Last Week of 72-hour Kits

It is officially the last week to get our 72-hour kits finished! This last week is really just a miscellaneous/finalizing week - it's the time to get the last few items that you need for your personal 72-hour kits. Some of these items might include:

• Tarp or Tent
• If you end up either having to spend the night outside or if your roof is leaking, it's always good to have something to keep water and other elements off of you. Wal-Mart has an all purpose tarp that is 6' by 8' for $6.00, and you can also get a two-person tube tent that's already packaged pretty small for only $7.00.
• 
• Book of Mormon (pocket size)
• You don't actually need the pocket size, but it's really nice to have if you're worried about space (though the soft-cover regular sized Book of Mormon is really not that big either). A Book of Mormon may not seem like the most necessary item in a 72-hour kit, but I can't imagine a more comforting book during a time of emergency. Emergency preparedness is not just for physical/temporal needs - we also need to be spiritually prepared for the future, and keeping a Book of Mormon can really help our spirits in a time of need. At store.lds.org you can order a pocket size Book of Mormon for only $4.00, and lds.org always provides free shipping.
• 
• Whistle
• A whistle or some other type of noise maker can come in handy when trying to keep track of family members and their safety. It is good to have some type of alerting noise each member can make in case they find themselves in trouble. A whistle can be extremely cheap, and it does not have to be very high quality - it just needs to make noise. Some whistles, however, can also have a small compass, mirror, flint, or waterproof container connected to it - there is one of these multi-purpose whistles at Wal-Mart for $4.00
• 
• Notebook and pen/pencil
• This is not a necessity, but more of an option. Having something to write down your thoughts, draw out a map, or write down important information can be very beneficial. Also, it can be good for children and adults to have something to calm the mind, even if it's just drawing pictures or playing simple games.
• Deck of Cards/Sudoku/Crossword Puzzles/small game
• Along the lines of a notebook, it is always good to have something small that is just for calming the mind of both adults and children. Emergency situations can be very stressful, and having something that can distract you for even just a few minutes can really help keep a calm head.
• 

Do you have any other ideas of miscellaneous items that would be good to have in a 72-hour kit? If so, please comment and let us all know!

Light and Power

Flashlights

• Battery powered LED Flashlight - LED flashlights have better battery life, are usually smaller and brighter, and can be cheaper depending on when and where you get them. At Walmart you can get small LED flashlights that run off of 3 AAA batteries for around $2. 
• Hand Crank - These flashlights are powered by a built in crank that you turn to generate the power. They are generally more expensive, but they do not require batteries, which may be more convenient for some people. 
• Headlamp - head-mounted flashlight. This could be convenient if you foresee that you would need light while also needing both hands free. 

Batteries

• We''re not talking about that extra pair for the TV remote. Make sure you have storage of every type of battery that your battery-powered objects use: If your flashlight takes D batteries and you only store AA batteries, then you'll be out of luck. Batteries are sometimes even more expensive than the flashlights themselves. This is the most expensive portion of the next two weeks, so plan accordingly. 

Glow Sticks

• 12-hour emergency glow sticks are good for kids or if you don't need a source of bright light. You can also get the dollar store ones, but they won't last as long and are more susceptible to unintentional breaking. 

Candles and Lighter/Matches

• The go-to source of light when no power is unavailable: fire. It would probably be a good idea to store matches or a lighter whether or not you have candles, but if you are relying on candles for light it would obviously be a necessity. If you use matches, be sure to get waterproof ones in case they get wet. 

Other Ideas

• If you have solar-powered walkway lights outside your house, those can also be brought inside at night and used as a light source. While not a source of bright light, they can be helpful if you already have them. 

If you have any other ideas for light or power, please share!

72-Hour Kit Sanitation Supplies

For this next week we will be focusing on obtaining our sanitation supplies for the 72-hour kits. You could consider some of these things as medical supplies,  but we thought we'd give you some extra time to get these last items. Some ideas include:

• Hand sanitizer
• Your hands can get extremely filthy in a natural disaster, and you don't want to eat or drink with the chance of ingesting all those germs. You can buy the small travel-sized hand sanitizers at Walmart or the dollar store for a very small price.
• Wash wipes
• Similar to your need for hand sanitizer, but some type of wash wipes can clean the face or other parts of the body too.
•  Shampoo and Soap
• Depending on the emergency situation, you may have the time and water to clean yourself, but it is much better if you can use soap and shampoo also. The travel sizes work well as they are cheap and small. 
• Toilet Paper
• Bathrooms may or may not be available in emergencies, and it's always nice to have some backup. It's a really good idea to unroll part of a roll and refold it and put it in a Ziploc bag. That way it takes up less space and is water proof.
• Feminine products
• Unfortunately, women can't guarantee that an emergency won't happen at that time of the month. You probably don't need brand names for emergency situations, and Walmart sells the off brands for pretty cheap.You may even want to see if you can find some at the dollar store.
•  Alcohol swabs/wipes
• I understand these were also in the medical supplies section, but I added it again just to reiterate the importance of having something to clean out cuts or to disinfect. 

Do any of you have good ideas for sanitation supplies? If so, please share!