How to make your own 72 hour Emergency Hygiene Kit
FAIRFACE PODCAST SHOW NOTES
Hello my friends! Welcome back to another episode of the Fairface Podcast. I'm so glad to be back with you today. I hope you are doing well.
Today I want to talk to you about something really important. How to make your own 72 hour Emergency Hygiene Kit, what other emergency essentials you should consider storing, and why it's so vitally important that each of us take the time to do this.
As we have all learned from 2020 and beyond, it is of the utmost importance to be prepared for unforeseen emergencies. By having a plan in place and extra supplies on hand you can have the peace of mind knowing you will have what you need to get by temporarily, until the situation improves. And that's definitely what we want for ourselves and our families.
My Experience with Emergency Preparedness
I grew up with Emergency Preparedness being a part of my life. My parents reviewed the family emergency plan with us every year (like to put an extra pair of slip-on shoes under your bed, how to shut off the gas in case of a leak, what to do if there was a house fire, and which out-of-state family member to call in case we were separated in a natural disaster).
They had extra food and water stored, and other extra supplies like toilet paper, kleenex, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, paper plates and plastic utensils.
They also had other emergency necessities like flashlights, batteries, lanterns, a generator, extra wood for our fireplace, and that sort of thing, - all things that would allow us to be as comfortable as we could be during an emergency situation like a power outage from a wind or snow storm, or even an earthquake.
So I grew up feeling a sense of safety and security thanks to the planning and execution of my parents and the extras they had stored, so I knew we would be ok.
In my own home now as an adult, we have also planned for extras, that can help us in the same way.
And who knew our world was going to be completely shut down around March 2020? We couldn't possibly have known that, but luckily because we had planned along the way for emergencies, we had what we needed to get by which was a comfort and sense of security to me.
I'm not talking about *hoarding* extras.
There's a big difference between having a few extras on hand versus taking so much that no one else has any.
The whole toilet paper hoarding thing last year (and even here right now at Costco) was not a good look for our society. Certain people were taking so much, out of fear that they wouldn't have enough, that it left others without any at all.
So when I say to have extras on hand, I definitely don't mean hoarding.
What I do mean, is to keep in mind things you eat and use on a regular basis, and have a few extras. As you use one, (like a container of face wash or a can of corn) buy another to replace it, so you always have a few extra on hand and can rotate them to use them by the best by date.
So I hope that makes sense.
What types of emergencies should we prepare for?
There are any number of things that could happen in life, that's just the truth. You could need extras on hand because you lost a job and won't have income for a while and may need to rely on those extras you had bought for a rainy day.
Or there are pandemics or natural disasters, where we find ourselves under unusual, uncertain and emergency circumstances where those extra items are much more vital to our health and survival.
Depending on where you live, you may be exposed to certain types of threats over another area. For example, we get a lot of wind and rain storms here in Seattle - especially in the fall and winter, that cause power outages. And the last few years, we've had some big snow apocalypse events that have also knocked our power out for days.
We have minor earthquakes here on occasion and know we are due for a big earthquake and I always have that in the back of my mind for our emergency planning.
Maybe your area is more prone to tornadoes or more frequent earthquakes, or flooding. So your planning might look a little different than mine, but for the most part, there are common emergency supplies that are useful no matter what the disaster or circumstance.
The 3 general emergency scenarios to plan for are:
1. You are stuck at home
Whether that's something like a quarantine, or maybe there was a storm and roadways are blocked, and you may or may not have power, water, and gas but you are at home.
2. You have to leave your home quickly
Fire, flooding, earthquake and the house is no longer stable - preppers often call emergency storage for this type of situation, a Bug Out Bag or a Go Bag
3. You are away from home, or in your car, and you aren't able to get back home.
Maybe you were at work, and the roadways are now blocked, or your car ran out of gas late at night...there are many different scenarios - preppers call emergency storage for this type of situation, having a Get Home Bag that you keep in the car.
So in any of these 3 scenarios, you want to have on hand the things that will help keep you alive, keep you safe and as comfortable as possible for a temporary amount of time.
The 3 general time frames to plan for are having enough supplies, food and water for:
1. Up to 72 hours
2. 2 weeks
3. A month or longer
Focus first on making your own Emergency Hygiene Kit
Since the subject of Emergency Preparedness is enormous, we'll start small and focus today, primarily on what types of things you might need for your Emergency Hygiene Kit if you were in any of those 3 scenarios for up to 72 hours (or 3 days).
It can be a little overwhelming to try to dream up all the different scenarios you might encounter, and honestly, try not to make yourself crazy, just put something together to help you feel a little more secure and a little more prepared.
For example, imagine you had to leave your home quickly and had to go to an emergency shelter like a school gym. Wouldn't you be glad you had an extra pair of clothes and a toothbrush? Wouldn't you be even more glad if you also had a few snacks and a bottle of water to tide you over?
I haven't personally been in a situation like that, but I know there are many people who have.
So when you think about your own personal emergency hygiene kit, what comes to mind for you?
I have done a lot of research on different necessities and am going to focus on helping you create your own 72 hour Emergency Hygiene Kit so you have these essentials while you start to build the rest of your emergency supplies.
I will share a full list of all the recommended essential emergency supplies at the end and include that in the show notes.
Ok, so let's focus on gathering supplies for your 72 hour Emergency Hygiene Kit
According to backdoorsurvival.com, Hygiene is one of the most overlooked aspects of survival.
And
"Good Hygiene is the first step in good first aid" - from the podcast, The Stuff They Don't Want You to Know
We also can't underestimate the psychological effects of being clean and as comfortable as we can be, during an emergency.
Having simple comforts during an emergency can have a huge impact on mental wellbeing. There is something about the comfort of having your own personal items that can be very therapeutic and help to lower your stress and levels of anxiety.
When we had our huge power outage last year during the huge snow storm, it was a miserable few days without light or heat, but keeping up simple routines, like being able to wash my face with my soft face cloths and favorite cleanser, and moisturizer, and put on my comfy pajamas and lots of extra layers because it was freezing, just those few regular comforts and routines, amidst all the things I couldn't control, helped me feel that much better.
I carried a lot of weird anxiety and stress over those several days - not being able to leave the house because the roads were packed with snow, being so cold all the time, not being able to work, worrying about how to charge my phone, wondering every day whether the power would come back on or not, worrying about the food spoiling in the fridge and freezer, and fearing the dark and deeper cold that nighttime would bring, - it was very uncomfortable and I felt very uneasy, so you can see how even just a few somewhat normal comforts could really make a difference.
What do you really need in your Emergency Hygiene Kit?
Here are a few things to think about as you get started:
1. Make a list of all the personal hygiene items you use most often.
I have a packing check list for vacations that I use so I don't forget anything, so for me, I would refer to that. Those include all my go-to's.
You could also think of it as planning for a camping trip. "If I were camping for 3 days and didn't have any electricity, what would I need...?"
2. Look over the Commonly Used Emergency Hygiene Kit Items list (see below)
Then add any applicable items to your list
3. Be aware of space constraints.
Your whole emergency pack including ALL 72 hour necessities (which is usually recommended as a 1st backpack or 2nd choice duffle bag) should be what you can comfortably carry by yourself. So sorry, you might not be able to bring it ALL.
4. Consider what you would really NEED and not just what you would WANT.
In an ideal world, you could bring it all with you, but in this case, you'll have to decide which products are essential and necessary for you, and which ones you would be ok to do without temporarily.
A BASIC hygiene kit might typically include items like:
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Bar Soap
- Shampoo & Body Wash
- Lotion
- Washcloth
- Comb
- Deodorant
- Kleenex
- Finger Nail Clippers
- Shaving cream
- Disposable Razors
- Tampons/Pads
Here is an EXTENDED List of Commonly Used Emergency Hygiene Kit Items
*Store items in airtight plastic bags
- Water (*I listed this first for a reason - I'll explain later)
- Toothbrush and toothbrush holder
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Mouth wash
- Soap
- face wash
- Washcloth
- Moisturizer
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Shower cap
- Deodorant
- Tampons and Pads
- Wet wipes / baby wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- compact mirror
- comb
- hair band
- lip balm
- Nail clippers
- tweezers
- Razor
- Shaving cream
- hair bands
- Hand sanitizer
- Kleenex
- Toilet Paper
- Medications (including allergies)
- cotton balls
- Q-tips
- Medications
- First Aid Kit
- Face masks
What other types of personal hygiene products do you count as essential?
When you look at the essentials list, it doesn't feel like there's a lot of room for much else does it?
Here are some
ADDITIONAL emergency personal hygiene items you also might need or consider:
- Extra contact lenses
- Contact solution
- Contact lens case
- Extra eye glasses
- make-up removers
- spf (which for me is an essential)
- make-up
- five-gallon bucket or container with a camping toilet lid
- Kitty litter to use with the bathroom bucket
- Solar shower for hot showers without electricity
- Garbage bags
- laundry soap
- Lysol wipes
No matter what scenario you're in (whether you're stuck at home, have to get out of your home quickly with your Go Bag, or stuck away from home in your car with your Get Home Bag) your essential Emergency Hygiene items can help you get you through TEMPORARILY.
Let me address the water issue...
"One thing that is often forgotten, as far as personal hygiene is concerned, is that WATER is a necessary prerequisite to personal hygiene." - Shannon Sorensen, CEO Fairface
Ready.gov recommends 1 gallon of water per person, per day, for drinking *and sanitation.
Redcross.org recommends at a minimum, 1 gallon per person, per day, specifically, a 3 day supply for evacuation, and a 2 week supply for home.
If your water supply is limited, you may need to use it for drinking and food instead of using it for hygiene. It's hard to be in a position to have to choose one over the other, especially if both are needed.
***If I can tell you anything, it's to make water storage a priority, remembering water is needed for drinking, sanitation AND for hygiene.
As a last resort you can get water from an outside source and boil it or use a bleach tablet to clean it to use for hygiene, as long as it is safe to do so and the outside source of water hasn't been contaminated with something bleach won't kill (like chemicals or other contaminants).
Where can you find items for your 72 hour Emergency Hygiene Kit?
I know it can be difficult to buy a bunch of extras due to tight finances, so I recommend being thrifty where you can be.
The way I did it, was to spent more money on the things where quality really mattered, and went cheaper on the things that didn't matter as much.
I bought a bunch of supplies at our local Dollar Store and then what I couldn't find there, I looked for at Walmart. Other items, like an emergency radio, we were able to find a good quality used one on OfferUp.
So just do your best with what you have, even if it takes you a little longer to build up your emergency storage. You can plan as small or as big as you are able to.
For longer term Emergency Personal Hygiene Storage (and other essential items) in your home
It makes it easier to have extras of your favorite products on hand because you'll have more room to store them (and not be carrying them around in a backpack).
How long you plan for beyond 72 hours, maybe it's a few weeks, to a month or beyond, is really up to you.
How many extras of your favorite products make you feel more comfortable knowing you have them in case you can't get more right away?
We all know, as with supply chain shortages during the pandemic, that in a larger scale emergency, some products may not be available where you are - either temporarily or even long term - or if they are available in limited quantities, they are suddenly very expensive or just hard to find.
So you need to ask yourself, what products can I live without? What products can I NOT live without? And maybe focus on getting a couple extras of those things that are most important to you.
I encourage you to create a list, as you make your emergency hygiene kit and gather other emergency supplies, of all the supplies you have, and check your items every 6 months and swap out items as they expire or you no longer feel you need, or add new items as needed.
So how do you feel about creating your own 72 hour Emergency Hygiene Kit?
Do you feel like you have an understanding of the basics? And can you decide what to add to the basics to personalize it to your own needs?
I hope this information has helped you think about it differently and that you'll take the time to do this.
As promised, here at the end of this episode, I'm going to post an extensive list of ALL the recommended emergency items to have on hand (beyond just hygiene kits) from the Red Cross, government websites and other emergency prepping resources. This list will be available on the blog post show notes, which will be available soon after this episode airs, on FairfaceWashcloths.blogspot.com.
This all inclusive list will include things like flashlights, heat sources, food, what important documents to make copies of, and so on, to give you an idea of what other items are important to consider storing and having extras of, to add to your 72 hour kit or to keep in your home for longer-term storage.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I have spent a lot of time researching Emergency Preparedness and still have a lot to learn, but am more than happy to share what I know. Like I said, this subject is huge, but if you begin preparing a little at a time you'll feel better and have more peace of mind.
That's all for today, good luck with your emergency prepping and I hope it gives you peace of mind to know you have a plan in place and extra supplies on hand to help you get by temporarily, until the situation improves. And that's definitely what I want for you and your family.
Thanks again so much for being here and I'll see you next time.
"Complete" list of Emergency Preparedness Essentials
("Complete" is a relative term. There are many other items you could consider in your emergency preparations, but this is my most comprehensive list pulled from the sources at the end of the post, as well as my own list)
Not in any particular order. Sorry if there are duplicates! My eyes are crossing after looking through this so many times.
- Water - one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation) [Red cross: 3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home]
- Empty water bottle or bladder to filter/fill
- Life straw or other water filtration
- Coffee filters to filter water debris
- Household liquid bleach or bleach tablets
- Food - at least a 3 day supply (72 hours) of non-perishable food / 2-week supply for home) - focus on fat and protein; some sugar, hard candy, granola bars, beef jerkey, dried fruit, canned fruit if not too heavy; longer term - freeze dried
- Manual can opener
- Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
- Baby supplies: formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream
- Pet food and extra water for your pet, collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl
- Outdoor stove and gas (white gas, propane)
- Other sources of heat? Sterno? Collapsible wood fire stove kit
- Metal stainless steel cup
- Lighters
- Dryer lint in plastic bag as tinder
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Fire extinguisher
- Emergency blanket
- Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
- Complete change of clothing (underwear, socks, shirt, pants, sturdy shoes, sweatshirt) appropriate for the season
- Rain gear
- Rain poncho
- Hot hands one use heat
- Toothbrush and toothbrush holder
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Mouth wash
- Soap
- Moisturizer
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Shower cap
- Deodorant
- Tampons
- Pads
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
- Wet wipes / baby wipes
- Lysol wipes
- Washcloth
- Compact mirror
- Comb
- Lip balm
- Nail clippers
- Tweezers
- Metal file
- Razor
- Shaving cream
- Hair bands
- Face wash
- Topical medication
- Make-up removers
- SPF
- Make-up
- Kleenex (tissue)
- Cotton balls
- Qtips (cotton swabs)
- Toilet Paper
- 5 gallon bucket or container with camping toilet lid
- Kitty litter or other organic material to use with the potty bucket
- Solar shower for hot showers without electricity
- First Aid Kit
- Face mask, dust masks, N95 or surgical masks, bandana
- Safety goggles
- Hand sanitizer
- Disposable gloves
- pocket knife
- Prescription Medications (7-day recommended)
- Non-prescription medications (pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids, allergy, laxatives)
- Medical supplies (hearing aids with extra batteries, eye glasses, contact lenses, contact case, contact solution, syringes, etc)
- Sunglasses
- Reading glasses
- Laundry soap
- Towels
- Paper towels
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio
- Two-way radios
- Flashlight(s)
- Extra batteries
- Work gloves with grippy side
- Tarp, plastic sheeting and duct tape (shelter)
- Wrench, pliers, screwdrivers, multi-tool
- Scissors
- Paracord
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers
- Backup battery for phone
- Extra cash in small bills/change
- Important documents i.e. copies of insurance policies, identification, bank account records, medication list, medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates - saved electronically on jump drive or physical copy in a waterproof, portable container
- Family and emergency contact information
- Extra set of car keys and house keys
- Paper
- Pencil
- Sharpie
- Book
- Deck of cards or other games/entertainment for kids
Sources:
https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html
https://www.ready.gov/kit
My own list from lots of research
No comments:
Post a Comment