Emergency Preparedness Packing Tips

With our idyllic whether, pristine beaches, and iconic scenery, you wouldn't consider Californians face many potential emergencies. Unfortunately, one of the facts of life while living in California is the danger of wildfires. Currently, many of our communities have been affected by devastating fires. We also face other natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and flooding. If you only had 15 minutes to pack up your family and go, would you be ready?

During this fire season, we urge you take the time to prepare for an evacuation ahead of time. An often overlooked step in your preparation plans is packing an emergency supply kit.

Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

1. Bottled Water – The general rule of thumb is one gallon of water per person, for a minimum three-day supply.
2. Food – A three-day supply per person of packaged, dried, and canned food.
3. Flashlight – Consider a newer, brighter LED flashlight or two for your kit.
4. Portable Radios – A battery powered or hand crank radio, and a NOAA Weather Radio are recommended.
5. First Aid Kit – Pack a separate, well stocked first aid kit. Don’t forget about any prescription medications you’ll need.
6. Batteries – Keep plenty of extra batteries to power your flashlight and radios.
7. Manual Can Opener – If you’ve packed canned foods, you’ll need a can opener.
8. Personal Sanitation Supplies – Don’t forget garbage bags, soap, and moist towelettes for staying clean.

Also keep in mind any other special items you may need for infants, elderly, and disabled family members.

Your emergency supply kit should be kept in a readily accessible area. If you live in a fire prone area, it is recommended to pack your kit in your vehicle as soon as fire approaches, so that you are ready to go immediately.

At A-1 Self Storage, we provide helpful resources for our community, both inside and outside of self storage. More information can be found at the American Red Cross or FEMA Ready websites. We hope that you never need to use your supply kit, but being prepared will help you through any emergency.