Here on the West Coast, Hurricane Sandy was no threat, but with the world growing smaller, it was easy to feel connected to it. Through Twitter, I follow several people located in New York and New Jersey, and their tweets kept me updated in real time. I saw photos, I read things, and probably the most ominous part was within a few minutes three people tweeted that they lost power.
Fortunately, the storm ended, everyone that I had personal concern for was fine (some home repairs are needed, but that's minor considering how it could have been), and while there is a lot that needs to be fixed on the larger scale, there are also many inspiring stories and actions coming out of it. We can take the good, and work on the bad together.
From a preparedness standpoint, what was most fascinating to me was how communication has changed. That people were able to update us via Twitter was a new twist to the standard emergency scenario. I began to wonder if the old concern about not being able to use cell phones was outdated. Have we overcome some of technology's lapses?
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-15/why-cell-phones-went-dead-after-hurricane-sandy.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/31/cell-phone-internet-hurricane-sandy_n_2052431.html
http://news.consumerreports.org/electronics/2012/10/cell-phone-users-in-sandy-affected-areas-advised-to-limit-calls-for-now.html
Well, yes and no.There is certainly a lot that can be said about regulation and strengthening infrastructure, but that is the kind of thing I tend to go after in my main blog. From a strict preparedness view, we are still looking on what resources you are likely to have, what will probably be missing, and what you will need.
So, the odds are good that cell phone use will be limited, if not completely unavailable. In the past when they have mentioned that, the focus was that people would be flooding the networks, and it would be overuse causing the shortage. This may be less of an issue now that there are so many wireless internet based options, but there are still other factors.
A quarter of the cell phone towers were knocked out in a 10-state area. That is a significant loss. Many people had lost cable. Some of that was due to electrical outages,but no matter how much happens via wireless, there are physical components somewhere. There are servers and routers and hubs located somewhere, and any of those can be damaged by physical events.
Personally, I am still a big proponent of keeping a landline. I'm not saying that it's perfect, or that I won't change my mind a little down the road, but there will be times when the landline will work and a cell phone won't. Sometimes it is easier to get calls out of the area than locally, so have a central out of area point where everyone can call in. If bad things ever take over the ground between Aloha and La Center, we will know of each other's safety by telling our sister-in-law's brother in Texas, and we will be able to know that they are fine. That will be good.
For the social networking on smart phones, that is great, and I am really glad that those have been able to help. Those devices are also notorious for heavy battery use, and once power is out, recharging may be difficult. You need to be as smart as your phone. If you know something is on the way, get your devices charged while you can. If it will be more important to have a way to get messages out later, rather than now, then be mature and power down. In a multiple device household, maybe turns can be taken. And if you notice that the battery is draining too rapidly, figure it out. I have an example of that right here (the November 12th post):
http://tinyscreenfuls.com/
Next, work out low-tech ways of communication. One family kept a baby bottle with pencils and paper next to a water meter. Since it was out of the house it was accessible to anyone, it was watertight, and they could leave notes for each other if people needed to be coming and going.
Don't rule out walkie talkies. Yes, the distance is limited, but they can come in handy, and they are fun toys right up until the time that the emergency happens, and then they are useful tools.
HAM radio users get to be the heroes over and over again. They have set up relays when 9-1-1 communication was compromised even for relatively small emergencies, and in a big one they will be the best way of making contact between areas.
It seems like it should be obvious why this is so important, but think about the peace of mind of knowing that your family is okay. I heard from everyone I was worried about, but one of them had relatives they were still waiting to hear from. There were people who died and there were people who lost their homes, so sometimes the news you can get ends up being bad, but nothing eats away at you like uncertainty, and nothing will relieve you like knowing loved ones are safe.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Emergency Plans, Part 2
Last week we acknowledged that one of the difficult things about emergency plan making is that you really need to focus on the negative, considering all of the bad things that can happen.
The plus side of that is that you find there is a lot of overlap. Losing power due to a winter storm plays differently in some ways than a summer brown-out, but there is some common ground. As you prepare your 72-hour kits, you have a start on preparation, and part of the planning becomes adding more food, more water, and more sources of heat and light. Every specific event you learn about and prepare for (like earthquakes and fires) adds to your overall preparation. So, you can build your preparedness gradually, and this is good.
There is something else that is a pain, though, and it is crucial. You need to work out the logistics and communication aspects for various circumstances, and this is a pain because it involves dealing with other people.
It's unavoidable. Once your immediate safety is resolved, you will start worrying about those you care about. Okay, perhaps you can avoid this by not caring for anyone, but that's not a life worth living, so you need to have a plan, and this is where it gets complicated. How does everyone get home? How do different households get in contact?
I remember once I was discussing preparedness with a group of people, and one person was explaining that he had a life jacket and rope in his truck, because he was attending school on the East side of the river while living on the West side. If an earthquake struck while he was in school, the bridges would not be usable, and he knew that, but he was still going to get back to his family by swimming across.
This was a horrible idea. First of all, there could be a seiche, which is the river version of a tsunami. You don't have the sheer volume of the ocean, which helps, but it can mess up the shorelines pretty badly, and I would expect that water to be roiled and full of debris, especially if the bridges have collapsed rather than just being weakened.
At the same time, that he was thinking ahead, and that he knew that he would have a bridge problem was good. You just need to come up with realistic solutions. Sometimes that solution may be that you are not going to get home right away, and that is excruciating, but getting home four days after the event is superior than dying in your attempt to get there sooner.
Clearly, the first step to an emergency plan is to figure out who is where at what times, with work and school being the main ones, and thinking about church is not unreasonable. If there are other places you spend a lot of time at, it may be worth planning for. You can't necessarily foresee every circumstance, but home, school, and work covers a lot of your time.
Potential emergencies are one reason that I am grateful to be working from home, but when I was working downtown, I thought about it. If you had a severe enough earthquake to bring down public transportation, I was prepared to walk home. This brings us to one good point: if you tend to wear shoes that are not good for walking, it is a great idea to have some walking shoes stashed there as well. One of the items in a 9/11 exhibit was a pair of shoes given to a woman who had been walking barefoot after she could not make it down the steps of the World Trade Center in her high heels. She always has walking shoes in her desk now, and I think that's a great idea.
I am pretty much always wearing walking shoes, and I'm a good walker, so that part is not a problem. Walking home via my normal MAX and bus route would not be ideal, based on the terrain and likely disruption. It would make more sense to go North a little and hit a main road into Beaverton. Surfaces look different when you are in a car or on foot. Think about what comes between you and home.
If the disaster struck late in the day, especially in winter, it would probably be reasonable to camp downtown and wait until the next morning. That brings us back to that question of what if you can't get home? Can you sleep at your office? This could be a great reason to keep a 72 hour kit in the office or in your car. Do you have a friend nearby? This is another situation where you have to actually talk to people. Oh, I could crash with Ryan is only actually a plan if you have run it by Ryan and he has said okay.
Even if you have that place to stay, and some supplies, staying there is still frustrating. I would be frantic about my family, and they would be worried too. However, if I know that they know how to turn off the gas if necessary, and that the large furniture was secured, that helps. If they know that I would not be there until the next day, that helps them not to worry.
Maybe there are ways we can communicate with each other at the time, and we'll talk about communication more next week, but having the plan made in advance, and knowing that everybody knows the plan, means that even in the absence of communication we are not completely in the dark.
This means dealing with family members, including annoying ones. The holidays are coming up, so there should be many family gatherings, and chances to discuss this. I'm planning on having some discussions in about a week.
There is one point I want to make that doesn't affect me personally. Last week I mentioned checking with schools and workplaces on what their plans and procedures are, but I just want to point out that if you have children in day care, it is better to go with one close to work than close to home. If you can't get home, but you can get to your children, that will at least provide some peace of mind. Not being able to get to either would be a nightmare.
And I know, you can't make all of your decisions based on the emergency that may never happen, but it's one that's worth looking at.
The plus side of that is that you find there is a lot of overlap. Losing power due to a winter storm plays differently in some ways than a summer brown-out, but there is some common ground. As you prepare your 72-hour kits, you have a start on preparation, and part of the planning becomes adding more food, more water, and more sources of heat and light. Every specific event you learn about and prepare for (like earthquakes and fires) adds to your overall preparation. So, you can build your preparedness gradually, and this is good.
There is something else that is a pain, though, and it is crucial. You need to work out the logistics and communication aspects for various circumstances, and this is a pain because it involves dealing with other people.
It's unavoidable. Once your immediate safety is resolved, you will start worrying about those you care about. Okay, perhaps you can avoid this by not caring for anyone, but that's not a life worth living, so you need to have a plan, and this is where it gets complicated. How does everyone get home? How do different households get in contact?
I remember once I was discussing preparedness with a group of people, and one person was explaining that he had a life jacket and rope in his truck, because he was attending school on the East side of the river while living on the West side. If an earthquake struck while he was in school, the bridges would not be usable, and he knew that, but he was still going to get back to his family by swimming across.
This was a horrible idea. First of all, there could be a seiche, which is the river version of a tsunami. You don't have the sheer volume of the ocean, which helps, but it can mess up the shorelines pretty badly, and I would expect that water to be roiled and full of debris, especially if the bridges have collapsed rather than just being weakened.
At the same time, that he was thinking ahead, and that he knew that he would have a bridge problem was good. You just need to come up with realistic solutions. Sometimes that solution may be that you are not going to get home right away, and that is excruciating, but getting home four days after the event is superior than dying in your attempt to get there sooner.
Clearly, the first step to an emergency plan is to figure out who is where at what times, with work and school being the main ones, and thinking about church is not unreasonable. If there are other places you spend a lot of time at, it may be worth planning for. You can't necessarily foresee every circumstance, but home, school, and work covers a lot of your time.
Potential emergencies are one reason that I am grateful to be working from home, but when I was working downtown, I thought about it. If you had a severe enough earthquake to bring down public transportation, I was prepared to walk home. This brings us to one good point: if you tend to wear shoes that are not good for walking, it is a great idea to have some walking shoes stashed there as well. One of the items in a 9/11 exhibit was a pair of shoes given to a woman who had been walking barefoot after she could not make it down the steps of the World Trade Center in her high heels. She always has walking shoes in her desk now, and I think that's a great idea.
I am pretty much always wearing walking shoes, and I'm a good walker, so that part is not a problem. Walking home via my normal MAX and bus route would not be ideal, based on the terrain and likely disruption. It would make more sense to go North a little and hit a main road into Beaverton. Surfaces look different when you are in a car or on foot. Think about what comes between you and home.
If the disaster struck late in the day, especially in winter, it would probably be reasonable to camp downtown and wait until the next morning. That brings us back to that question of what if you can't get home? Can you sleep at your office? This could be a great reason to keep a 72 hour kit in the office or in your car. Do you have a friend nearby? This is another situation where you have to actually talk to people. Oh, I could crash with Ryan is only actually a plan if you have run it by Ryan and he has said okay.
Even if you have that place to stay, and some supplies, staying there is still frustrating. I would be frantic about my family, and they would be worried too. However, if I know that they know how to turn off the gas if necessary, and that the large furniture was secured, that helps. If they know that I would not be there until the next day, that helps them not to worry.
Maybe there are ways we can communicate with each other at the time, and we'll talk about communication more next week, but having the plan made in advance, and knowing that everybody knows the plan, means that even in the absence of communication we are not completely in the dark.
This means dealing with family members, including annoying ones. The holidays are coming up, so there should be many family gatherings, and chances to discuss this. I'm planning on having some discussions in about a week.
There is one point I want to make that doesn't affect me personally. Last week I mentioned checking with schools and workplaces on what their plans and procedures are, but I just want to point out that if you have children in day care, it is better to go with one close to work than close to home. If you can't get home, but you can get to your children, that will at least provide some peace of mind. Not being able to get to either would be a nightmare.
And I know, you can't make all of your decisions based on the emergency that may never happen, but it's one that's worth looking at.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Making an emergency plan, part 1
Making an emergency plan may be the most overwhelming part of emergency preparedness. A lot of people would vote for food storage, and there is some reason for that, but trying to think of all the horrible things that can happen, and what you would need to do, and what you need to get to do it, is a challenge.
The good news is that there ends up being a lot of overlap between the different emergencies. It's like with the 72-hour kit; whether you are taking it to a Red Cross shelter, or using it at a motel when car trouble strands you in town, or pulling out the flashlights and ready-to-eat foods because power has gone out, it still helps that you have all of those supplies gathered together.
That being said, it is helpful to go over potential emergencies beforehand, because there are specifics where knowing is helpful. If you live near the coast, an earthquake can lead to a tsunami, and you need to know to move to high ground quickly. You also need to know what to do during an earthquake, because not incurring fatal injuries is important to your long-term strategy.
One thing that I love about my house, and means that I will probably never move, is that it is in a good location for preparedness purposes. We are not in a flood plain, or underneath hills for mudslides. We are not near an ocean or a river where a tsunami or a seiche is likely. We are not very close to forests, so a wildfire is unlikely, though not impossible. The power grid is primarily underground, so even during the worst storms we tend to keep power. Those are all things that I value.
We are, of course, at great risk for earthquakes, we can't rule out toxic spills, and we are not in a high tornado area, but freak things happen, as we saw in Aumsville. House fires can happen to anyone, and they can spread. Also, for all the scary things that we are far away from, we are not particularly far from crime (which might be a good reason for moving), and there can always be the plane falling out of the sky, or car crashing into the living room, or something like that. Also, we may keep power in an ice storm, but we still will end up housebound. Oh, and plague! There could always be a plague.
So this is your moment to think about the negative, and if you need to give off a little scream, then do it, and then reel your common sense back in, and focus on the most important. For us, it is the earthquake, followed by winter storms.
I have posts on earthquakes, and there will be more, but that everyone knows what to do in an earthquake, and after, and that we take basic steps for securing the house, like bolting heavy bookcases to the wall, makes sense as our main priority. Having a plan for getting out in a fire is a priority.
Looking at the others, okay, I need to think about a tornado, even though it's unlikely. We don't have a basement. We have a crawlspace that we do not have easy access too, so, do we all huddle in the shower stall, or is there a better spot? That's something to look at. Sure, a tsunami won't strike here, but sometimes I go to the beach, so I should know the basics of that.
The good thing with looking at your most likely problems is that they are also likely problems for your neighbors, employer, and local government. Does your workplace have a plan? Does your school have a plan? Finding these things out can be reassuring, or it can be the inspiration for them to create plans, which will then be reassuring after it is done.
You're not the only one thinking about this. There is information available, and you can look and consider, and go about your preparations in an orderly manner, starting with the most pressing. Here is some good reading:
http://www.fema.gov/
http://ocem.org/preparepage.cfm
http://www.providentliving.org/
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Emergency Preparedness: 72-hour kits
I remember being at the cannery once and they were showing us a chart correlating attendance there with natural disasters. There were bumps for Katrina, and the Pakistan earthquake, and the tsunami (the Indian tsunami; that was long before Japan).
I do not doubt that there are going to be some people taking another look at their level of preparedness because of Sandy, and that's great. It's a good thing to, no matter what inspires you. If you are not sure where to start, I hope that what I write over the next few weeks will be helpful.
I have had mixed feelings about 72 hour kits for a while, after someone pointed out that it's not really something that our leaders have told us to do. Their focus has always been more on food storage and paying off debt and building up savings. That emphasis makes sense, as those two areas are useful across multiple situations, even without an emergency. Also, it started becoming an issue a while back that there was a real danger of Red Cross response time going longer than three days, depending on the situation.
However, I have come back around to 72-hour kits because they are a good gateway preparedness item. Right off of the bat, you have three days worth of food and water, and emergency light sources, and thinking about where to store it starts you getting ideas for evacuation scenarios and an emergency plan, so it's a good starting point, and it's where we start.
My rule of thumb is to go through three questions for any item you are thinking of including.
Based on that, I can see where it would be really easy to skip clothes. If you are buying a commercial kit, it is not going to include clothes or room for clothes, and wearing the same clothes for three straight days is gross, but may not seem that bad. Don't make that mistake.
Having the change of clothes is not just about freshness. It means if the temperature drops, you can add layers. If means if you get wet, you can change into something dry. I can't stress that enough. The weather doesn't even have to be that cold for hypothermia to set in if you are wet, because the water conducts heat away from your body.
There are a couple of extra precautions I take here, besides just having the clothes. I store the clothes in plastic bags, both to increase the odds of them staying dry, and because then later maybe I can use the bag for something else. I keep a plastic garbage bag in every kit, because it can act as a tarp or be used for collecting garbage. (Things that can serve two purposes are great.) I also make sure every kit has a pair of gloves, an extra pair of socks besides the one change of clothes, and ideally a hat and scarf, because the feet, hands, head, and back of neck are key for losing warmth, or for keeping it in. I like to throw in an emergency poncho too, and a solar blanket. Those are lightweight and can really come in handy.
For water, I like to use plastic bottles. I know a lot of people think the juice box style (like the Aqua Literz) and the pouch style (like the Datrex) are really cool, but my thought with the plastic bottles is that I can refill them. You can't really carry as much water as it would be good to have for three days. That would be more like three gallons, and my kits have 1 1/2 liters, which is about average, so being able to refill easily is a plus.
I have never really been into water purification tablets or supplies. I can see the value of it, but I don't like messing with chemicals. Your mileage my vary.
For food, nothing is easier than the Mainstay ration bars, but I think there is something to be said for getting a little variety and flavor, says the girl who based her rations on 9 power bars each. Okay, but they were not all the same flavor, and I supplemented with pudding cups, apples sauce cups, and jerky and nut packs so we had better representation of the various food groups.
The other thing that I do is get little packs of hard candies and keep them in an outer pocket. This is great if you need a quick energy burst or something comforting, or if your blood sugar is suddenly plunging. Actually, when I do a 5K I always keep a pack of peanut M&Ms on me, for the sugar to hit right away and then for the protein in the nuts to kick in. What I will say about my food packs is that when it is time to rotate them, I can get them eaten. I think Mainstay bars would just get thrown out.
Heat, food, and water are all non-negotiable. Everything after that is to some extent for convenience, though the arguments for some of that convenience can be pretty compelling.
Light: You can survive without a light in the dark, but I'd rather not. Also, it can be useful for the ability to signal. Speaking of rotating the food, you need to regularly check your batteries if you have them in flashlights or radios. You can go with glow sticks for the light, and those are an important part of our earthquake supplies, but really, I want flashlights, and we have them.
First aid kits: I mentioned aspirin earlier, but I also find it helpful to have some bandages, sterile wipes, and antibiotic cream. Also, I have a pair of tweezers in my kit. This can be really simple, but make a big difference, and there are some good and compact ready made kits that can easily be tossed in a bag.
Communication: That battery powered radio can be really good, but also I recommend having a pad and something to write with, in case you need to make notes or leave notes.
Cash: It doesn't need to be huge quantities, but having some, preferably in smaller bills, can be handy if electricity or internet is out. Think about everything that is required for a simple debit transaction to work out.
Hygiene: There are certain sprays and wipes that can make things more pleasant, but if nothing else I strongly recommend having hand sanitizer. If you have a child in diapers, in addition to packing the diapers you need the wipes and those associated things, and you may need more garbage bags than you otherwise would. Think about that. (Also, women, you know what might come up. Have a plan for that.)
Medications: I know older couples who keep two weekly pill minder boxes each, and rotate out so at any given time one is in the kit and one is being used. I think it is easier to just make grabbing your medication on the way out part of your emergency plan, but figure that out before it comes up.
Pure comfort items: I've decided that I absolutely need to have cough drops and dental floss. I may not need them, but if I do, I want them, and I will not be happy without them. Your must-have items will be different, but do you know what they are? Or if there are good substitutes?
It may be worthwhile thinking along the lines of entertainment, like a book or a game or a toy, because mental health is valuable too, but maybe you can work something out with the notepad and pencil, or something like that.There is a lot of room for individualization here, based on your personal needs.
Transport: I have always favored the rolling backpack, because I can either carry it or roll it. In truth, that framework may make it less comfortable on the back. I definitely don't want something that is going to wrench my arm out of the socket, or make me walk lop-sided, or hurt my hands (like a pail with a wire handle).
One thing that always surprised me was that local agencies often recommended a rolling garbage can, and that seemed terribly inconvenient, especially to get into a car. Then I realized that if you have small children, they are probably not going to be carrying their own supplies, so a big receptacle for the entire family's supplies made sense. In my household of four adults, that's not an issue.
However, we have pets that are not pack mules, so we need to allow for them too, and I hope it goes without saying that you will have supplies and emergency plans for any dependent animals, as well as for yourself, because they do depend on you. It's very basic: three days worth of food and water, and you are probably better off with collapsible bowls than regular bowls. Treats can be an important form of comfort, but we have had dogs who would not take treats when stressed, so if there is something else that works, find a way to make that happen too. Also a blanket for them to sleep on, and it might not hurt to have some protective paw gear as well, at least for the dogs.
That orange mesh safety fencing can be great for cordoning off an area, but may be impractical. And honestly, she will hate it, but we probably need to come up with a leash for the cat for that kind of a situation, because we will need to let her out of the carrier at times, and could easily lose her this way.
Thinking about these potential issues goes more into emergency plans and evacuations, so that's where we are going to head next week, and it is unpleasant. Thinking about these things is scary. It's like writing out your will and guardianship plans for your children--it is a horrible thing to think that it might be necessary. It's just more horrible that it could be needed and yet not done. Once you have gone through it, and worked it out, that's when you get the peace of mind.
I do not doubt that there are going to be some people taking another look at their level of preparedness because of Sandy, and that's great. It's a good thing to, no matter what inspires you. If you are not sure where to start, I hope that what I write over the next few weeks will be helpful.
I have had mixed feelings about 72 hour kits for a while, after someone pointed out that it's not really something that our leaders have told us to do. Their focus has always been more on food storage and paying off debt and building up savings. That emphasis makes sense, as those two areas are useful across multiple situations, even without an emergency. Also, it started becoming an issue a while back that there was a real danger of Red Cross response time going longer than three days, depending on the situation.
However, I have come back around to 72-hour kits because they are a good gateway preparedness item. Right off of the bat, you have three days worth of food and water, and emergency light sources, and thinking about where to store it starts you getting ideas for evacuation scenarios and an emergency plan, so it's a good starting point, and it's where we start.
My rule of thumb is to go through three questions for any item you are thinking of including.
- How likely am I to need it?
- How heavy is it?
- How bad will it be not to have it?
Based on that, I can see where it would be really easy to skip clothes. If you are buying a commercial kit, it is not going to include clothes or room for clothes, and wearing the same clothes for three straight days is gross, but may not seem that bad. Don't make that mistake.
Having the change of clothes is not just about freshness. It means if the temperature drops, you can add layers. If means if you get wet, you can change into something dry. I can't stress that enough. The weather doesn't even have to be that cold for hypothermia to set in if you are wet, because the water conducts heat away from your body.
There are a couple of extra precautions I take here, besides just having the clothes. I store the clothes in plastic bags, both to increase the odds of them staying dry, and because then later maybe I can use the bag for something else. I keep a plastic garbage bag in every kit, because it can act as a tarp or be used for collecting garbage. (Things that can serve two purposes are great.) I also make sure every kit has a pair of gloves, an extra pair of socks besides the one change of clothes, and ideally a hat and scarf, because the feet, hands, head, and back of neck are key for losing warmth, or for keeping it in. I like to throw in an emergency poncho too, and a solar blanket. Those are lightweight and can really come in handy.
For water, I like to use plastic bottles. I know a lot of people think the juice box style (like the Aqua Literz) and the pouch style (like the Datrex) are really cool, but my thought with the plastic bottles is that I can refill them. You can't really carry as much water as it would be good to have for three days. That would be more like three gallons, and my kits have 1 1/2 liters, which is about average, so being able to refill easily is a plus.
I have never really been into water purification tablets or supplies. I can see the value of it, but I don't like messing with chemicals. Your mileage my vary.
For food, nothing is easier than the Mainstay ration bars, but I think there is something to be said for getting a little variety and flavor, says the girl who based her rations on 9 power bars each. Okay, but they were not all the same flavor, and I supplemented with pudding cups, apples sauce cups, and jerky and nut packs so we had better representation of the various food groups.
The other thing that I do is get little packs of hard candies and keep them in an outer pocket. This is great if you need a quick energy burst or something comforting, or if your blood sugar is suddenly plunging. Actually, when I do a 5K I always keep a pack of peanut M&Ms on me, for the sugar to hit right away and then for the protein in the nuts to kick in. What I will say about my food packs is that when it is time to rotate them, I can get them eaten. I think Mainstay bars would just get thrown out.
Heat, food, and water are all non-negotiable. Everything after that is to some extent for convenience, though the arguments for some of that convenience can be pretty compelling.
Light: You can survive without a light in the dark, but I'd rather not. Also, it can be useful for the ability to signal. Speaking of rotating the food, you need to regularly check your batteries if you have them in flashlights or radios. You can go with glow sticks for the light, and those are an important part of our earthquake supplies, but really, I want flashlights, and we have them.
First aid kits: I mentioned aspirin earlier, but I also find it helpful to have some bandages, sterile wipes, and antibiotic cream. Also, I have a pair of tweezers in my kit. This can be really simple, but make a big difference, and there are some good and compact ready made kits that can easily be tossed in a bag.
Communication: That battery powered radio can be really good, but also I recommend having a pad and something to write with, in case you need to make notes or leave notes.
Cash: It doesn't need to be huge quantities, but having some, preferably in smaller bills, can be handy if electricity or internet is out. Think about everything that is required for a simple debit transaction to work out.
Hygiene: There are certain sprays and wipes that can make things more pleasant, but if nothing else I strongly recommend having hand sanitizer. If you have a child in diapers, in addition to packing the diapers you need the wipes and those associated things, and you may need more garbage bags than you otherwise would. Think about that. (Also, women, you know what might come up. Have a plan for that.)
Medications: I know older couples who keep two weekly pill minder boxes each, and rotate out so at any given time one is in the kit and one is being used. I think it is easier to just make grabbing your medication on the way out part of your emergency plan, but figure that out before it comes up.
Pure comfort items: I've decided that I absolutely need to have cough drops and dental floss. I may not need them, but if I do, I want them, and I will not be happy without them. Your must-have items will be different, but do you know what they are? Or if there are good substitutes?
It may be worthwhile thinking along the lines of entertainment, like a book or a game or a toy, because mental health is valuable too, but maybe you can work something out with the notepad and pencil, or something like that.There is a lot of room for individualization here, based on your personal needs.
Transport: I have always favored the rolling backpack, because I can either carry it or roll it. In truth, that framework may make it less comfortable on the back. I definitely don't want something that is going to wrench my arm out of the socket, or make me walk lop-sided, or hurt my hands (like a pail with a wire handle).
One thing that always surprised me was that local agencies often recommended a rolling garbage can, and that seemed terribly inconvenient, especially to get into a car. Then I realized that if you have small children, they are probably not going to be carrying their own supplies, so a big receptacle for the entire family's supplies made sense. In my household of four adults, that's not an issue.
However, we have pets that are not pack mules, so we need to allow for them too, and I hope it goes without saying that you will have supplies and emergency plans for any dependent animals, as well as for yourself, because they do depend on you. It's very basic: three days worth of food and water, and you are probably better off with collapsible bowls than regular bowls. Treats can be an important form of comfort, but we have had dogs who would not take treats when stressed, so if there is something else that works, find a way to make that happen too. Also a blanket for them to sleep on, and it might not hurt to have some protective paw gear as well, at least for the dogs.
That orange mesh safety fencing can be great for cordoning off an area, but may be impractical. And honestly, she will hate it, but we probably need to come up with a leash for the cat for that kind of a situation, because we will need to let her out of the carrier at times, and could easily lose her this way.
Thinking about these potential issues goes more into emergency plans and evacuations, so that's where we are going to head next week, and it is unpleasant. Thinking about these things is scary. It's like writing out your will and guardianship plans for your children--it is a horrible thing to think that it might be necessary. It's just more horrible that it could be needed and yet not done. Once you have gone through it, and worked it out, that's when you get the peace of mind.
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