Time to Update Your Emergency Preparedness Kits!

Do you have an Emergency Car Kit in your car? It can come in handy if you should get stranded because of an accident, flat tire, ice storm or snow. How about a 72 hour kit in case you ever needed to evacuate your home because of a fire, nuclear plant accident, or a chemical spill?

If you don't have any idea of what I am talking about, you can read about why you should have an Emergency Car Kit and how to make one here. This post gives all kinds of ideas on what you can put in your kit. You can read about why I have a 72 hour kit and what I put in mine here. 

The kits are easy to make and they don't have to cost a lot of money. You can use a lot of stuff you already have around the house. The idea is to make them up and then just leave them until you need them. The car kits are stored in the car and the 72 hour kits are stored in a closet in your home. No need to think about them again until you need them!

Well, almost. You do need to think about them twice a year. That's how often you will need to exchange food items and check on other items that may be out of date. This past weekend I updated my kits.

For all Latter-Day Saints, this past Saturday and Sunday was General Conference weekend. We heard the counsel of our Church leaders during four specific sessions - two on Saturday and two on Sunday. This bi-annual event is one of my favorite times of the year! Because it is easy to remember, it is also the time I update my Emergency Preparedness Kits. 

You can use any bi-annual event to signal the time to change your kits. Daylight Savings Time is a good example, Fall/Spring Equinox is another. Use whatever makes sense for your family! Spring and Fall triggers work best because they get you ready for the extreme seasons of Summer and/or Winter. Christmas/July 4th might also work for someone who lives in a mild climate.

Go through all your kits and remove any food that is going to expire before your next update. Replace it with food that has a 'Best By' date that is beyond the date of your next scheduled kit update. It is a good idea to also check:

• Are the bottles of water in good condition? Do any show signs of a possible leak? Are the bottles out of date?
• If you store medicines in your kit, are they still fresh? Will they remain that way until you check the kit again?
• Are the clothes in your kit appropriate for the upcoming weather?
• Is anything in the First Aid kit out of date?
• Do the flashlight batteries need to be replaced?
• Do the pens in the kit still write? 
• Is the package of wet wipes still fresh?
• Is there anything else in the kit that should be replace?

Think about your kits twice each year and you will be able to depend on them if and when you ever need them!