Living in the south means lots of great, tummy-satisfying foods. It also means that springtime brings flowers, green grass, and rough storms, sometimes including tornadoes. We know here to have some emergency supplies in place in case we have power outages or there are trees or power lines knocked down and on the roads.

There are several things I keep on hand to make sure that if the power goes out or I can’t leave home for a day or two, I can still survive just fine.

  • Bottled water. We are on a rural community water system with a backup generator. However, a couple of years ago a tornado cracked the water tower and we needed safe water to drink until it was fixed.
  • Canned foods. Having canned meats, fruits, and vegetables on hand will ensure we can eat and have nutrition needs met.
  • Lamp oil. If the power goes out, we’ll use our kerosene lamps for supplemental lighting at night.
  • Rechargeable flashlight. Having a rechargeable flashlight charged up and ready to use is great. Rechargeable batteries tend to last longer than conventional, disposable batteries.
  • Solar lights. I have two kinds of solar lights ready to use - driveway lights, which are rather dim but will light the way down the hall, and solar spotlights, which are brighter and can be pointed at certain areas for pretty good lighting.
  • Prescriptions and OTC medications. I like to be sure my prescriptions are filled and I have enough OTC medications to take care of us if we get sick before we can get back to town.
  • Well stocked first aid kit. You can’t deal with injuries without it!

What other items would you add to the list?

Technorati Tags: