Five reasons why you need an emergency kit in your home and what to include

An emergency kit also known as a preparedness or disaster kit (Photo: Shutterstock)

An emergency can happen unexpectedly. For that reason it is very important to be prepared. Failure to prepare for an emergency can result in disaster and even cause the situation to escalate.

The worst thing about emergencies is that they can happen anywhere. But since you spend most of your time at home, no matter how safe you may feel in your cul-de-sac, a disaster can strike at any moment, without warning.

In such a scenario, you must act fast and intelligently. With an emergency kit ready, it will take out the guessing game and possibly save a life.

Here are more reasons why you need one and what to include in it.

An emergency kit also known as a preparedness or disaster kit contains essential supplies you may need during an emergency. Whether it’s a natural disaster, medical disaster or man-made disaster these items will come in handy.

According to the American Red Cross you need two emergency kits. One for use at home that stays at a certain spot always, and one for grabbing on the go.

Why you need to have a survival kit

You need water

Water is life and without it you have very little chance of surviving especially if the water around you is contaminated. In certain natural disasters for example, the water may be infiltrated with toxins and dangerous bacteria making it unfit for human consumption.

Without drinking water, you will be unable to make sound decisions and your physical activity will start to slow down.

If you stay for a couple of days without proper hydration your body will start shutting down after a few days.

These items will come in handy during any type of emergency (Photo: Shutterstock)

You can call for assistance

Mobile phone network does not always work and therefore can be very unreliable. You therefore need other alternatives to reach out to family, friends or the police in case of an emergency.

For this reason, you need to ensure your kit comes with a hand crank or solar powered radio with a charger and make sure it has a proper signal. In the case where you had to run out of your house and navigate unfamiliar places, a whistle and compass may save your lives.

Something can happen to you

For some reason when we always think about negative things, we never picture ourselves but everyone else. Well, guess what? Anything can happen to you too without warning.

Whether it’s a fire, an injury or a natural disaster, you must act fast especially if you’re home alone with no one to help.

In case phone service is dead you can give yourself a minor first aid as you plan your next action plan.

It is super affordable

Contrary to belief that you need to spend a lot of money for a proper kit, that is not always the case. Then again, the price you will pay for one is way less compared to the price of your life and those of your loved ones.

You buy a pre-assembled kit which comes with everything you may need in case of any emergency or assemble one yourself.

Peace of mind

It is better to be prepared than not to be prepared, trust me. You do not want to wait for a disaster to happen for you to take action. Anything can happen in this life and not even the technological advancements available can accurately predict disasters.

Having a kit in the safety of your home gives you peace of mind and security should anything happen to the children should you be absent.

Items you should have in your emergency kit

That said, here are some important items you should have in your kit.

Clean water

Food (non-perishable and easy to prepare)

Flashlight

A communication radio

Medication

Copies of important documents

Emergency mobile phone and charger

Hygiene and sanitation products

Blankets