In an emergency, a 72-hour kit can help you survive until disaster relief teams mobilize. It can be hard to know where to start, but preparing a 72-hour kit is easier than you think.
When considering how to prepare, plan your kit around the Survival Rule of Threes. The Rule of Threes says people can survive:
- Three hours without protection (Shelter);
- Three days without water (Hydration);
- Three weeks without food (Nutrition).
First Priority – Shelter
Shelter is the first priority when you find yourself in a survival situation and is really about protecting the body from any conditions that would weaken its defenses or negatively affect its temperature.
- Environmental Protection – This is all about how you mediate the physical conditions you are dealing with during the emergency. In cold, damp weather it means having appropriate protective covering to maintain body temperature, while in heat it means shade and protection from the effects of sun exposure. Your 72-hour kit should include some if not all of the following:
- solar blanket or sleeping bag
- jacket, gloves, hat, rain poncho
- tarp and/or tent
- fire starting equipment such as a lighter, waterproof matches or magnesium fire stick with water-protected kindling
- high-SPF sun block
- First Aid Kit – A basic first aid kit is a must-have item, but knowing how to administer first aid is just as crucial to survival. It’s a good idea to get first aid training at the Red Cross or another trustworthy venue.
Second Priority – Hydration
Proper water consumption is closely tied to maintaining your body temperature. The rule of thumb is one gallon per adult per day for consumption and hygiene, which means 25 lbs. of water each if you carry the full 3 days. The amount needed increases during the warm season. Beside the weight, that’s a lot of bulk to carry, so if sources of water are readily available, you should have appropriate gathering and purification equipment as part of the kit. During a disaster, assume all water needs to be treated. A lever action pump with a 0.2 micron filter and purification tablets are an excellent combination.
Third Priority – Nutrition
While most of us could survive without food for three days, it would be very challenging physically and emotionally. Since refrigerated foods will spoil, ready-to-eat food such as energy bars, dried fruit, nuts and jerky can provide some of the required nutrition in your kit. These foods can get monotonous though, so it’s important to have some familiar “comfort foods” as well. There are terrific dehydrated and freeze dried foods with long shelf lives on the market, including entrees and even desserts like ice cream! It is best not to try new foods in this stressful situation, so a trial run of your portable meals is recommended.
EXTRAS
Besides the minimum items required for survival, you’ll want to have items of personal hygiene like toilet paper, wipes, paper towels, hand sanitizer, waste disposal bags with ties and/or a camp shovel for digging a latrine. If you have a baby, don’t forget an infant’s hygiene needs in your kit. You’ll also need a knife and/or multitool such as a Leatherman. It’s always useful to have a personal light source, and headlamps are a great way to keep your hands free. Make sure you have fresh batteries by rotating them annually. A light source for all to gather around in the evening can be very comforting, so a wax or fuel candle is also a good idea. While you can’t take everything, you can customize your kit to your family’s needs.
It can become a fun and bonding family experience to have practice “emergency” camping trips using only what’s in your 72-hour kits. This is a great way to determine what you need to add, replace or adjust in quantity. It will also physically and mentally prepare your family so they gain the confidence necessary to face and survive the challenges of a real emergency.