In a split second, an emergency or natural disaster can strike. You never know when a storm may hit and knock your electricity out for days, leaving you without a way to cook, wash clothes, or take a hot shower. You never know when a flood may destroy your apartment building and force you to seek shelter elsewhere for days or even weeks. (Check out here what our blogger Christina learned when Hurricane Sandy hit.) Even if we hope to never face an emergency or disaster, we’re not immune to the possibility. So what’s the best and easiest way to prepare? Find out your city’s disaster preparedness instructions, like these published for NYC, and create an emergency supply kit.
Living in an apartment often means you won’t have much extra space to store a large supply kit, but you can gather the following ten items to create a basic supply kit with all the essential items you would need in case of an emergency. You should have enough supplies to last 72 hours.
- Bottled water (one gallon per person per day)
- Non-perishable food (if canned, make sure to include a manual can opener)
- First aid kit
- Flashlight or lantern and extra batteries; candles and lighter/matches
- Moist towelettes, paper towels, bathroom tissue
- Garbage bag(s)
- Extra clothing and a comfortable pair of shoes
- Cash in small bills
- A copy of important documents (driver’s license, insurance information, emergency contact names and numbers, prescription medication information)
- Multi-purpose tool
