Building An Emergency Kit For A Hurricane: A Go-To Guid

Your Comprehensive Guide To Preparing For A Hurricane 

Living in a state prone to hurricanes? You’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll cover the most important items you need to build a handy emergency kit especially designed for responding to hurricanes. When a natural disaster like a hurricane strikes, it’s certainly overwhelming, but there are steps you can take to make as quick of a recovery as possible. Keep reading to learn the gear that your hurricane emergency kit won’t be complete without. 

Ponchos For Staying Dry 

You probably own a raincoat, but if a hurricane forces you to evacuate your home in a hurry, you might not have time to grab it. This is why it’s essential to put a poncho in your emergency kit. If a hurricane leaves you exposed to the elements and displaced from your home, a poncho can help to keep you dry. Ponchos are compact and can fold in on themselves without taking up too much space, meaning you’ll be protected from the rain without needing to carry a heavy raincoat in your emergency kit.

Ideally, pack several plastic ponchos in your emergency kit, or at least one for each member of your household. Good ponchos should include a hood and be able to fit each member of your family. Don’t be afraid to pack extra ponchos if you live in a high-risk area for hurricanes! You can never be too prepared.

Emergency Blankets For Extra Warmth 

It’s scary to think about, but if a hurricane strikes, you may have to evacuate your home. If you end up needing to leave your home behind to get to safety, you need something small, lightweight, and portable that will keep you warm. Standard blankets aren’t an option, since they’re heavy and difficult to store and carry. Instead, opt for an emergency blanket.

Emergency blankets, often colloquially known as “space blankets,” are lightweight sheets of foil that you wrap yourself in to help your body retain heat. An emergency blanket, like a poncho, can easily be folded and stored in your emergency kit so you can make a quick evacuation in the midst of a hurricane.

Duct Tape For Quick Repairs

The high winds that blow during hurricanes can damage your home, blowing dangerous debris around and potentially breaking windows. If you end up with a leak from hurricane winds, you need a quick and reliable way to patch it up. Duct tape is one of the best options for fixing a leak or broken window in a pinch. It’s small and light, making it the ideal repair resource to store in your emergency kit. Plus, it’s extremely durable, and multiple layers of duct tape should be able to hold back wind and rain until you can make a permanent repair.

If you’re fixing a broken window with duct tape, make sure to wear protective gloves to keep your hands safe from cuts. In addition, never put yourself in harm’s way to make a repair during a hurricane. Prioritize your safety and the safety of your family over protecting your property from damage. If hurricane-force winds are blowing, make sure to stay away from windows and other vulnerable areas until they pass.

Emergency Food And Water For Power Outages

A power outage is often one of the results of a hurricane, as powerful winds can bring down power lines. When you lose power, all the food in your fridge will end up going bad, so you need something you can count on that doesn’t need refrigeration. Stock up your pantry with non-perishable food sources like canned beans, trail mix, dried fruit, and more to prevent running out of food if you’re stuck without access to grocery stores due to a hurricane.

In addition to stocking up on non-perishable foods in your home, your emergency kit needs to be packed with high-calorie foods that won’t go bad as well. One of the best choices for your emergency food source is energy bars. These bars are designed to replace meals, and they’re small enough to only take up just a bit of real estate in your emergency kit. Plus, high-calorie energy bars are packed with each of the macronutrients that your body needs – carbs, fat, and protein.

You’ll also need an emergency source of water for your hurricane supplies. Water pouches are a great choice – they’re compact and non-perishable. If you need to evacuate during a hurricane, you might not be able to rely on access to running water. Keep enough water pouches in your emergency kit to last each member of your family for up to 72 hours.

A First Aid Kit For Treating Injuries 

A first aid kit is an essential resource that is one of the centerpieces of any good emergency kit. In the wake of a natural disaster, there’s plenty of potential for accidents to happen, and having first aid supplies on hand can end up saving a life. Hurricanes leave behind dangerous debris that can cause injuries, and if you or someone in your household gets hurt, you want to make sure you have everything you need to treat the injury. 

Your first aid kit should contain the supplies necessary for cleaning and dressing wounds. This means antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, band-aids, gauze, and medical tape. You’ll also want to make sure you have non-prescription painkillers like ibuprofen packed in your kit. Make sure you know how to use every item in your first aid kit, and write a detailed description for use in case you forget. Buying a pre-packaged first aid kit that contains all the resources you’ll need, as well as the instructions for using them, is often a better idea than building your own kit.

A Home Evacuation Plan 

In your emergency kit, it’s a great move to keep a drawn copy of your family’s evacuation plan. Your evacuation plan should provide a point of reference for the easiest way to exit your home from any room. In any natural disaster, including hurricanes, there’s a possibility that you and your family will need to exit your house quickly and get to safety. Memorizing and practicing your evacuation plan will ensure that everyone is up to speed on what to do in the event of an emergency. 

When a hurricane hits, being prepared means having your emergency kit handy so that if you need to respond quickly to a crisis, you’ll be ready. Whether you’re building an emergency kit specifically to respond to hurricanes or just for general home safety, you won’t be sorry to have one. Crises and emergencies happen when they’re least expected, and it’s much better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.

If you live in a hurricane-prone area, pay attention to whether patterns, warnings, and predictions to better prepare yourself if a storm is expected. Keep your emergency kit in a place where it is easily accessible. Have a plan formulated and practiced with the members of your household for what to do if a hurricane hits. The more prepared you are, the more peace of mind you’ll have. A well-stocked emergency kit that includes the items listed above will not only increase your peace of mind but also potentially save the day if a hurricane causes you an injury, resource shortage, or other crisis. You won’t be sorry that you have it!

Sources:

https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/gear/space-blanket.htm

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/magazine/how-to-suture-a-wound.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/health/coronavirus-medicine-cabinet.html