Its certainly a very basic kit, but much better than nothing, which is what most people have !

I dont think that such kits are aimed at members of this and similar forums who can no doubt do much better, they are aimed at Joe public who has not the time, knowledge, inclination, or money to prepare in depth, but might spend $50 on a ready made kit.

The contents are suprisingly similar to the emergency kit that I keep at work, intended for sheltering in place or in a nearby public building.
Certainly not intended for cross country travell, or long term survival.

The price seems high for what you get?

I think you'd do better going through Red Flare who also is an ETS member and an ETS SUPPORTER!

It looks like every purchase at the Red Cross store benefits the Red Cross, so this kit is available for profit and not at cost - we could all do better I'm sure, but you start replacing their components with something better and the cost goes up, the contribution to Red Cross goes down. I wonder a bit whether a 72 hour kit should be sold this way.

I was puzzled by the 10x10 plastic sheeting with no line to hang it for shelter, figured maybe its intended to wrap and dispose of disaster casualties? Too morbid - if you look at the deluxe kit it explains its intended to shelter in place, its an impermeable barrier against biologic agents, and you have the smallish roll of duct tape to secure it (hopefully at least 40 feet!) So its a little optimistic there, I have my shelter chosen and plastic sheeting pre-cut for the window and door, it comes out to more than 10x10.

I found one of these kits in my parent's closet, and improved on it a bit (my sister is very near by, they'll have a number of relatives coming on the run in the event of any emergency). I replaced the 3XAA radio with a windup / solar version that cost me $25, a 2XAA LED maglite, a strip of Micropur tablets, some food more suited for octogenarians, and doubled up on the work gloves and N95 masks (added ones with the little rebreather doohickie on them). The incadescent flashlight was predictably dead when I opened the bag (I swear the first outfit to offer a decent LED flashlight in these basic kits will begin to get my attention). Every kit gets my gallon-sized freezer bag full of first aid kit with basic necessities. I gave them 2x2.5 gallon hard plastic containers and a couple 32 oz nalgenes and rotate water every year (same time I change out the AAs and wind the radio to make sure it works), 2.5 gallon being the maximum my mom can easily lift and pour from. The solar radio has a good chance of working long after the windup / battery loses its ability to hold a charge.

If this was my folks primary kit I'd go whole hog and replicate some of my preps, they are one presumably sunken floating bridge across lake washington and 15 miles away as the crow flies. But its not, our plan is for them to move in with my sister who is better prepared, and we have enough stuff through nearby relatives to care for mom and dad.

I agree, it is a poor way to try and kill two birds with one stone. With what I'd have to spend to bring their kit up to snuff, I'd be better off just to build the whole kit from scratch, and donate the difference, which would probably yield more for them in the long run.

To me that's an idiot bag. it's nothing more than a " Ok, I bought this and I'm prepared so all is good".