jeepers4559's Blog

This morning there was a report about ready made earthquake supply kits that I wanted to add a few comments on...

If you have everything in one place, all in one kit, it's a fabulous idea.  However, you really need to know what you need first, before you buy one of those things.  How many people are in your family?  One? Two? How many kids?  The reason being is that you need to know how many food bars you need and how much water to store.  The food bars come in several caloric levels, for adults versus children. 

And both of those things have expiration dates.  I can't speak for other companies, but I do know that the bars manufactured by the coast guard last about five years. The water packets will expire as well.  Batteries don't last forever.   Meaning that you can't just toss this bag into a closet and forget about it for ten years, thinking that you're covered.  You have to remember to check your supplies, rotate out things that have expired and replace them with fresh ones.  Which, btw, you can buy individually from many different sites...you don't have to just buy whole new kits; just replace the pieces that expire.  I would tell people at that point to google the things and find the best prices.  Also know to check the dates when you first buy the big kit.  Return anything that has crappy dates. Means that kit has been sitting on a shelf for too long.  And they're not doing you any favours if you buy something that should be able to sit for five years, but those dates say that you've only got a year.  That is a ripoff.

And yes you can make these kits yourself, but you have to educate yourself as to how to do this properly.  Like if youi're going to store large quantities of water, they have to be stored in food grade plastic containers, and be OFF of surfaces like concrete (or you could have chemical leeching or leaking)...Even first aid supplies like antibiotic ointment and plastic tape will degrade over a long time period ...(Rotate those with your normal household first aid supplies.) 

 Easy to buy the kit, just remember to rotate things occasionally.  You know how they say that daylight savings time is a time to change your smoke alarm batteries?  Well, for me, I use the international news to remind me to check my earthquake supplies.   There was just a huge earthquake in China.  Time to check my stuff...Takes a few minutes, might add a couple of items to my grocery list,  or order something, and there you go...