Let's talk about 72-Hour Kits

Preparedness was my major goal for 2009. I'm am continuing to work on my food storage. I don't think that will ever be finished. Especially when we keep eating it and having to replace it, but I sure am glad to have it :)! But lately, we've been working on our 72-hour kits. Just rethinking them and making adjustments, where needed.

Whenever I heard the phrase, 72-hour kits, I felt OVERWHELMED!! My husband and I put ours together several years ago and I felt an immense amount of relief over having them together. It is a monumental task to acquire everything that you need. That is why you should do this in baby steps! Most of the items that you need, you probably have in your home. When we put our kits together we budgeted money out of our tax returns to do it in one big mass project. Was it worth it? Yes! It's a great way to budget the money needed and acquire some peace of mind.

When we originally started out, I bought 4 sturdy matching back packs from one of our local outdoor store. They were expensive back packs that I happened to find on clearance for $15.00 a piece. With the growth of our family, we have realized that they just don't provide enough room. So we upgraded my husbands pack to his full-sized hiking pack. Hopefully he doesn't get put back into scouts!! It's nice though because he can carry much more and it makes it easier for us to take along some extra items that will certainly provide an added measure of comfort, such as sleeping bags and a full size tent. We are going to upgrade my backpack also. We have tried to have the same items in each of our packs, in the instance that we may get separated. That way we would each be just as well prepared. Each of the kids has there own backpacks, which will basically have there clothes and food in them, I think. I am rethinking the logistics of all of this. However, I know that it's ultimately up to my husband and I to carry what we can.

I saw a great idea, where a family purchased rolling luggage, in which to pack their 72-hour kits. I love it! Easy and portable. However, what if you had to travel over rough terrain, where you would have to manually pick up and carry that heavy luggage? I've seen 72-hour kits in buckets and in sweatshirts. Which I think is the strangest idea yet. A sweater for warmth, but then how do you carry everything once you've taken it apart?

Am I over thinking this? Hopefully we never really need to use these. For us backpacks work. There are tons of idea's out there on how to make 72-hour kits and what to pack in them. I think that 72-hour kits have to personalized to each individual family and what works for them. I wanted to make our kits, because then I would be aware of what was in each kit. I will share with you what we have in our kits, but that is for another day. For now concentrating on finding a suitable backpack or means of conveyance. And then we'll talk......

Or if you do not have the patience for putting together your own kit, click here and here for premade, ready to buy kits.

72-Hour Kit Baby Steps

For a great resource on food storage, emergency preparedness and 72 hour kits, click here.

72 Hour Kits in 10 Steps

Step 1: Find a container
Step 2: Add clothing
Step 3: Add water
Step 4: Plan Meals & buy Food
Step 5: Add Tools & Lighting
Step 6: Add First Aid Supplies
Step 7: Add Shelter & Warmth
Step 8: Add medicine & Vitamins
Step 9: Add Radio & Cash
Step 10: Add other supplies

Baby steps. A little at a time. I did this several years ago and it's time to go through and redo our 72-hour kits. We rotate them every 6 months. We usually do it over conference weekend, but some of our items no longer apply, so here we go again.