72-hour Survival Kits: Are You Prepared?

Have you made plans to keep your family safe if the unthinkable should happen? If a catastrophe happens, you and your family may have to wait for help to reach you. To make sure that you're well prepared, you'll need to assemble a survival kit. The best way to begin is to start with survival basics like water and food and add more supplies as you go from most to least essential. Remember that in a disaster you may have no telephone service, safe water supplies or electricity.

What you'll need is a survival kit containing all of the things you and your household will need to stay alive for at least three days. Your survival kit should be kept in watertight containers which can be easily moved. Camping backpacks and the like are good storage options, but plastic trash bins with well sealing lids and wheels are best of all. Read on to see the most important survival supplies which should be a part of your 72 hour survival kit.

-Water: You're going to need at least one gallon per person per day of clean water in sealed containers. This water is both for drinking and sanitation.

- Food: Keep three days or more of ready to eat non-perishable food in your survival kit. Canned food and military MREs are good choices for your food supply.

- First Aid kit: Make sure that your kit is complete and includes instructions on its use.

- Radios: You'll want both a NOAA weather radio with an alert tone and an AM/FM radio. Both of these should be battery powered or powered by a hand crank. These will let you know if you need to evacuate or if help is on the way. Be sure to keep extra batteries in your kit as well for these radios.

-A flashlight: Your electricity may not be in service, so include a flashlight and extra batteries.

- Personal sanitation items: Moist towelettes and hand sanitizer are must haves. You'll also want a bucket to use as a latrine along with trash bags to line it and twist ties for neat disposal.

- Cooking supplies and eating utensils: Plates, cups, utensils and anything else you'll need to prepare your food supply should be included.
- Whistles: A few loud whistles for signaling help.

- Dust masks: These masks can filter out dust and airborne contaminants; these can be a literal lifesaver, so make sure you have these in your survival kit.

- Plastic sheeting, a blade and duct tape: In case of broken windows or airborne toxins, these can be used to make an impromptu seal for your windows.

-Tools: You'll definitely want a can opener, a sharp knife and a wrench to turn off gas lines and water intake valves if needed. You'll probably also want a hammer and nails, bungee cords and a crowbar.

- Maps: If you need to plan an escape route or to help direct emergency personnel, these can come in very handy.

- Other essentials: Feminine hygiene products, pet food, medications and child care items, according to the needs of your household.

You can survive without these, but these are also important supplies for your survival kit:

- Heavy duty work gloves

- Blankets and/or sleeping bags

- Extra clothing: have at least one complete set of clothes for each person, extra layers in case of cold weather, rain gear (emergency ponchos work well) and a pair of shoes.

-Important documents like ID, bank account information, insurance policies and claims filing numbers, etc. Keep these in a waterproof container.

-Chlorine bleach and an eyedropper: Bleach is an effective disinfectant when diluted with nine parts water. You can also treat contaminated water using sixteen drops of bleach per gallon of water. Make sure to use plain bleach with no scents or detergents added. Color fast bleach is also not a valid option for your survival kit.

-A fire extinguisher

-Several books of matches in a waterproof container

-Cash and/or traveler's checks

-Paper and pencil, books and other activities to keep children occupied.