72 Hour Kit

I do like 72 hr kits, I do not like them Sam I am....

Some people have a belief once they have mastered the 72 hr kits, they are prepared. Not true.

But for those that really insist on doing this...I have prepared something special for you.

When looking at other references for 72 hour kits, you will find the lists are so large you need a pack of elephants to carry everything.

The list below are ideas, we consider the priority in our kits to be: food for 3 days and a bottle of water. We have three large zip-lock gallon sized bags labeled, “Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3.” In each bag we then have three smaller bags one labeled “breakfast”, the other “lunch” and the last, “dinner.” This way, meals are already set out, no decisions to make and each tailored to the specific tastes of each person. Some people use MREs. But our children would not eat a chicken stew MRE for breakfast!

Each kit contains:

• Small flashlight

• Light stick

• Whistle

• Plastic spoon (in each bag)

• One change of underwear, socks, t-shirt and pants, adapted by season

• Hand warmers

• Bar of soap in a sandwich bag

• Small bottle of shampoo

• Hand towel

• Toy and or book

• Couple of band aids

• Ear plugs (in case we evacuate to a noisy building)

• Toothbrush and toothpaste

• Disposable poncho

• Space blanket

• Small package of tissues

• Pen and sticky pad (for leaving notes and drawing)

• Little brush. (elastic for girls hair)

• Feminine hygiene

• Picture of the family with important phone numbers and any medicine information such as asthma, etc…

Example of "Day One" bag:

• Breakfast

  • Sandwich bag of frosted shredded wheat

  • Vitamin

  • Granola bar

• Lunch

  • Granola bar

  • Cup of applesauce

  • Crackers

• Dinner

  • Can of stew

  • Hard candy/gum

• Extra

  • Self opening can of tuna -1 can

  • Self opening can of pears - 1 can

  • Self opening can of nuts - 1 can

• Adults carry

  • Toilet paper

  • Water purifying tablets and/or water purifier

  • 2 way walkie talkies with extra batteries (one for mom and dad)

All this is carried in a back pack or luggage with wheels. We kept the weight down on the children. The parents carry the extras. There is no way we can expect children or adults to carry three gallons of water per person for three days.