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SALT LAKE CITY — Some of those people who had to leave those neighborhoods near the Rockport Fire, only had just a few minutes to get out of their homes, which meant little or no time to collect any belongings, medicines and other necessary items in case of an extended evacuation.
We've all been told that having a 72-hour emergency kit by the garage door, and in our cars is a good idea. Red Cross Training Specialist Ann Evans stresses the importance of having a fresh 72-hour kit ready for emergencies and evacuations like wildfires.
- Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather
- Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Whistle to signal for help
- Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Manual can opener for food
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
Info: Ready.gov
"A lot of people think, ‘Oh, this is something that we're going to do in the future,' and then when tragedy hits or these wildfires hit, they think, ‘oh this is something I should have done,' " Evans said.
When you're putting together a kit like this, chances are you already have many of the items at home, and you don't have to go out and buy everything. Make sure to perform a check-up on your kit every six months or so.
"A lot of people put these together like a year in advance and not check those," Evans said. "So you really need to rotate those medications; you need to have some snacks. Need to have some cash, in case you can't get to an ATM."
Also, have some medical information to refer to, just in case, and consider taking first aid and CPR training courses. They can be just as valuable as having the 72-kit. One sure way to see how well prepared you are is to do a 72-hour test at home. Actually live for three days, with just the stuff you've put into the backpack.
