs a mere 1.1 pounds, which is a feature you’ll truly appreciate when it’s filled to the brim with water. Fill it on the wide mouth side, then use the spigot when dispensing water for use. Remember to wash it thoroughly before use and replace stored water every six months. Besides being useful for emergencies, these water bottles also make a great addition to camping or road trips: they feel just as solid as your go-to reusable water bottle but can easily be recycled if need be. Note that these can’t be frozen; your best bet is to keep them in a cool space like your garage or basement. You’ll appreciate the easy-to-read digital meter that lets you know when you’re running low on juice and the foldaway handle and wheel kit that makes it easy to move to the exact place you need it. Note that this pick weighs a hefty 28 pounds, so you can’t easily move it around if you are evacuating on foot. Even if disaster strikes without an evacuation warning, this pick can protect important papers in the case of a home fire or water damage. When you fill the can up, remember to leave some room at the top so you can squeeze. The spout prevents spills and it has a flame mitigation device to prevent fires. The can itself is made of a durable hard plastic that won’t break. Gas should be stored at room temperature, ideally in a detached garage or shed and at least 50 feet away from pilot lights and other ignition sources to prevent fires. The rainbow colors make it easy to color-code the items you’re hanging. Even in non-emergency times, you can use these to hang things off backpacks, belt loops, or metal poles. Note that these aren’t intended to be used for climbing.
Portability
Many emergencies will cause you to leave your home quickly, like in the case of a wildfire or hurricane. Because that’s so often the case, it’s important that your emergency supplies are either portable or can be stored in something that’s portable. Look for supplies that fold up neatly, are compact, or offer storage for other emergency supplies.
Shelf Life
Another important consideration for your emergency kit essentials? Shelf life. There’s a good chance you may buy some of these supplies and leave them untouched for months and years. But should you have to eventually need them, it’s vital that they still be in working order. To find emergency kit essentials with a long shelf life, seek out items with a 5 or 10-year guarantee or a proven track record of longevity. If you’re buying perishables, make sure their best-by date is far enough away for them to be useful in an emergency.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This round-up was edited and researched by Lily Sperry, a lifestyle writer and commerce editor here at The Spruce. When considering which picks to keep or add, she consulted dozens of third-party reviews and resources provided by Ready, a national campaign promoting emergency preparedness and awareness. Additional reporting was done by Rabekah Henderson, a freelance design and decor writer whose work has appeared on MyDomaine, Atomic Ranch, Cary Magazine, and American Farmhouse Style.
