Emergency Kits
An emergency kit is made up of basic supplies to help you get by when you may find yourself without power, tap water, gas or phone service. They should help you be self-sufficient for about 72 hours/3 days.
Important points:
- Should be easy to carry
- Located where everyone can find it easily
- Can be in multiple bags for larger groups/personalized for each person
- Recommend refreshing items that can expire, i.e. water/food/medication, yearly
Contents:
- Water: 4 liters a person, per day
- Shelf stable food plus a manual can opener (include baby food/formula and pet food as necessary)
- Flashlight + extra batteries (or one that can be manually powered)
- Battery operated radio + extra batteries
- Charging blocks for mobile devices
- First-aid kit
Some less obvious items to include:
- Prescription medication
- Emergency cash for basic needs (to cover a few weeks)
- Copies of important documents (birth certificates, wills, passports, insurance)
You can also include items such as blankets, utility knives, or fire extinguishers.
The Government of Canada has also built a comprehensive list to work from
However, you can also buy premade emergency kits online from the Canadian Red Cross, or retailers such as Costco.
Information from the Government of Canada ‘Get Prepared’ and the Canadian Red Cross