How do you put together solid 72hr+ kits while at the same time:

• Paying down your credit card debt
• Saving up to buy another car in the next few months and
• Planning on buying another house sometime in the next five years?

It seems a bit overwhelming. How do you folks do it?

-- Craig

Have a plan, priorities, small steps, research. The Dollar Store and Grocery Outlet and Thrift stores are good places to save $. BTW, paying off the Crdit card is part of preparedness.

Dave

take your time, do good research and spend your money on the best you can afford. But be prepared to buy other brand/model of equipment if the chance arise to get it cheaply. I rarely pay full price on any of my survival/bushcraft equipment. They are group bought, used or heavily discounted.

Simple - do NOT plan on doing it all at once

Let's think - water-shelter-food

You drink Soda? Know anyone who does? (if you don't even know someone who does...) Get some of the empty 2l bottles. Clean them, and you can store water in them - cost - about 30 cents/person (2 bottles/day/person)

Shelter - I'll leave that up to you

Food - You DON'T need MREs or the like. Most folks will be "shelter in place" or at a shelter. Think about canned foods you LIKE to eat. Soup? That's good. Instant Soup? Good. Ramen Noodles - heck, at 10 cents a pack, even if you DON'T regularly eat them....

The trick here is 1)Packaging and 2)Buy what you eat, eat what you buy. My wife loves tuna fish - I like tuna fish - my kids will eat tuna fish. My wife eats about 1 can/week. It's no real hardship, when Tuna goes on sale, to buy, say, 6 cans - and when we get down to 3, buy 3 more (or 6 if you are trying to build your supplies) - that way, there are always between 3 and 6 cans of Tuna in the house. I like soup - so I bought 8 or 9 cans - when we get down to 4-5, I buy more. The trick is, do NOT plan on buying it all at once. I keep some food in a go bag, but it's not necessary - I can walk by the pantry or cabinet in the kitchen and grab a LOT of food, fast

First aid stuff? You keep bandaides, etc in the house? Put them in the "Bag" instead of the medicine cabinet - now you walk to the bag if you cut yourself, and besides, if someone gets hurt, the first aid stuff is in one easy carry package

Think about it - you probably have most of the stuff for a 72 hr kit in the house RIGHT NOW, just stored in different places - so you just store the stuff in the kit - just remember to replace it as you use it

http://www.daveramsey.com/ Is a good resource for managing your money which is also a part of preparedness.
I find shopping at the discount clubs not only saves me money but also allows me to have substantially more than 72 hours worth of supplies on hand. My full size chest freezer allows me to take advantage of good process of good prices when I can find them and I try to buy a little extra each month to get and stay ahead of the curve.

Cut up the credit card.
Keep 'n repair the old car.
Another house???

Make due with what you've got untill you can actually AFFORD newer/bigger/better.

Sorry for the hard answer, but sometimes, that's all there is.

Troy

Sensible replies, all. I have some ideas now. Thanks for replying.

-- Craig

Wife and I are taking Dave's 13 week course now..good stuff.

So..since I really don't have a budget right now for anything other than debt...I'll let you in on some of the things that I am doing..that cost little of nothing.

I drink a 20 oz bottle of Diet Mt. dew every day...don't laugh..it's good stuff. save the bottle, wash it out fill 3/4 with water and freeze..ready supply of ice in power outage.

I also do as another suggested and save the liter bottles and fill with water..almost any decent size jug will work..NOT MILK.

Food is another issue..you have to actually go get it. I agree with other suggestions here...buy what you will actually eat. For example..I know that my daughter loves jerky of any kind..so I have some. Buy in small quantities over a period time so you don't kill your budget all at once. I try to buy one or two items every time I go to the store.

My new son is on formula...save all the metal(Similac) cans. Boil water, eat out of store water, food, medicine. You would be amazed how much medicine you can cram in one of those cans.

Those are just a few...get the water taken care of first!!! That's my suggestion. Then build from there.

For food items, coupons. Coupons are your friends, even if they can drive you crazy at times. And watch the sales for items taht have a good shelf life. If you have a couple of groceries fairly close, get all thier fliers and plan it out. Cooler with home made ice for the stuff that needs to be cool. It might add an hour to your weekend, but it can pay well.

Great advice! Take the time to read and follow the forums, listen to opinions, ask questions. Plan. Plan some more. Prioritize. Figure out what is the most imprtant gear for you to carry? Buy gear in that order of importance.

The other really really great advice is to buy the best gear first. While this may seem to fly in the face of reason, the reality is that you may find yourself buying three or four cheap crapy items trying to find something that work, and in the end you'll spend 75% of what you would have to get the best gear first off. On the other hand there are some relatively low cost, very high quality gear available - example include Opinel and Mora knives.

A few items that I thing are the best of the best - and reasonably priced:

Inexpensive folding lock blade knife: First, buy an Opinel folding knife from Ragweedforge.com. Choose from a variety of lengths for just $-$17. These will do everything you need until you can afford the best.

Inexpensive fixed blade knife: First buy a Mora from Ragweedforge.com. My favorites are the KJ Ericsson 711, 746, 731, 748 knives - unbeleivable knives for $12-$19. If you have smaller hands then go for the Frost 840/860 or the 740/760.

My favorite folding lock blade knife (for the price): Doug Ritter's RSK Mk1 - $105. Yes, expensive, but you'll never need another lock blade. I like the fullsize best, but EDC the mini.

My favorite fixed blade knife: Though I don't have one (I am OK with a folder for now) I'm becoming more than convinced that the Bark River Northstar is what I'd buy.

Mult-tool knives: Swiss Army Knives - my favs are the climber and hunter. I like the Leatherman Wave too, but it is sooo much heavier than the SAKs.

Pocket-sized light: Doug Ritter's Freedom light - $20
(I've purchased 4 so far - amazing lights, as bright as many flashlights - don't underestimate the value of the LED collar)

Baseplate Compass: Suunto MD-3 - $20
(A fantastic price for a solid professional quality compass)

Sparker, Whistle, Signal Mirror, Button Compass: Doug Ritter Personal Survival Pak - $25 (1st rate quality gear for a great price)

Hmmm, what am I forgetting???

A great shelter can be provided by large heavy-duty garbage bags available at Home Depot. Bic lighters so a fine job at low cost. Chlorine bleach and tincture of iodine provides low cost drinking water sanitation, though prefer the Micropur tablets. Nylon dress socks make great hiking boot liners (under wool socks).

Do it bit by bit and do it wisely.
Try making a list of what things you want or need to put in your kit. (and what you already have or is around that you can use)
Then go over the list and work out the needs and make them a priority.
Also work out items on your list that are multi use and work out items which are specialized. Some items will be used in any disaster and some in only one type of disaster. So work out how you plan to use items on your list and then prioritise again.
When buying items, buy items that can be trusted when you need them. Quality doesn't mean highest priced. But if you buy an item and you dont trust it, thats a mental hit you dont need when the SHTF. Potentially worse is over trusting an item that fails because you didn't do your homework when checking in to it before purchasing.

There is a lot of good info here. But we cant give you specifics about where you live. So research your area and find out what you are most likely going to face. When we are born we are a statistic. So look into some statistics around you. Look at your country side and find out likely events. Look back hundreds, if not thousands of years and see what has happened around your area. The earth works on a different time scale to humans. Also check weather history.
It is better to know what you are likely to expect and make plans towards it.
Start basic and work up from there. It might seem daunting but adding bit by bit while working to a plan, soon brings results.

Some of the things I have found out for myself about my local area includes living 80km away from the epicentre of the strongest quake in Australia for the past 200 years. And also living a few kilometers away from Australia's youngest volcano, and then finding that its last siesmic activity occured in 1978.
I haven't specifically prepared for an earthquake (yet), but after receintly finding out about how big the quake was and that it damaged buildings in both Adelaide and Melbourne, (about 900km apart) Earthquakes has gone up on my priority list to prepare for.

You might consider approaching from the other side of the equation too ? increasing your spendable monthly income by reducing other expenses.

Awhile back, went through this exercise with one of my brothers. I?m the ?financial guy? in the family, and he admits to being fiscally-challenged. We started by looking at where his income goes now, then ways to trim output (fertile ground in his case). These aren?t for everyone, but the results:

1. His cable package included occasionally watched ?premium channels?. Nixed. Annual savings: $180

2. He and wife have cell phones w/family plan w/lots of minutes, and free nationwide calling. Landline phone service plus average long distance charges totaled $35/month. He?s considering cutting, and relying on cell-only (see #3 below). Annual savings: $420

3. Alternative to #2, if wife resists getting rid of phone: internet access is cable modem, (although uses internet primarily for e-mail and occasional web surfing) at cost of $39/month. For his limited use, dial-up, at $10/month, will do the job OK. Switching = annual savings: $348

4. Homeowner?s insurance: hadn?t shopped rates/companies in awhile, and carried an unjustifiably low (IMO) deductible (low deductible = higher premium). Shopped rates, changed companies, increased deductible to $1000 (little stuff, he?s capable of repairing himself, and is it wise to submit small, potentially rate-increasing, claims?). BTW, he hasn?t had a claim in over 10 years. Wide premium range among insurance companies for identical coverage. Annual savings: $300.

5. Carried full-coverage auto insurance on his 15-year old work truck; reduced to liability-only. Annual savings: $300.

6. They subscribe to local newspaper, but admit admits pretty much uses only for TV schedule (despite fact cable has on-air guide); the rest pretty much ends up unread in the recycle bin. Stopped subscription. Annual savings: $120

7. Between him and his wife, used ?other than their own bank? ATMs an average of 5 times a month to replenish pocket money, at $2 fee per pop. Convinced to carry more cash/reduce frequency of replenishment, and to get cash-back when pays for groceries with debit card (effectively making grocery store his free ATM). Annual savings: $120.

8. Has had same checking account ?package? for about six years. Costing $5/month for ?benefits? he didn?t need or use. Switched him to a more-appropriate ? and free ? checking account with same bank. Annual savings: $60.

9. Unable to pin down cost of outside-the-home eating (mostly fast-food). For two of them, anecdotal info suggested $150/month (2x week). Cutting in half, minus cost to eat at home, still results in annual savings ~$450.

Without significantly impacting lifestyle, trimmed ~$1900 from annual outgo (could?ve trimmed more, but his eyes were starting to glaze over).

Lots of preparedness toys can be bought with $1900, or put into savings account if you?re into ?practical.? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Like other posters mentioned, it's a long, slow road.

Keep an eye out for web/catalog bargains and sales at such sites as (in no order of preference or endorsement):

- Sierra Trading Post
- REI Outlet
- Northern Mountain Supply
- Campmor

I don't think I've paid full price for *any* of my gear. Everything has been the result of careful shopping.

Also, like others, I've had good luck buying quality items that will last. Not bottom of the heap or top-of-the-line, but somewhere in the middle. Respectable brand names seem to do pretty good.

What really makes me laugh is how manufacturers will put last year's items out to pasture simply because of the color change of a piece of gear. Apparently people want banana slug yellow this year instead of wilted lettuce green. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

"Careful shopping." Yeah, that's the ticket. Sounds good to me. Can't afford to do otherwise, anyhow.

-- Craig

Already doing 6, 7, 8, and 9. The rest won't work very well in our situation.

Have you ever tried to work from home and connect to your database at work using a dial-up connection? Ain't gonna happen. I read newspapers for free, online only. I use free ATMs at the local Wawa. I have accounts and credit cards at credit unions. I gave up on banks years ago.

Thanks for the reply.

-- Craig

If you are working at home, is the company picking up at least part of the tab? If they aren't, you may be able to claim it on your taxes.

Also, check to see if a DSL line might give you a better price vs cable, or the other way around.

It is worth it to drop the thrity bucks on a tax guide book, and READ it, if youare going to prepair yourself. Unless you have really basic taxes, you will pay for the book. And then, you might want to go to an indipendent tax prepairer- they usually want to find you more stuff.

Clearance sales are the best.

Craig,

I remember when my parents planned a vacation when I was a kid, they put a little money aside until they had enough. Great advice, which I never could seem to follow! My take on things is to budget for it, either a certain amount each week, like maybe $5 for canned food when grocery shopping, or $5 per week for 5 weeks in order to buy a couple of Mora knives. I think the key is to have some kind of plan, and being able to stick to it. A twist on the old "pay yourself first" from the book The Wealthy Barber. Unless you have unlimited financial resources, you won't be able to do everything simultaneously.

A great idea, sure enough. Baby steps, you could call it.

-- Craig

My wife works from home sometimes. Her company considers working from home a luxury. Her company is a non-profit. They do not pay for it in any way. Sigh. The cable modem helps my wife work from home when she wants to. That makes it pay for itself.

-- Craig

Question from a newbie, why not milk jugs?

I have a bunch of gallon milk jugs as I buy whole milk for my daughter. However my family doesn't drink soda or bottled water, so I don't have a free supply of any other type of bottle or jug.

-Kuovonne

I accumulate supplies like this: when I go to the drugstore for a prescription, I will buy some first aid thing, like aluminum finger splint, occlusive eye patch, burn dressing, etc. At the hardware store, hacksaw & reciprocating saw blades, drill bits etc. This spreads the pain out & I know I will need this stuff eventually (at least the hardware).

t.

Disaster supplies on a budget

While i don't agree 100% with this list, it is a good start as a guide in buying supplies on a budget. Not sure where I found it.
Stu

Week 1 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 gallon water*
________ 1 jar peanut butter
________ 1 large can juice*
________ 1 can meat*
________ Hand-operated can opener
________ Permanent marking pen
Also, if needed:

________ Pet food
________ Diapers
________ Baby food
To Do:

________ Find out what kinds of disasters can happen in your area.
________ Date each perishable food item using marking pen.


Week 2 (Hardware Store)

________ Heavy cotton or hemp rope
________ Duct tape
________ 2 flashlights with batteries
________ Matches in waterproof container
Also, if needed:

________ A leash or carrier for your pet
To Do:

________ Complete a personal assessment of your needs and your resources for meeting your needs in a changed disaster environment.


Week 3 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 gallon water*
________ 1 can meat*
________ 1 can fruit*
________ Feminine hygiene supplies
________ Paper and pencil
________ Map of the area
________ Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
________ Laxative
Also, if needed:

________ 1 gallon of water for each pet
To Do:

________ Create a personal support network who can help you identify and obtain the resources you will need to cope effectively with disaster.


Week 4 (Hardware Store)

________ Patch kit and can of seal-in-air product for the tires of mobility aids
________ Signal flare
________ Compass
To Do:

________ Gather extra medications and prescriptions, mark them "for emergency use."
________ Develop a personal disaster plan.
________ Give copies of the following lists to your network: emergency information list, medical information list, disability-related supplies and special equipment list, and personal disaster plan.


Week 5 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 gallon water*
________ 1 can meat*
________ 1 can fruit*
________ 1 can vegetables*
________ 2 rolls toilet paper
________ Extra toothbrush
________ Travel size toothpaste
Also, if needed:

________ Special food for special diets
To Do:

________ Make a floor plan of your home including primary escape routes.
________ Identify safe places to go to in case of fire, earthquake, tornado, hurricane and flood.
________ Practice a fire drill and other pertinent disaster drills for your area (tornado, earthquake, etc.) with your network.


Week 6 (First Aid Supplies)

________ Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
________ Safety pins
________ Adhesive tape
________ Latex gloves
________ Sunscreen
________ Gauze pads
________ Sterile roller bandages
Also, if needed:

________ Extra hearing aid batteries
To Do:

________ Check with child's day care center or school to find out about their disaster plans.
________ Ask your local emergency management office if emergency transportation services are available in case of evacuation.


Week 7 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 gallon water*
________ 1 can ready-to-eat soup (not concentrated)*
________ 1 can fruit*
________ 1 can vegetables*
________ Sewing kit
________ Disinfectant
Also, if needed:

________ Extra plastic baby bottles
________ Formula
________ Diapers
To Do:

________ Establish an out-of-town contact to call in case of emergency.
________ Share this information with your network so they know whom to call.
________ Make arrangements for your network to check on you immediately after an evacuation order or a disaster.


Week 8 (First Aid Supplies)

________ Scissors
________ Tweezers
________ Thermometer
________ Liquid antibacterial hand soap
________ Disposable hand wipes
________ Needles
________ Petroleum jelly or other lubricant
________ 2 tongue blades
Also, if needed:

________ Extra eyeglasses (put in first aid kit)
To Do:

________ Place a pair of sturdy shoes and a flashlight by your bed so they are handy in an emergency.
________ If blind, store a talking clock and one or more extra white canes.
________ If blind, mark your disaster supplies in braille or with fluorescent tape.


Week 9 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 can ready-to-eat soup*
________ Liquid dish soap
________ Household chlorine bleach
________ 1 box heavy-duty garbage bags with ties
________ Antacid (for stomach upset)
Also, if needed:

________ Saline solution
________ Contact lens case
To Do:

________ Familiarize your network with any areas on your body where you have reduced sensation.
________ Choose a signal with your network that indicates you are okay and have left the disaster site.
________ If you have a communication disability, store a word or letter board in your disaster supplies kit.


Week 10 (Hardware Store)

________ Waterproof portable plastic container (with lid) for important papers
________ Battery-powered radio
________ Wrench(es) needed to turn off utilities
To Do:

________ Take your network on a field trip to the gas meter and water meter shutoffs. Discuss when it is appropriate to turn off utilities.
________ Attach a wrench next to the cutoff valve of each utility meter so it will be there when needed.
________ Make photocopies of important papers and store safely.


Week 11 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 large can juice*
________ Large plastic food bags
________ 1 box quick energy snacks
________ 3 rolls paper towels
________ Medicine dropper
To Do:

________ Store a roll of quarters for emergency phone calls.
________ Go on a hunt with your family to find a pay phone that is close to your home.
________ Test your smoke detector(s). Replace the battery in each detector that does not work.


Week 12 (Animal Care Store)

________ Extra harness, leash, ID tags and food for your service animal and/or pets
________ Litter/pan
________ Extra water
From your veterinarian:

________ Obtain current vaccinations and medical records of your animal(s)
________ Medications
To Do:

________ Develop a pet care plan in case of disaster.
________ Make photocopies of all vaccination records and put them in your disaster supplies kit.
________ Put extra animal harness, leash and identification tag(s) in your disaster supplies kit.


Week 13 (Hardware Store)

________ Whistle
________ Pliers
________ Screwdriver
________ Hammer
________ Perforated metal tape (sometimes called plumber's tape or strap iron)
________ Crow bar
To Do:

________ Take a first aid/CPR class from your local Red Cross.
________ Arrange to have your water heater strapped to wall studs using perforated metal tape.


Week 14 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 can fruit*
________ 1 can meat*
________ 1 can vegetables*
________ 1 package eating utensils
________ 1 package paper cups
To Do:

________ Make sure your network and neighbors know what help you may need in an emergency and how best to assist.
________ Practice using alternate methods of evacuation with your network.


Week 15 (Hardware Store)

________ Extra flashlight batteries
________ Extra battery for portable radio
________ Assorted nails
________ Wood screws
________ Labels for your equipment and supplies
To Do:

________ Make arrangements to bolt bookcases and cabinets to wall studs.
________ Label equipment and attach instruction cards.


Week 16 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 can meat*
________ 1 can vegetables*
________ 1 box facial tissue
________ 1 box quick energy snacks
________ Dried fruit/nuts
To Do:

________ Find out if you have a neighborhood safety organization and join it.
________ Develop a disaster supplies kit for your car or van.


Week 17 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 box graham crackers
________ Assorted plastic containers with lids
________ Dry cereal
First Aid Supplies:

________ Antidiarrheal medication
________ Rubbing alcohol
________ Antiseptic
________ Syrup of ipecac and activated charcoal
To Do:

________ Arrange for a friend or neighbor to help your children if you are not able to respond or are at work.


Week 18 (Hardware Store)

________ Child-proof latches or other fasteners for your cupboards
________ Double-sided tape or hook-and-loop fasteners (such as Velcro®) to secure moveable objects
________ Plastic bucket with tight lid
________ Plastic sheeting
To Do:

________ Arrange for someone to install latches on cupboards and secure moveable objects.
________ Put away a blanket or sleeping bag for each household member.


Week 19 (Grocery Store)

________ 1 box quick-energy snacks
________ Comfort foods (such as cookies, candy bars)
________ Plastic wrap
________ Aluminum foil
Also, if needed:

________ Denture care items
To Do:

________ Review your insurance coverages with your agent to be sure you are covered for the disasters that may occur in your area. Obtain additional coverage, as needed.
________ Purchase and have installed an emergency escape ladder for upper story windows, if needed.


Week 20 (Hardware Store)

________ Camping or utility knife
________ Work gloves
________ Safety goggles
________ Disposable dust masks
________ 2 blank videocassettes
Specialty Store:

________ An extra battery for motorized mobility aids
To Do:

________ Use a video camera to tape the contents of your home for insurance purposes.
________ Make a copy of the videotape and send to an out-of-town friend or family member.
________ Find out about your workplace disaster plan.

I found this article:

Taking Baby Steps in Preparedness

I'm sure there are many more like it out there.

-- Craig

It's a santiation issue. In a disaster, or personal emergency, managing the spread of disease, bacteria and viruses is a priority. If you are having a "disaster" or "personal emergency" that means that access to advanced health care is limited, or non-existent.

Most liquids require refridgeration after being opened to prevent the growth of bacteria. Yes, water in those little "water coolers" can be consumed warm because bacteria can't get up from the spot and into the bottle very easily. However, putting water into a bottle that held a substance that must be refridgerated at all times, is a bad idea. You'll never be able to adequately clean and disinfect the bottle, without contaiminating the water you put in it.

I like this as an idea, because a plan without deadlines is more like a dream.

Not quite right... chlorine does wonders... it has more to do with milk jugs not holding up to decomposition as well as pop bottles. For what it's worth, I've used milk jugs for short term, and they work just fine. While I wouldn't want to stock up a hundred gallons of water in milk jugs in a closet and forget about it for six months, I'd much rather have thirty or forty gallons that I regularly inspect than none, if the H2O quits coming out of the tap.

Just my two cents.

Troy

I'm going to have to agree with the previous post for the reasons I don't use milk jugs. They are more porous in nature than the plastic of a pop bottle and I have never been able to deal with the fact that I might still be drinking water with month old milk in it...despite using bleach and soap and water...plus in my area, the milk comes with a crappy snap on lid, not as robust as a 2 liter pop bottle.

Now having said that, pop bottle aren't the only things..I regulary have the wife buy us a jug of Minute Maid Orange Juice or some other flavor..they have GREAT jugs. Heavy plastic, food grade and easily cleaned. I have several of these still in operation from the early 90's. If your child has ever used Pedialyte...those are great for water storage too.

Even if you don't buy or consume pop...a neighbor probably does...just tell them that you are working on a project with your child and need some, or you are collecting them for a plastic drive, or you are starting a home garden..anything to get that free supply. And they will probably be glad to get rid of them. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I use the one gallon vinegar jugs. They are much more robust than milk jugs and it only takes a minute of rinsing to clean them out.

Regards, Vince

Looks like this has been covered well. FWIW, here's my generic "getting started" list.
The Basics.

1/2 tank of gas in cars at all time.
Flashlight and radio with extra batteries and bulbs.
FAK
Water
Shoes, flashlight and keys (EDC stuff) at bedside.
Have a plan

Home

A planned meeting place outside the home and in the neighborhood.
A wallet size phone list, outside of area contact person/plan.
Know what school & daycare will do.
Have a meeting place away from home, incase you can't get to your house.
Do the basics.
More water
Food that rerquires little or no cooking and stores well. Buy what you will eat.
Box or bag with kid stuff.
Flashlight & LED keychain for each person.
Box with TP, garbage bags, hand wipes hand sanitizer, paper plates , can opener, SAK, multi tool,etc.
Gas shut off wrench
Extra or old pair of glasses
Cash in small bills.
CARS

1/2 tank of gas at all times.
Flashlight and extra batteries
FAK
Flares
Jumper cables, long ones are better.
Know how to change a flat tire.
Adapter to charge cell phone.
Map of area and state.
Box or daysack with food, water, hats, gloves, socks, space blankets and kid stuff.

Details

Windup/Rechargeable radio and lantern
More water and a way to purify water.
More food, rotate it every year or two.
Add to FAK . Any normal medications that you use.
Pet food, water, collar, ,leash, ID tags, photo, travel crate.
Add to kids box.
Way to cook and serve food. Disposable utencils, dish soap, etc.
Fire extinguishers, hoses long enough to reach entire house.
Small bag to keep at school.
Copies of ID, etc, important documents stored outside of home and online
Write up the plan, involve the kids.

Nice to have

More water, cash, batteries.
BOB for each person stored outside of house.With change of clothing.
Fuel, chainsaw, generator.

Don't forget the can openers.

Dave

Start with the basics and build from there. Check thrift shops for simple cookware, utensils, & daypacks. Keep them filled with the proper equipment so you can grab them if you need to run. You just don?t need state-of-the-art. If you don?t have drinking water, you?d take water from a garden hose or dipped out of the toilet tank, wouldn?t you?

Shelter ? stretch a decent rope between two trees or posts, hang a large tarp over it for a tent, a smaller tarp for a floor, regular blankets and a few mylar emergency blankets.

Water - Cheap & easy. Keep a sheet of heavy plastic & more rope handy, plus a new plastic garbage can. Clothespin the end of a tarp to the stretched rope (in the open), drape it into the garbage can to collect rainwater.

Medicine ? Most of what you need, you?ve already got. Just put it together.

Food - When you go grocery shopping (esp sales), buy extra when you can. Under stressful conditions, you?ll want familiar food.

Toilet - Get a $10 toilet seat that clips onto a standard 5-gal bucket from a camping supply place. Store a good supply of toilet paper in the bucket.

Cooking ? Make a few soda can stoves & buy denatured alcohol for fuel. Put all your cooking stuff in a backpack (etc). Add acan opener, matches, cheap lighters, & a magfire from Martin Focazio when you can <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. If you normally keep meat in your freezer, have a way to cook it, like charcoal briquettes & a cheapo BBQ.

Toilet articles ? Have a bag handy with soap, shampoo, toothbrushes & paste, sanitary protection for the ladies, some towels & washcloths, & a couple of big packs of wet wipes.

Copies of important documents ? Keep them all together in one container. If you?ve got irreplaceable photographs, keep them handy, too, as well as a copy of your personal phone book.

You can set up camp in your own back yard. You can run with all this stuff if you have to, and set up a camp in a friend?s backyard.

Take it all to a campground with your family and make notes of what you forgot.

Sue

I'll state the obvious ... once the bucket has been "used", the suggestion is to refrain from storing the supply of toilet paper in the bucket - at least the clean stuff. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Also, don't forget to pack a full box of 13 gallon kitchen garbage bags - the white ones. You can line the bucket with those, then, once "filled", you can twirl & tie the bags and then store them in a double-bag to try to keep the odors down.

People who travel to remote areas with no toilet facilities and an inability to dig latrines (such as mountains or other areas where digging is impossible or hazardous to self or nature) use "poop tubes". These are large plastic PVC pipe which has an endcap glued onto one end and a screw-access cap glued onto the other end. Users do their business in a plastic bag, seal the bag, and then stuff the bag into the "poop tube" for storage until the contents can be properly disposed of.