A 72 Kit, Bug Out Bag, Escape Bag, whatever you call it, you should have one handy. I first heard about 72 kits when I was a little girl. My mom came home from a woman's auxiliary meeting with wonderful ideas about how to get her whole family prepared. That week we worked together as a family and made bags up for each of us. Those bags were great, but were definitely a far cry from what I've got now.
Why have a 72 hour kit? As our government says "After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for at least 72 hours. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency."
This does a good job summing it up. For me, I have a kit because if and when the world gets turned upside down, I want to be ready.
Here's a beginning list of whats in my bag. You'll see that it's pretty comprehensive, however I have added some other things geared specific towards me. Use this list as a starting guide for your own bag, and then use the extra lines under each category to add other items that you specifically will need.
I'll go through each category with you and explain some other aspects that might come in handy. To start....
Tips to Remember: Use a backpack! I've seen people put their stuff in to a 5 gallon bucket. There's no way I want to carry that bucket around if I have to get out quickly. I'd much rather throw a bag on my back and take off.
Rotate your perishable kit items every 6
months. I prefer to pull out my kit in between the two Saturday sessions during the LDS General Conference every April and October. This is a perfect time to check expiration dates on the items, as well as swap out the clothing. (Side story....back in college I put together a new 72 kit. I then proceeded to not use the kit or even open it for almost 10 years. When I did open it, it was full of surprises. Rotted food, expired medicine, and even rotted clothing. Don't be like me in college. Check your bags bi-annually.)
Get your entire family involved in the process so
that they know what the kits are for and how to use them; Include a checklist
with each kit so that you know exactly what each kit contains; And finally,
when your kit is done, stuff any empty spaces with extra food (you will need
all the energy you can get in an emergency situation).
Food & Water
You need a 3-day supply of food and water per person. Use items that require no
refrigeration and no/minimal amounts of cooking (be sure to have cooking
equipment in your kit if the food requires it). Keep energy and nutrition in
mind since you’re going to need BOTH to get through an emergency. I love having my Thrive Life Snackie bags in my pack. Cheese, fruits, and sweets are always tasty. https://www.thrivelife.com/rebeccar
Other tips I've learned; don't put canned food in your pack. Having to carry around a can opener is no fun, especially when it rusts out and you can't open your food then. Also, I've seen people put candies such as jolly ranchers or even m&m's in their bags. Great idea in theory, however, they melt and then you've got sticky goop all over your things. Sure you're going to want some sweets when you're stressed, so get some candy or dried fruits that are designed for heat and freezing.
Personal Documents & Money
You'll see on the list that I recommend having $500 in cash in your bag. Why would you want to carry around so much money? Simple, when you're in a situation where you're needing your 72 Kit, it's highly likely that power is going to be out. This makes credit cards obsolete, as well as banking on your phone/laptop, using an ATM, or using paypal. You're going to want cash on hand to get things that you need. I also suggest having much of that $500 in small denominations such as $1, $5 and $10 dollar bills. If you're stuck someplace and really need water there might be someone who wants to sell you that bottle. However, if you've only got a $20, they're probably not going to make change for you. Would you rather pay $1 or $20 for a bottle of water?
On the list it states "Legal Documents". I have hard copies of all of these documents, printed out and ready to go in my bag. I also have electronic copies on an external hard drive as well as a thumb drive. The thumb drive has documents on it, and I can put this around my neck when I need to. The thumb drive has so much more than just the documents. It also has thousands of pictures as well as any other items I want to save and have remembered. Every 6 months I update the pictures and documents on both memory devices.
Fuel & Light
Use the list, and add whatever else you might like.
Personal Supplies & Medication
Toilet Paper, Toilet Paper, Toilet Paper!!! There's no way I want to use a leaf out in the wild, so you'd better believe I've got toilet paper in my bag. Take a look at the list and you'll see many things that you'll definitely want out in an emergency situation. Be sure to update your bag bi-annually so you have the correct medication you need, as well as products that aren't expired.
Bedding & Clothing
You're going to want to be comfortable and efficient at the same time. Changing out the clothes every 6 months helps you to keep clean clothes in the bag, as well as ones that are seasonally appropriate. In october I put extra winter layers in my bag, and then in the spring I make sure I've got loose clothing that can breath and be layered for warmth if needed.
I keep a 72 hour kit in my car that has a pair of sneakers in it. This came in handy a few years ago when my car broke down after work and I had to walk quite a distance to the next oasis. Walking in high heels which I normally wear at work would have been a disaster. Thank goodness for those sneakers.
Equipment & Miscellaneous
These items are suggestions that can be taken or left. It's up to you. Some I think would be necessary, such as waste disposal equipment and a shovel, but the others depend on your needs and wants. Take a look and add to this list. Make your bag fit you.
You'd be surprised how much stuff you can fit into a backpack. Use your space wisely, but be sure to get everything "You Need" in there.
So tell me, what items on the list am I missing? What's your go to item that you have in your bag?
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