How to Make an Emergency Preparedness Kit!

November 16, 2021

Hurricane Ida slammed into Louisiana on August 29 as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 miles per hour and Texas residents suffered a winter storm this year that left millions without power after a days-long cold snap. These events left hundreds cold, hungry, helpless and even homeless. And while most Coloradoans will never experience THAT level of hardship, we have our own winter weather events that can qualify as emergencies. 

If you didn’t put together a survival kit in 2020 after the pandemic was announced, it might be time to assemble one and prepare for an emergency so you can comfortably weather whatever comes your way. We’re here to help with a list and links for filling up your emergency survival kit!

Preparedness Kit Must-Haves

Food and water are the most important essentials of an emergency preparedness kit and you’ll need at least a three-day supply of each – if you’re snowed in for a couple of days. The Department of Homeland Security recommends one gallon of water per day, per person for both drinking, sanitation and preparing non-perishable food. Food examples included canned goods like meats, vegetables and soups, peanut butter and crackers, cereal, dried fruit, power bars, sports drinks, powdered milk and nutty trail mix.

Other basic supplies include:

  • Battery-powered or crank radio
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Dust mask to filter contaminated air (who doesn’t have plenty of those?!)
  • Plastic sheeting and duct tape for a shelter-in-place
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • A wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Manual can opener for food
  • Cell phone with chargers and a back -up battery
  • Blanket or sleeping bag for each person

More Prep, More Comfort

You can also make yourself and your family more comfortable in a winter crisis if you go beyond the basics in your emergency preparedness kit.

Consider a headlamp if you don’t already have one. The Black Diamond Spot lasts up to 200 hours on three AAA batteries. And a solar powered charger for your cell phone might be a lifesaver since Colorado does get a lot of sunlight. And don’t forget to have a few days’ supply of your personal medications, plus tweezers, scissors, matches and cash. For most people, the Motley Fool says $1,000 is enough to get a family through a short crisis. If that sounds like a lot, start with $100, and keep adding to it.

Ready.gov has a downloadable checklist of both basic supplies and separate lists for unique items you might need for, say, pets, and/or seniors. 

If you don’t have time to assemble your own basic emergency kit, you can order one from one of the supply companies that Gear Hungry and Best Survival consider the best of the best. From
Sustain’s Premium Emergency Survival kit and the Gerber Zombie Apocalypse Survival kit (oh, yeah, there’s that!) to the kit customized by U.S. veterans which includes one of the most comprehensive options. 

But if you’d rather customize your own — there’s always the kit available at the American Red Cross store which you can get and then add to it.

Record Snowfall Predictions

It’s been more than 10 years since we saw snowfall measuring over 20 inches in Denver and surrounding areas, but the forecast from the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting lots of freezing cold temperatures this winter. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editor Janice Stillman, “This coming winter could well be one of the longest and coldest that we’ve seen in years,” with above-average snowfall forecasted for northeast Colorado, the Dakotas, and eastern Montana.”

And if the local weather people start forecasting record snowfalls, it doesn’t hurt to prepare kits for your car(s) and for work, too. 

Prepare for the Best in Southshore 

We’re prepared for just about anything when it comes to new home construction in the master-planned community of Southshore. Check out the brand new homes from Taylor Morrison, Richmond American Homes and Toll Brothers – and coming soon Century Communities. Because Life at the Lake is not just exclusive and packed with amenities – you’ll find the perfect ranch or two-story design, priced from the $400s.