Disaster Preparedness: What You Need to Have (and Know)

While an SHTF plan can be vital for making sure you’re ready when, well, you know what hits the fan, having a plan in order is only half the battle. You also need to make sure you have the equipment, tools and other disaster preparedness supplies on hand to make sure you and your loved ones will see it through. Considering this, and following the old saying that you can live 3 minutes without air (or shelter, in extreme conditions), 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food, we’ve broken it down accordingly.

If you’re bugging in and you’ll be staying at home, shelter is pretty much foregone - but you still need to see to energy consumption. For one, you’ll need electricity to power your phone, radio, and other emergency communication devices. Crank-powered devices are good and so are solar powered radios, but you can and should also keep some power banks, especially portable solar panels on hand.

Heat, and fire for cooking and comfort, are also essentials. There are small propane heaters you can buy, but you’ll also want to have a variety of fire starters on hand so you can get a fire going in the yard or stove. It will not only heat your home, but will provide you with much-needed energy for cooking and other essential household tasks. Now, if you will be bugging out, and not planning on staying at home, you need to be sure you have the essentials you’ll need to protect you from the elements while you’re on the trail or away from home. This includes but is not limited to waterproof, appropriate thermal wear, including footwear, headwear, gloves and blankets, as well as other camping supplies like tarps, ground pads, sleeping system essentials, and perhaps even a tent - depending on where and how you intend to find or make shelter.

You also need to make sure that you have adequate water supplies for several days if not weeks, and not just for you but for everyone that will be with you. Bottled water will only go so far; you’ll want to have access to another water source that you can then either treat, boil, or distill so you have fresh water for drinking, cooking, and for a lesser degree of importance, for bathing. Being able to boil water is the cheapest, easiest way to treat it. There are also treatment tablets you can use that will clear out biological contaminants. You can also use water filtration systems and other similar devices that will help filter out biological contaminants, rendering water safer to drink. All in all, though, the best hedge against the uncertainty of the viability of a water supply is a still. A still will clear out both chemical and biological contaminants from a water supply, rendering it safe for use.

To plan for disaster preparedness, you need also to make sure that you have adequate emergency food supplies. Bug out buckets and MREs are one way to prepare, but despite the fact that these are lightweight, packable, full of calories, and have really long shelf lives, they are expensive and not suitable for long-term planning. Rather, you will want to stock up on canned goods and dried goods that are inherently shelf stable and which can be stored much more space and cost-effectively. Two other options revolve around getting your own food. Snare wire can be used to craft snares that can help you catch some fresh meat, and some basic fishing tackle is useful for gathering some grub as well. As for growing your own food, consider getting some heirloom seeds that can be used for seed saving season after season.

Products for personal hygiene and medical wellness are also critical to disaster preparedness. Generic medications are also a lifesaver, such as OTC painkillers, antibiotics (if you can get them) and topical disinfectants. First aid supplies are also a must-have for any SHTF plan. Beyond these, basic personal hygiene supplies like toothpaste, toilet paper, tissues, vaseline, chapstick, baby powder and other generic items can also improve your health, safety, and even comfort when you’re in an uncomfortable situation.

Lastly, you need to be prepared to protect yourself and your resources whenever the odds are looking unfavorable. Make sure you are prepared with tools and weapons that can be used for defensive applications if you ever find yourself in a situation in which you need to.

If you’re here for disaster preparedness essentials you’re in luck. CH KADELS carries a wide range of survival gear, tools and other indispensable preparedness essentials that can be lifesavers for preparedness. Shop our collection of personal items, survival gear and bug-out bag essentials and start planning today so you’ll be ready for anything.