militarymoms

Well, the heat wave has gone, for now at least.  More storms blew through last night, more trees fell down, more people lost power.  Our high today will “only” be about 88 degrees - I hope.

I thought I’d suggest a few items to add to your emergency kit.  Most people think of food and water right away, and perhaps even a means to prepare and serve them.  What about the rest of daily life?

• Medicines, both prescription and over-the-counter.  I realize it’s impossible to stockpile prescription meds - Tricare counts every pill dispensed, and if disaster occurs right before your refill date, you could have a problem.  It might be a good idea to talk with your doctor about this issue and see about getting a two-week emergency supply of any meds you might need, particularly if you have chronic health issues.

• Diapers.  Stash a couple of diapers away every time you buy a pack, and you’ll have two weeks’ worth available in no time.  No fair raiding your stash, though!

• Pet food and supplies.  This is NOT the time to run out of cat litter, trust me.

• Matches and fuel.  If you have a fireplace or charcoal grill, you probably have wood or briquets available.  If not, you’ll need to make sure you have propane or some other fuel source for cooking and heating water.

• Tools.  You will need a crescent wrench to turn off your natural gas (important if there is an earthquake, to prevent explosions).  A hammer and a prybar might come in handy, too.

• Pots.  You will need them to heat water and wash up.  Don’t forget dish soap!

• Activities.  Tuck away a deck of cards and drawing supplies.  Life gets pretty boring without TV and GameBoy.

• Batteries of all sizes.  You know, the ones that fit into your flashlight and radio.

• Spiritual comfort.  If you have an extra Bible or Book of Mormon, this might be a good place to keep it.

• Gas and cash.  If you know a storm is approaching, particularly a hurricane, fill your tank and get cash to tide you over for a few days.  Credit card machines and gas pumps don’t work if the power goes out.

God willing, I won’t have to worry about power outages for a few days; I’m looking forward to a few cool evenings, too!

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