Natural or manmade disasters can occur!
What are the basics for you to survive without electricity, water service, heat, cooling, or sewage disposal for seven days in your home?
If you have your Bug Out Bag stocked and ready to go and have a 72 hour In-Home Survival Box prepared, along with a Get Home Bag in your vehicle you are almost there!
Now it is up to you to decide how comfortable you (and your family) want to be for a week without power.
Here’s what you need to add to the 72 Hour Box for In-Home Survival:
- Toilet paper—at least two rolls per person.
- Additional water—at least one gallon per person per day.
- More paper plates, plastic utensils and paper towels.
- Four more days of canned and/or non-perishable foods. Your BOB and Get Home Bag probably only contain energy bars.
- More sturdy garbage bags for sanitation.
- Another roll of heavy duty aluminum foil.
- More replacement batteries for radio, flashlight and lantern.
- A box of baby wipes for sponge baths.
- Baby powder for a dry hair wash and general freshener.
- One reusable emergency blanket per person if in a climate that gets below freezing.
Comfortable Self-Reliance for One Week
- A portable heater with enough fuel for a week. Be sure to have a working carbon monoxide detector.
- An extra bottle of propane for your grill for three seasons of cooking outside. A camp stove with extra fuel for inside cooking.
- Add comfort food to your supplies—chocolate, popcorn, mac and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, marshmallows… Whatever will store well and taste good to you and your family. A good quality manual can opener.
- A popup tent for “camping” in your living room or outside if the weather is nice.
- A plastic, passive solar camp shower.
- Two coolers in case you can access ice to keep your refrigerated goods from spoiling and dry ice to keep your frozen foods from spoiling. If not, have a block party!
- More flashlights and lanterns.
- Decks of cards and games.
- Some wine or spirits to relax with.
Thriving Off-Grid for One Week
- If you have a natural gas furnace, a natural gas garage heater mounted in the basement or upstairs – will it work without electricity? Heat rises and there will a comfortable area near the heater—these usually cost less than $300 installed. Be sure to have a working carbon monoxide detector.
- Upgrade to a gas range and you will have burners, and, check before you buy, an oven to back in or use as an extra space heater.
- A generator of at least 3500 watts
So it is your choice! Survive, be comfortable, or thrive and potentially be able to help others during a disaster!