Skip to main content

Building a Survival Kit

Typically in Midwest states like Ohio, we think of building a survival kit to have during warmer weather months because of the threat of tornadoes and floods. We tend to forget that it is also important to have in the winter when blizzards or ice storms can wreak havoc. Power can be knocked out for days, and travel can be treacherous. This year has been a quite mild winter, but weather can change quickly, so it is still important to be prepared.

38 Quart Heavy Duty Storage Container
First, have a container or two that is easily carried to put your supplies in. A plastic storage tote like the one pictured here is the perfect type to use. It has secure latches to keep the container closed and mostly air and watertight. Also, be sure to store loose items in airtight plastic bags for extra protection.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a downloadable list of what to put into your survival kit.
  • Water - one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
  • Food - at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
  • Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
  • Flashlight
  • First aid kit
  • Extra batteries
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Manual can opener for food
  • Local maps
  • Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
Keep this kit in a designated place and have it ready in case you have to leave your home quickly. Make sure all family members know where the kit is kept. Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers. Don't forget to replace expired items as needed, and evaluate your needs every year and update your kit as your family’s needs change.

When you are looking for totes like the ones in the picture above, check out Edge Plastics. This woman-owned, made-in-America company offers private labeling on all products and a unique color palette for customers to choose from. Their products can be found at large retailers throughout the United States and Canada. Edge Plastics also gladly maintains additional inventory for emergency relief response to disasters like hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Starting your Garden Using Clear Plastic Storage Totes

It is late April and the weather is still pretty erratic here in North Central Ohio. Last week, we had about 3 inches of snow fall in the morning and by the afternoon it was all melted. Then it hit 60 degrees the next day, and the day after we had crazy wind. If there is one thing that stable, it is that the weather and temperature here are very unstable! With wild weather like this, many gardeners like to start their gardens before outside planting can actually happen so that the tender sprouts will not get ruined with an unexpected late April or early May frost. We were doing a little Pinterest browsing and came across the idea of using clear plastic totes as greenhouses for those small seedlings, so we are going to give you a how-to on getting your garden started using the not-so-crazy idea of making a plastic storage tote into a greenhouse. Here is what you will need: Small seedling containers Soil Seeds Clear plastic storage totes with clear lids First, the plastic to...

Organizing Your Kids' Toys

Any parent knows this struggle. Well-meaning and generous grandparents and relatives lavish gifts upon your beloved children. These children, surrounded by plenty, ignore most of the toys. The ones that are played with are left out, making your house look cluttered, or worse, to be stepped on by an unsuspecting foot in the middle of the night. You could do the normal thing of just shoving them into a toy box following the old adage: "Out of sight, out of mind." The problem with that is that your kids won't be able to find pieces and parts of things and then toys will get neglected, devaluing the generosity of those who gave the toy to them. How do you take control of this chaos? The easy answer? Organization. The tough part? Actually doing it. So let's get started! 1. (This will be painful😂) Get all of the toys out of whatever containers, boxes, nooks and crannies they are hiding in, and put them in a central location. Have room to spread out. 2. Find the tra...

Plastic Totes or Hamster Palace?

Do you find yourself sympathizing for your small pets, such as hamsters or gerbils, because of the small cages that are sold at pet stores? Well you could create your own habitat for your tiny companion through customizing plastic storage totes along with the use of tubes, wire cage pieces and a few other tools.  To start making a large home for your pet you will need to decide how big you want to make the habitat, which will determine how many totes you need. If you go for the multi-level style of home, you will need to cut out holes in the top and bottoms of the totes so that the animals can travel in the tubes between each tote. You will also need to cut holes to put in wire screens for ventilation, which you can also then use these holes for the access doors and a place for the water dispenser. The amount of space and access to other levels of the palace are really up to you as the designer, but there are lots of options when it comes to this, just make sure that there is am...