If the pandemic taught us anything, it is that most people don’t keep enough supplies in their home for an emergency.  I never imagined that finding an employee unpacking a pallet of toilet paper in a store would be considered a victory, but it happened.  Whether it is a snowstorm that causes a loss of power for a few days or a virus that keeps us isolated in our homes, it is important for all homeowners to have a basic emergency kit  for such occasions.

Sometimes it is not realistic to think that we can go out and completely furnish everything for an emergency kit in your Locust Grove home at once.  It’s okay if you slowly build a kit as you are able to purchase items.  Here are some recommendations of items to have on hand in case of a disaster.  You may also need to add other items depending on what kind of emergencies are more prone to occur where you live.  For example, if you live in an area prone to tornadoes some items may be different than if you live in an area where hurricanes occur. Here at our Locust Grove homes, natural disasters like tornadoes and snowstorms are events that would warrant having an emergency kit.

While it is great to have this kit in your home, you may need to leave your home.  In that case, you will want to have your kit stored in a few easily accessible sturdy bags (one per family member) that you can grab and go.

It is important that everything in your kit is stored in one place that is easy to get to and that everyone in your Locust Grove home knows where the kit is stored.

Emergency kit items for your Locust Grove home

  • Water (a gallon of water per person per day is the recommendation) This water is not only for drinking but also for cleaning.
  • Food-more on that below
  • Flashlight
  • Battery or hand crank radio with a NOAA weather radio
  • First Aid Kit*
  • Medication*
  • Extra Batteries*
  • Paper Plates, paper towels, garage bags, baby wipes (helpful in situations where you don’t want to use water to clean dishes or other messes)
  • Toilet paper
  • Set of tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver, hammer)
  • Cell Phone chargers
  • Manual can opener
  • Matches in a waterproof container
  • Dust masks
  • Blankets
  • Extra clothing
  • Cash
  • Copies of important documents such as driver’s licenses and insurance policies
  • a deck of cards/paper and crayons/small toy that could entertain young children

*make sure to rotate these supplies so that the ones in your emergency kit are not old and expired.

Food

Canned food and other non-perishable foods are always great for an emergency kit for your Locust Grove home because they last a long time.  Make sure to stock food items that your family likes to eat because even though these items last longer you will have to rotate through your supply so that you are not wasting food and money.  Soups, beans, dry pasta, jarred sauces are great choices, but don’t forget to also keep salt and seasonings in your supplies too.

While we hope that we never need to use an emergency kit, everyone will be grateful for it during the next big snowstorm.