A UK government campaign for emergency preparation includes advice on a kit including nine items that households might need in various kinds of disasters. The emergency kit, along with other pieces of advice for emergency preparation, was put together so households can be ready for a number of events, such as extreme weather, conflicts, or infrastructure failure. Brits should have emergency plans in place, and it’s useful to have these kits ready to go at any time.
“Consider what supplies you and your household might need during an emergency lasting a few days, such as a power cut or water outage, or situations where you are advised to stay at home or to leave your home (evacuate) for safety reasons,” the official advice reads. These kits should be located in a place where they’re easy to find, especially if the power goes out and you don’t have lights on in your home. “You should ensure you have enough of the medication you need to keep you going for several days,” the official advice adds.
As part of the emergency prep advice, the government lists the following nine items to pack in an emergency kit or ‘grab bag’.
- Battery-powered or wind-up torch
- Portable power bank
- Battery or wind-up radio
- Spare batteries
- First aid kit
- Hand sanitiser and wet wipes
- Bottles water
- Non-perishable foods
- Baby supplies
A portable power bank is important for charging your phone, while a radio is useful in emergency situations for getting official updates during a power cut.
Meanwhile, your first aid kit should include items such as waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings and gloves, medical tape for dressings, and tweezers.
When it comes to bottled water, it is advised to have a minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day, as recommended by the World Health Organisation. However, 10 litres per person per day will make you more comfortable, as it can also be used for cooking and hygiene needs.
Non-perishable foods should be foods that don’t need to be cooked. This includes ready-to-eat tinned meat, fruit or vegetables. As such, a can opener would also be useful.
You also shouldn’t forget food for pets. When it comes to babies, ready-made or ready-to-feed formula is best, as you might be in a situation where you can’t boil water or sterilise bottles.
The official advice states: “Rather than buying all the items at once, you could just add to your emergency kit when you are able and build it up over time.”