Being prepared for a disaster of any kind is no longer a fringe activity — it’s simply common sense. You want to make sure your family is taken care of, in the event of a disaster or apocalypse. While you’ll certainly need a lot more than five pieces of gear to prepare for a disaster, we think these five disaster preparation tools, are essential!
1. Water Treatment
While you should definitely have a steady water supply, which will eventually run out! The only water available, may be questionable, so it’s a good idea to have a quality water purification device. There are many options on the market that cost as little as $20 up to a couple hundred dollars, but the most important factor is what function they perform. One that eliminates particulates might not eliminate harmful bacteria, so be diligent in your research.
2. Battery-Powered Lights
In the event of a disaster it’s possible you may permanently lose power. Make sure you have more than one battery-powered light for each member of your family. Scuba diving lights are great in an emergency, as they’re designed for the ocean floor. A drop in water could potentially destroy a traditional light, but a dive light will remain unfazed. There are even packages that include emergency radios and flashlights, to streamline disaster preparedness.
3. Compact Tools
We’re not talking about screwdrivers and hammers here, although there’s no doubt those tools would likely come in handy in a disaster scenario. The type of tools that make great gear for disaster preparation are sturdy knives, multi-tools, fire starters, and signaling devices. You can buy kits like the one above that combine many of these tools into one or two simple devices, or you can devise your own. You need to be able to have a way to cut materials (even wood, if possible), start a fire, build a shelter, and signal for help.
For more disaster preparation tools, check out: Disaster Preparedness: Using What You’ve Learned or Disaster Preparedness: Where to Bug Out!
4. Shelter
Shelter means a roof over your head and appropriate clothing for your body. While a traditional camping tent might not be a practical piece of gear for disaster preparation due to space and weight concerns, you can create shelter with little more than a tarp and some cordage, or even a branch. Emergency blankets are ideal for this purpose, as they reflect body heat and are very lightweight and compact when folded up. Your emergency clothing should include two pairs of socks and underwear, and lightweight layers that can be compressed easily in a pack or worn without being bulky.
5. Personal Care
You can assemble your own first aid kit if you have a fair amount of medical knowledge, but we recommend buying a pre-assembled first aid kit and adding whatever is missing to it yourself, so you know the basic treatment items will be in there for sure. If it doesn’t already have them, be sure to include insect repellent and itch relief, sunblock, and digestive aids. Toothbrush and paste, toilet tissue, biodegradable soap (Dr. Bronner’s is a fantastic line of non-toxic, all-purpose soaps), and a lightweight, quick-drying towel are all sufficient for basic daily hygiene and will not take up much space in a pack.
Feature Image from Marcus Kauffman/Unsplash
