For your emergency kit, the basics listed in Month 1 (December) and first aid will get you pretty far, but extras like tools, some money and important documents and information will make life-under-stress much easier. Attached is the complete emergency kit list: the basics, first aid, and “extras” like tools, diapers, medications, and useful gadgets. Use your discretion as to what items are absolutely necessary (and what items you would be willing to carry) for your kit.
The extended list suggests you’ll want a little money: some cash in small bills and some quarters would be most useful. Consider carrying enough to completely fill your car’s gas tank and buy a meal for your family, and possibly enough for a hotel stay –perhaps around $200. This may require saving for several months. For example, you could withdraw $5 cash every time you use your debit card at the grocery store, as long as you remember to put it in your emergency kit! $200 can seem like a lot, but having cash on hand in an emergency could be a lifesaver, literally.
Documents that would be useful would be copies of titles, deeds, wills, bank account info (this is listed on a check too), birth certificates, government IDs, power of attorney documents, etc. These should all be photocopies, and they should be in a large plastic, watertight bag along with the cash.
This month you will go to cannery and pick up 2 months worth of food storage from the cannery. (If it seems a bit overwhelming to collect emergency gear and visit the cannery, there’s built-in wiggle room next month to finish collecting emergency gear). Use your $11 this month toward the cannery trip. You are ½ of the way toward your goal of having a year supply of food!
*Round out the kit with any desired extras: tools, money, documents, etc.
*Visit the cannery and get 2 months' worth of food storage.
*Save $11 per person for your year’s food storage supply(use this trip)
*For 3-month storage: Buy 1 week of 3-month-type food this month.
See“Full Emergency Kit” under Emergency Preparedness on the Document Website .
