Essentials You Need for Any Type of Emergency
Alexis Dent
Alexis Dent
Alexis is an essayist and poet whose debut collection, Everything I Left Behind, is available now. She also puts her skills as a wordsmith to use writing custom wedding vows for couples through her lifestyle business, XO Juliet.
The bittersweet reality of life on Earth is that every day can bring unpredictable surprises, like minor emergencies or even natural disasters. And when that time comes, it’s best to be as prepared as possible instead of scrambling to survive. Go beyond signing up for emergency app alerts and equip yourself with survival essentials. Think about it — you might get snowed in, face a hurricane emergency, a small home fire, or a cut or burn. So we’ve compiled key items that you should stow away for preparedness and peace of mind.
First My Family Four-Person Premium Survival Kit
Complete with survival essentials for four people to face a 72-hour emergency, this bag includes food rations, emergency water, a large first aid kit, an LED flashlight, a whistle, body warmers, and more. This is an A+ emergency kit to keep at home in case of a natural disaster like an earthquake or sudden strikes of inclement weather. It may also be a good idea to keep a kit at work and/or in your car. You can never be too prepared, after all.Valley Food Storage Emergency Food Supply
With a shelf life of 25 years, you can stow away this emergency supply of food until you really need it. To cook these freeze-dried meals, all you need is boiled water. Alternatively, you can eat it dry if you’re snowed in for a few days or just want a healthy snack.SafeTHammer Seatbelt Cutter Window Breaker
This two-in-one product is a necessity to keep in your car. Having a seatbelt cutter and a window breaker will ensure that you can escape in the event of a gnarly car crash, and it will also allow you a viable way to escape should you become caught in a snowstorm.AAA Emergency Road Assistance Kit
Speaking of vehicle-related emergencies, having a complete roadside assistance kit is a necessity. What if you cut yourself while stuffing gifts into your trunk after a day of shopping? What if you leave your lights on by accident? Beyond a first aid kit, this useful package also comes with a tow rope, jumper cables, a safety triangle, and a flashlight, among multiple other useful tools in case of a car emergency. (Pro tip: If you already don’t know how, learn how to use jumper cables. Improper use could damage your car and make a bad incident even worse.)Primacare Emergency Thermal Blankets
Thermal blankets are a waterproof and weatherproof tool to keep you warm in case of cold weather emergencies. You may have seen them at sporting events in inclement weather or used by athletes after running marathons, but these lightweight blankets reflect 90 percent of body heat and are a useful emergency purchase, particularly for people who live in cold weather climates.Fire Gone Fire Suppressant Canisters
Have you ever accidentally over-toasted your avocado toast and maybe started a tiny fire at home? Don’t depend on flapping that fire out with a dishtowel. Be prepared! If traditional fire extinguishers are confusing to you, these fire suppressant canisters are an effective alternative for you to extinguish oil and gas fires, electrical fires, and ordinary combustible fires as well.Be Smart Get Prepared First Aid Kit Hard Red Case
Injuries are a part of life, and many injuries happen at home, from sickness to cuts and burns. Don’t wait for the accident to happen before equipping yourself with emergency aid. This kit includes antiseptic towelettes, aspirin, antacids, gauze, bandages, and more. Not only would this be a good kit to keep at home, but it won’t hurt to have an extra where you spend most of your daytime hours, like the office or your car.LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
Clean water is a necessity for survival. And if you’re in the wilderness, or unable to boil water to sterilize it, or you don’t have gallons of water stored in your pantry, you’re gonna get real thirsty and be sh*t out of luck. The LifeStraw is a compact filter that turns contaminated water into clean water. Easy peasy. You can tuck it away for emergencies but also bring it with you on hiking and camping trips.Ready America Small Dog Evacuation Kit
If an emergency does happen, you might not have time to pack a bag for yourself and your pup. Ease your survival stress by having a pre-packed bag for your pooch. Don’t worry, cat ladies: There’s a cat evacuation kit too ($60).SecurePro Monitoring Pets Inside Window & Door Stickers
It’s possible you won’t be home when disaster strikes, so keep your pets safe by displaying these emergency stickers in your windows or doors. This sticker tells emergency response teams that pets are present and might need saving.Alexis Dent
Alexis is an essayist and poet whose debut collection, Everything I Left Behind, is available now. She also puts her skills as a wordsmith to use writing custom wedding vows for couples through her lifestyle business, XO Juliet.