A lot! General safety - know your safe area, basement, closet, etc. It may sound dumb but purchasing cycle helmets with a face guard can save your life. Head trauma is the #1 reason people are killed in tornados. The face guard will also help with flying debris. Keep blankets and pillows in your safe area to cover your body and protect you from flying debris. If it's big enough, a spare matress. Get a very large backpack that you can carry on your shoulders. Adapt to whatever you think you might need. Keep the bag handy to where you can grab it in a moments notice. You may want a separate bag for each person. Take into consideration you need supplies for ALL members of the family and it won't all fit in one bag. If you are hit by a tornado, you can't try to lug a large tote on wheels and it will probably be blown away. The backpack stays on your body. During tornado season: (remember they can happen in the middle of the night with no warning or you don't hear the warning until the tornado is on you!) 1. Don't sleep naked! Have a t-shirt and boxers on.
2. Have shoes by the bed. (if you have warning - put your shoes on with socks)
3. Put car keys, cell phone, glasses, wallet on the night stand in some small container that can be scooped up and dropped in the emergency bag quickly.
4. Have the emergency bag close by. Don't count on you making it to your safe place. You may have to dive to the floor and lay flat. Emergency Bag: 1. Radio - the best out there is "Eton" brand. It is self powered and you can get it at Walmart or Radio Shack. It has a weather broadcast, flashlight built in, emergency siren, alert light and it will also recharge your cell phone battery. Otherwise: Get a crank radio or battery radio with lots of extra batteries.
2. Flashlight - Either crank or battery with lots of extra batteries.
3. Glow Sticks - Don't use candles. Gas leaks could be present.
4. Copy of the contents of your wallet. Credit cards, medical ID cards, etc. In case your wallet doesn't make it, you have a record of everything in it.
5. Extra cash, credit card or traveler's checks.
6. Small power convertor to turn vehicle power into AC household power.
7. Cell phone charger.
8. Extra car keys.
9. Empty medicine bottles so you have the prescription number to get filled.
10. Small can opener.
11. Extra shoes and socks in case you don't have time to put yours on.
12. Spare glasses. Better to have an old prescription than none.
13. List of emergency contacts.
14. Police whistle to sound for help.
15. Lighter and water-proof matches. (may need a fire to stay warm)
16. Dust masks.
17. Garbage bags with ties - personal sanitation.
18. Toilet paper and toiltrees/hygeiene products.
19. Complete change of clothing including long sleeves and long pants.
20. Food - bottled water, granola bars, energy bars, cheese and crackers, canned meat. First Aid Kit:
1. Antibiotic Ointment
2. Antibacterial soap
3. Burn ointment
4. Adhesive bandages of all sizes
5. Medical tape
6. Gauze pads and large surgical pads (bleeding may be an issue)
7. Tweezers
8. Scissors
9. Thermometer
10. Eye wash/sterile saline
11. Moist towelettes
12. Over the counter: Aleve/Advil/Benadryl
13. Several pairs of gloves
14. Household chlorine bleach and an eye dropper - dilute nine parts water to one part bleach it becomes an antisceptic/disinfectant. To decontaminate drinking water - 12 drops per one gallon of water. No fancy colored bleaches or other chemicals! Just regular bleach. This all may sound silly but you may be without help for an extended period and possibly injured. Other things to consider:
Blanket/pillow
Sleeping bag with shoulder straps to carry.
Tools: (you may be trapped or need to help others and these things will be on your body)
1. Screwdriver with multiple tips.
2. Pocket multi-tool
3. Work gloves
4. Duct Tape
5. Hammer
6. Pry bar
7. Pliers Organize everything in plastic zip lock baggies. You'll be surprised how much stuff will fit into the bag. The list seems pretty large but it really isn't that much stuff space wise. It could save your life if you are in a direct hit. A lot! General safety - know your safe area, basement, closet, etc. It may sound dumb but purchasing cycle helmets with a face guard can save your life. Head trauma is the #1 reason people are killed in tornados. The face guard will also help with flying debris. Keep blankets and pillows in your safe area to cover your body and protect you from flying debris. If it's big enough, a spare matress. Get a very large backpack that you can carry on your shoulders. Adapt to whatever you think you might need. Keep the bag handy to where you can grab it in a moments notice. You may want a separate bag for each person. Take into consideration you need supplies for ALL members of the family and it won't all fit in one bag. If you are hit by a tornado, you can't try to lug a large tote on wheels and it will probably be blown away. The backpack stays on your body. During tornado season: (remember they can happen in the middle of the night with no warning or you don't hear the warning until the tornado is on you!) 1. Don't sleep naked! Have a t-shirt and boxers on.
2. Have shoes by the bed. (if you have warning - put your shoes on with socks)
3. Put car keys, cell phone, glasses, wallet on the night stand in some small container that can be scooped up and dropped in the emergency bag quickly.
4. Have the emergency bag close by. Don't count on you making it to your safe place. You may have to dive to the floor and lay flat. Emergency Bag: 1. Radio - the best out there is "Eton" brand. It is self powered and you can get it at Walmart or Radio Shack. It has a weather broadcast, flashlight built in, emergency siren, alert light and it will also recharge your cell phone battery. Otherwise: Get a crank radio or battery radio with lots of extra batteries.
2. Flashlight - Either crank or battery with lots of extra batteries.
3. Glow Sticks - Don't use candles. Gas leaks could be present.
4. Copy of the contents of your wallet. Credit cards, medical ID cards, etc. In case your wallet doesn't make it, you have a record of everything in it.
5. Extra cash, credit card or traveler's checks.
6. Small power convertor to turn vehicle power into AC household power.
7. Cell phone charger.
8. Extra car keys.
9. Empty medicine bottles so you have the prescription number to get filled.
10. Small can opener.
11. Extra shoes and socks in case you don't have time to put yours on.
12. Spare glasses. Better to have an old prescription than none.
13. List of emergency contacts.
14. Police whistle to sound for help.
15. Lighter and water-proof matches. (may need a fire to stay warm)
16. Dust masks.
17. Garbage bags with ties - personal sanitation.
18. Toilet paper and toiltrees/hygeiene products.
19. Complete change of clothing including long sleeves and long pants.
20. Food - bottled water, granola bars, energy bars, cheese and crackers, canned meat. First Aid Kit:
1. Antibiotic Ointment
2. Antibacterial soap
3. Burn ointment
4. Adhesive bandages of all sizes
5. Medical tape
6. Gauze pads and large surgical pads (bleeding may be an issue)
7. Tweezers
8. Scissors
9. Thermometer
10. Eye wash/sterile saline
11. Moist towelettes
12. Over the counter: Aleve/Advil/Benadryl
13. Several pairs of gloves
14. Household chlorine bleach and an eye dropper - dilute nine parts water to one part bleach it becomes an antisceptic/disinfectant. To decontaminate drinking water - 12 drops per one gallon of water. No fancy colored bleaches or other chemicals! Just regular bleach. This all may sound silly but you may be without help for an extended period and possibly injured. Other things to consider:
Blanket/pillow
Sleeping bag with shoulder straps to carry.
Tools: (you may be trapped or need to help others and these things will be on your body)
1. Screwdriver with multiple tips.
2. Pocket multi-tool
3. Work gloves
4. Duct tape
5. Hammer
6. Pry bar
7. Pliers Organize everything in plastic zip lock baggies. You'll be surprised how much stuff will fit into the bag. The list seems pretty large but it really isn't that much stuff space wise. It could save your life if you are in a direct hit.
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