Emergency Preparedness: Emergency Car Kits

Have you ever had a flat tire and been stranded? Have you ever been stuck in a snow storm in your car?  Has your car ever had mechanical problems while you were driving?  To help you have peace of mind in these situations and more, make an emergency car kit.  They are easy and fun to make as well as a huge help in an emergency!

Here is a picture of everything I put in my emergency car kit.

This kit includes:

• A change of clothes
• Athletic shoes and socks (Just in case I am in the car in a suit and I have to walk somewhere.)
• Food and water (I have granola bars. For the summer, make sure not to have anything that will melt.)
• Pen and paper
• Pocket knife
• Rain poncho
• Emergency blanket
• Wet wipes
• First aid kit
• Hand sanitizer
• $15 to $20 cash (In small bills.)
• Toilet Paper
• Flashlight & batteries
• Towels

I also keep the following in my car although they are not "officially" in my emergency car kit box:

• Umbrella
• Jumper cables
• Emergency flares and caution sign
• Inflatable Tire in a Can

If you do not have an emergency car kit now, or if you need to increase the number of items currently in your kit, there is no need to go out and purchase all these things at once.  When assembling my kit a few years ago, it took me two months to purchase and gather everything I have listed here. If you have more then one car, start gathering the items for one car then when it is complete, start gathering items for the second car.

You can also purchase a complete kit all at once, but since you can find most individual items in the big box stores for much less, it make sense to assemble your kit yourself.

Be sure to rotate the food and water every six months or so.  A good time to rotate is when you change your clocks in the spring and fall. This is also a good time to change out summer/winter clothes as well. I change my kit at General Conference time. This event occurs in both April and October for all LDS church members.

Having an emergency car kit gives you complete peace of mind if you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal!  And even if you do have a phone signal, it is really nice to know you have food and water and can wait for help to arrive.

If you would like a checklist and some support to help you gather the items for your emergency car kit, visit this blog. These ladies do a terrific job of laying out everything you should do step-by-step. Safely Gathered In