BE PREPARED!!! 72 hour kit

"...when we really get into hard times, where food is scarce or there is none at all, and so with clothing and shelter, money may be no good for there may be nothing to buy, and you cannot eat money, you cannot get enough of it together to burn to keep you warm, and you cannot wear it." (President J. Reuben Clark, Jr. - Church News, November 21, 1953, p.4.)

At my church the women's group called Relief Society has monthly activities.  This months activity was 7 weeks to a 72 hour kit.  Luckily, I lived in Utah for a couple of years and you can find emergency supply stores easily.  Scott and I decided to follow the Prophet and Apostles (leaders of our church) advice and COMMANDMENT to have a 72 hour kit for each person.  A bag that you can grab and go out the door if an emergency arises.  So Scott and I spent a Saturday gathering up supplies and making our kits.  Granted we probably have more than what you would NEED in 72 hours but I like being over prepared rather than under prepared. Emergency Essentials is the store we got almost all of our stuff from and they have great prices on things.  The website is beprepared.com and they ship!

We have made it a tradition to look through our 72 hour kits twice a year, conference weekend (easy to remember) to make sure food has not expired, nothing has leaked, and clothes still fit.

This is what is in my 72 hour kit.  ALL of this fits in that small backpack on the left.  On my to do list next time around is to get a large hiking backpack so the bag is longer instead of sticking so far out the back.  Better for balance AND your back if you have to walk around with one on. Since we have 3 people in our family we have 3, 72 hour kits.  They mostly have the same things in them (personal hygiene, food etc.) but some have things that others don't.  That would be just too much to have 3 of everything.

If the item has a star next to it, it means there are multiple of that item, just in other bags.  Since Jackson is only 2 (almost) he doesn't need everything that Scott and I might need.  But he also needs other things that we don't.

FOOD

*2 FULL MRE meals (Scott's pack has that and a 3 day MRE meal pack)
*2 packages of tuna (don't need a can opener for them, lighter, lasts 2 years)
*3 trail mix packets
*2 cliff bars
*2 water flavoring packets
*2 fruit leathers
*handfull of butterscotch candy (to stave off hunger)
*packet of mint gum (to stave off hunger
Emergency food rations (6)
*2 high energy bars
*3 water bottles
-It would be impossible to have enough food and water to satisfy but having enough to get by is what is most important.




Clothing
*Change of clothes (Jackson's is 1 size too big so he can grow into it) jeans, long sleeve shirt, socks, underwear
*Foldable hats (Still on my to get list, can't find them yet this year)
*thick work gloves
*rain poncho

Shelter
*Emergency tube tent
*emergency sleeping bag
*emergency blankets

Toiletries
First, BUY A WATER BOTTLE with a large opened mouth.  All of these things fit inside of it so they don't take up extra room elsewhere.
*waterproof matches
*whistle/compass/match holder/signaling mirror/flint combo
*deodorant, shampoo, toothbrush/paste combo, razor, contacts, glass, solution, case
Poison Ivy wipes
Utensils
Water purifier tablets and neutralizer tablets (takes the awful taste out of the water the purifier tabs put in)
tweezers, scissors
*Toilet paper, tampons, and pads.  Tampons can double as a first aid kit item!

“Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earth quake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion.” (Ezra Taft Benson - October Conference, 1980 Ensign, Nov 1980:32-33)

Other
*Flashlights that are lightweight, float, waterproof, and have storage to store extra batteries and other things
Crank flashlight with radio and charger adapter
*light sticks
*hot hands
*50 rounds of 9mm ammo.  Not just for killing animals, but for protection.  When food is scarce, people will do anything to get it.  Stay away from my family and food storage!
Sewing kit
CPR mask
*Leatherman multitool
*First Aid Kit.  We have 2 first aid kits.  Mine includes, soap, bug spray, body powder, electrolyte tablets, OTC medicine with instructions of use, tweezers, thermometer, bandages, GAUZE, alcohol pads, antibacterial, Iodine tablets incase of radiation emergency (maybe me going over board =)

Well that's everything in just my bag (again the * means there are multiple of those in the other bags for my husband and Jackson).

Here is a list of things that are in the other 2 bags that are not included in my bag

Cloth diapers (VERY absorbant and can be reused.  Make sure you include the safety pins)
Baby wipes
Mess kit
Road atlas (We know how to get our our parents homes, but incase we need to go somewhere else or need to take a detour)
100 hour emergency candle
duck tape
parachute cord (GREAT rope)
Lighters
disposable gloves
face mask
Games- Uno, crayons, paper, pencil

Not in our 72 hour kits but with our food storage is 2 big packs of water, camp stove, candles, and LOTS of food.

Geez.. that's a lot of stuff in just 3 SMALL backpacks.  And just think, we get to add to it in a couple of months when we welcome another little one!

The only thing that is missing that is VERY important is important documents (birth certificate, SS card, medical history, phone numbers etc) and money!

I also saw somewhere about having coffee, alcohol (ehh), and medicine in your food storage.  Just like the quote above says, money may be useless someday.  But people will always want coffee and alcohol and NEED medicine. It would make a GREAT trading tool. But I don't think I want alcohol in my house.  So I'll stick with maybe coffee and medicine.

I feel very prepared, but seriously don't want to have to use the pack anytime soon!

“Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their  supply of food and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse:they have at least a year’s supply of debt and are food-free.”President Thomas S. Monson, “That Noble Gift—Love at Home,” Church News, May 12, 2001, 7.