Essential Survival Gear: 72 Hour Kits

Facing The Facts: The last decades have demonstrated that catastrophic events can happen without warning, and throw our comfortable existence into a tailspin.  When a disaster or emergency occurs, generally the first 72 hours afterwards are fairly chaotic, and depending on the nature of the emergency, you can find yourself set adrift from support services.  While there have always been disasters to contend with, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 threw a new element into how we view the world, and while there may be little or nothing we can do to prevent emergencies from occurring, we can all prepare for them so that we and our families will be more likely to survive.

Although a 72 hour kit, for three days, does not seem like a very long time, imagine having to go without water or food for those three days.  Could you or your family survive without shelter when the temperature is cold?  Minor injuries, as well as more traumatic ones, are common during a disaster, and you should ask yourself how well you would be able to cope.  Would you know how to help someone suffering from shock, or even be able to treat a sprained ankle?  Taking the time and effort to plan and prepare for an emergency will make it much more likely that when the dust clears you and your family will all be standing.  Hiding your head in the sand like an ostrich will not help you survive in a difficult situation; it will only leave you more vulnerable. Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.O.O.D._Kit