It Pays To Be Better-Safe-Than-Sorry

[MarinaVanessa]

So all Monday I went through all of my First-Aid Kits and Emergency Disaster Kits to replenish and replace expired items. There was so much stuff for a disaster/shelter-in-place kit that that I have added things slowly over time. So on Monday I went out to a emergency supply store and bought hydrated lime for the "alternative toilet" kit.

Well today as DH is leaving the house he hears a hissing noise and he realizes that it's coming from our wall on the outside where our water meter is and the noise is water spraying out from our wall and from below almost where the house meets the dirt. Great. We had to turn our water off at the main valve and it's probably a ruptured pipe. We called a plumber but he won't be able to be here for a few hours.

So guess who had to scoop all the toilet water (clean) out of our toilet and line the toilet with heavy duty trash bags so that the kids could use the toilet .... this lady right here. The DC kids all think that it's funny of course and washing our hands with gallon jugs and buckets is oh so much fun for them but this lady right here could do without having to pull out plastic trash bags of poop and pee each time we use it . It's a good thing I bought the hydrated lime so I'm grateful that I was prepared .

So ... I was wondering what you all had in your first-aid kits and emergency disaster kits (evacuation or shelter-at-home kits) to make sure that I don't miss anything.

[MarinaVanessa]

Oh, here's what I have:

Evacuation/shelter-at-home kit

• Water:
• Food:
• Manual can opener
• Disposable plates, bowls, cups, utensils
• NOAA/AMFM radio
• Paper, pencils, manual sharpener, permanent markers
• Light Sticks (glow-sticks)
• Heavy work gloves.
• Disposable camera
• Waterproof Matches
• Unscented household bleach and eye dropper for water purification
• Toilet paper
• Feminine supplies
• Hand sanitizer
• Liquid pump-soap
• Tissues
• Plastic sheeting/tarps
• Candles
• Battery operated lamp
• Duct tape
• Blankets
• Large heavy duty plastic bags
• Hydrated lime
• Toys and books
• Extra diapers of each size
• Wipes
• Solar blanket

First-Aid Kit (large disaster kit for emergencies only)

• Two pairs of disposable gloves
• Gauze roll
• Medical tape
• Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect.
• Antibiotic ointment
• Burn ointment
• Adhesive band-aids in different sizes
• Gauze pads in different sizes
• Eye wash solution
• Scissors
• Thermometers (sticky ones)
• Tweezers
• Safety pins
• Insect repellant
• Splint material
• Isopropyl Alcohol
• Cotton swabs
• Q-tips
• Aspirin, Ibuprofen, child pain –reliever, laxative, anti-diarrhea medication.
  

[JenNJ]

My totes in the basement are busting at the seams, .

Equipment:
- An older pack n' play in case I need to move the kids to the basement for any reason. I would need somewhere to corral the babies. I have a small table and chairs set that used to be my daughter's folded up as well so the kids have somewhere to sit. A few large blankets to sit on/under as well.
- A pack of cards and a few travel card games for entertainment.

Food/Drink:
- I have a pantry down there, so all my canned/jarred food is down there. I have a can opener in the emergency kit as well.
- I have an empty Brita type pitcher to help purify water if needed and MANY, MANY gallons of water.
- An unopened pack of the Take n Toss lidded cups for drinks.
- Paper plates, bowls, cups, and utensils.

Other Supplies:
- Money -- I have about $200 in cash, a copy of my credit card, and all my banking and insurance info in a plastic baggie.
- Flashlights and lanterns, batteries (Amazon has cheap but great batteries in large packs for this type of thing), matches, lighters, candles, a hand crank radio, an old cell phone and charger (any cell phone is able to dial for emergencies! It does not need to be activated, just needs to be working)
- An exact copy of my daycare binder with all the kids info in it. I keep it in a large zippered plastic bag.
- A five gallon bucket with plenty of garbage bags in case of a toilet failure. But really unless it was a natural disaster, I would have the kids use my RV bathroom.
- A gallon of bleach and a medicine dropper for water purification if needed.
- First Aid kit
- A spare pack of size 4 diapers (that size can fit almost anyone) and a large pack of wipes.
- A small emergency tool kit and household directions like where the water and gas shut offs are and how to turn off the electric.

Ready.gov is a great site for info!

[Abigail]

Do you also consider this kit something for your family as well? I would not have any medications even simply tylenol in my daycare first aid because I don't have permission to give it and would prefer not too have it in the kit. We do however always keep our medications stocked for family like tums and tylenol etc.

What do you store your kit in? I don't have an "emergency" kit, I just have a first aid kit that also contains some of the emergency supplies, but not as many as it should. Daycare is at home and we stay here most of the time so we have water and food and blankets, etc in the house. You seem really prepared though and I do need to expand my kit sometime.

OH YEAH this thread reminds me that I NEED to type up my address and basic information to post incase one of my helpers needs to call for help they will know the address etc. I will get it done soon I hope! Better safe than sorry.