I didn't have spare cash in my kits and that is important considering in a major disaster ATM machines won't be working. You don't want to only have a 100 dollar bill when all you need to buy is a bottle of water or some other supply. Something else that is great to add to your home kit is a makeshift toilet! Hardware stores sell them--a plastic tub, like the jumbo detergent soap tubs, but it comes with a "toilet" lid. Just line it with two hefty trash bags, and make sure you have some T-P and wet wipes and you are good to "go".
Now for your car kit, here's a great discovery--a fold up blanket made of Mylar and can fit in your backpack easily because it folds down to the size of a sandwich! Plus you want to get some of those glow in the dark sticks popular around Halloween time! They last for 12 hours and in some cases may work better than a flashlight--no batteries needed. Check out the website www.readyamerica.com or www. redcross.org for these supplies.
So here's my list for my Home Disaster Preparedness kit:
1-Bottled Water for 3-5 Days
2-Food - (peanut butter, tuna, canned fruit, protein bars) Think high in protein and carbs ( forget the diet, this is a disaster at this point right?)low in salt given you'll just get thirstier.
3-Clothing - Tennis shoes or boots, sweatpants, t-shirt and sweatshirt
4-Bedding- Blanket, sleeping bag,
5-First Aid Kit-
6-Your important prescriptions along with: pain reliever, anti-diarrhea, Pepto-Bismal, vitamins. Glasses/contact lenses and solution.
7-Battery Operated Radio, and TV too
8-Flashlight and spare batteries.
9-Food and Supplies for children
10-Pet food and supplies along with leashes.
11-Monopoly, playing cards
12-Toiletries, including sunscreen
13- Map of the area
14-Pencils and pens
15-Can opener, and Swiss army knife
16-Copies of important id documents from bank account to insurance policy, driver's license in a portable WATER proof container.Make sure you have a Home Inventory of your possessions! Check out my friends at www.cyarightnow.com
Be sure to listen to archives of my show Home Wizards devoted to Home Safety Preparedness. Just cut and paste this link into your browser!
http://homewizards.tv/archive_view.asp?id=172
What's in your kit? Would love to hear so we can learn from each other!
-Cindy
