What To Look For When Buying A Disaster Kit

Disaster preparedness is one area of your life where it's simply not smart to make decisions based on price alone. Good values can be had, but it's the contents and quality of your disaster supplies that make them worth your money. Knowing what to look for in a disaster kit will help you make smarter decisions and avoid the risk of being left without crucial supplies in an emergency:

Versatility and Portability

Planning for a natural disaster that hasn't happened yet means planning for all contingencies. As a result, any disaster supply kit you purchase needs to be able to address as many scenarios as possible. This starts with protecting the contents, and is best done with a sturdy, air tight container:

Five gallon paint buckets work well for this, as they can be easily sealed and can perform multiple functions during an emergency.

Avoid buying disaster supply kits that are too bulky for an adult to easily carry or which are too large to easily store for long periods. There's no way of knowing just what kind of emergency you'll face, or when it will happen, so make sure that any kit you buy offers room for your own items too.

For example, a few small items of clothing can make a huge difference in a disaster scenario, even if that's limited to just dry socks during a flood.

Longevity and Safety

With no way to know how long a kit will be stored, focus on those that either have no food items, or that only contain food intended for long-term storage. One example is dehydrated, or freeze-dried, food items like those found in military-grade meal kits. These are often purchased by emergency kit producers because they're pasteurized, sealed and designed to be stored for a very long time.

If there are items that can lose their effectiveness over time, make sure you know what they are and what their shelf-life is. This can include batteries, first-aid supplies and hygiene products in addition to any food in the kit. Make sure that the use-by date for any such items is clearly communicated so you can track it without having to frequently open any packaging or break any seals.

Disaster preparedness can make all the difference for you and your family during an emergency. The more broad your plans are for an emergency situation, the better prepared you'll be for the unexpected. For more help, contact a company that can help you look for disaster survival kits for sale.