Have You Refreshed Your Kit?

Do you have a first aid kit? A car kit? An earthquake/hurricane/blizzard kit?

When is the last time you inspected it?

An emergency kit is useless if it’s not there when you need it. So you should inspect each of your kits at least once a year. You need to make sure everything is in working order.

I set an appointment in my electronic calendar for January 1 to inspect all my kits. But one thing pushes another and I usually don’t get to it until February. That was the case this year. So I hope this post reminds you to tend to your emergency kits so they will be ready if you need them.

Be Prepared…

– Robert Baden-Powell (founder of the Scout Movement and first Chief Scout of The Boy Scouts Association)

Here are common kits that people have:

First Aid Kit – Supplies and equipment for giving first aid to sick and injured people. I always carry one with me whenever I hike. I have a larger one that I carry when leading group/overnight trips.

Car Kit – Water, food, supplies, and equipment kept in your car (usually in the trunk). If your vehicle breaks down or becomes stuck in the middle of nowhere, this kit will keep you warm and hydrated until help arrives.

Earthquake/Hurricane/Blizzard Kit – Keep this kit in your home to deal with natural disasters when services like water and electricity shut down. Assume you will be unable to leave the house. People usually store the kit in a cabinet or pantry. A good disaster kit contains water, food, supplies, and extra medicine. Your kit should keep you warm, hydrated and provide shelter for at least 1 week. Government agencies suggest a minimum of 72 hours worth of supplies, but plan for much longer.

Get Home Bag – This portable kit has everything required to get home from work if the roads are closed and there is no public transportation. People usually store it at their place of employment.

Bug Out Bag – This portable kit contains everything you would need to evacuate from your home during an emergency.

Ditch Kit — If you operate a boat, a ditch kit contains everything you need to survive after you abandon ship. If you pilot an airplane, the kit should keep you alive after a crash landing in a remote location until rescue arrives.

Personal Survival Kit (PSK) – This small kit is worn on the body while you are in the wilderness. If you are ever separated from your backpack, it provides a small number or resources to fall back on.

Refresh Periodically

My first aid kit replacements for this year’s refresh

Here is a checklist of perishable items you should inspect periodically. Some of the links below are affiliate links.

This emergency bandage (a.k.a. Israeli Bandage) expires in July of 2018.

Water

Inspect water in sterilized bags and cycle containers of tap-water with bleach every 6 months. (Car Kit, Earthquake/Hurricane/Blizzard Kit, Get Home Bag, Bug Out Bag, Ditch Kit)

Individual refills are expensive. So I purchase medicine at the pharmacy and repackage them for my first aid kits. Always include the name of the medicine, expiration date, and dosage on the label.

Food

Cycle your food in cans. Inspect dehydrated food and “emergency bars”. If you store the food in a hot location, consider replacing it before the expiration date. (Car kit, Earthquake/Hurricane/Blizzard Kit, Get Home Bag, Bug Out Bag, Ditch Kit)

Medicines

Replace medicines in first aid kits and life-sustaining medicines in other kits when they reach their expiration dates. (First Aid Kit, Car kit, Earthquake/Hurricane/Blizzard Kit, Get Home Bag, Bug Out Bag, Ditch Kit, PSK)

Bandages

Sterile bandages have an expiration date. I replace gauze pads, Quikclot pads, and Israeli Bandages when they expire. (First Aid Kit, Car kit, Get Home Bag, Bug Out Bag, Ditch Kit)

Batteries

Batteries power flashlights, AM/FM radios, and other devices. Batteries can be “hidden” in emergency signaling devices like a PLB or a SPOT. (Car kit, Earthquake/Hurricane/Blizzard Kit, Get Home Bag, Bug Out Bag, Ditch Kit)

I keep medicines in their blister packs. I write the expiration date and dosage if it is not already on the package.

I keep medicines in their blister packs. I write the expiration date and dosage if not already on the package.

Water treatment

Iodine tablets and chlorine dioxide tablets expire. Check carefully and replace if the packaging is compromised or when they reach their expiration date. (First Aid Kit, Car kit, Earthquake/Hurricane/Blizzard Kit, Get Home Bag, Bug Out Bag, Ditch Kit, PSK)

Glow sticks

Glow sticks have an expiration date. I find they usually work fine after this date. But it is worth replacing them to be sure they work when you need them. (Car kit, Earthquake/Hurricane/Blizzard Kit, Get Home Bag, Bug Out Bag, Ditch Kit)

Canned food should be cycled annually.

Is anything leaking? Anything rusted? Anything degraded by heat? Worn by friction?

Inspect the condition of all your equipment and replace/repair anything that has suffered damage while sitting in the kit. (all kits)

Money

If you keep money in any of your kits, check to make sure it is still there and in good condition. (Car kit, Earthquake/Hurricane/Blizzard Kit, Get Home Bag, Bug Out Bag, Ditch Kit)

This maintenance takes little time to complete. So do it today and your kit will be there when you need it most.