Home Earthquake Kit: What Yours Needs to Have

Having an earthquake kit at home is vital if you live near a fault line. In this article, we're going to tell you what yours needs to be useful and guarantee the safety of all your family members.

If you live in an area with a high earthquake risk, you absolutely must have an earthquake kit at home. You can either buy one or make one yourself. Whichever way you go, read this post to see what items you need to have in yours to guarantee you and your family’s safety.

Before we start, we just want to say that you should only ever use an earthquake kit when it’s necessary. It’s perfectly natural to grab a couple pills or bandages if you’ve run out at home. But if you ever take anything from your kit, you need to replace it as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might not have everything you need if disaster strikes.

Earthquake kit essentials

1. First aid kit

One of the most important parts of any earthquake kit is a first aid kit. You’ll need this in case of any injuries, no matter how minor or serious. It should have all the most commonly used tools in it, like bandaids, gauze, bandages, disinfectant, and scissors.

If you have a chronic condition, you should also make sure it contains your medication. It only takes a couple minutes to get together everything you need for an effective first aid kit.

2. Canned food

Earthquakes can be a variety of magnitudes, and that will determine whether or not you just have a scare or have to spend a few days inside with your family. When it comes to an earthquake kit, you always want to assume the worst. So, if you want to truly be prepared, you need to have canned foods. 

You can also add some energy bars or other foods that give you energy and can keep for a long time. Make sure you have plenty of bottles of water, too, to stay hydrated. Of course, you’ll also need to be able to eat the canned food, so make sure you have a can opener, utensils, and even some napkins.

3. Whistle and flashlight: earthquake kit essentials

A whistle and flashlight hardly take up any space and can be lifesavers. The whistle can be extremely helpful if there’s a massive earthquake because it can help rescue teams find you if you’re trapped under the rubble. Our recommendation is to pick out a powerful whistle that makes a lot of noise.

You also need to have a flashlight, no matter how simple, in your earthquake kit. The lights in your home might not work after an earthquake, and a flashlight will help you get around more easily. Make sure to have some back-up batteries too. You don’t know how long you’ll need to use the flashlight, and you don’t want to run out of light.

4. Warm clothes

Don’t throw out any of your old warm clothes if you’ve bought new things, or organized your closet. They can be really helpful in an earthquake kit. Do the same with the coats, jackets, and sweaters that belong to the other people in your family. If you have space for a blanket, that’s also a great addition.

We mentioned above that the electricity might go out after an earthquake. It’s also best not to use gas heating if you have it, in case there’s been a leak. The best way to stay warm without risking your safety is to have warm clothes on hand. 

5. Basic hygiene accessories

A lot of diseases spread due to a lack of basic hygiene. It’s also important to stay relatively clean if you’re going to be in an enclosed space with other people for several days. That’s why your earthquake kit should also have some hygiene products in it.

You might not have access to running water during an earthquake, so you should also get products that you can use without water. Nowadays, there are lots of dry soaps and shampoos that can keep your body clean. Those kinds of soaps are also great if you have to clean a wound, which you should never do with dirty hands.

Now you’re ready

Everything we’ve mentioned up to now should be a part of an earthquake kit. From there, you just need to find a tough backpack or container that you can store all of it in. It should be able to withstand damage and keep everything inside it intact. It’s also ideal for it to be waterproof.

We hope you never have to use your earthquake kit. Still, it’ll make you feel much calmer to know that you and your family are ready if the worst should happen.