When prepping your emergency kit, it’s crucial to think beyond the basics. Food, water, and first aid are essential items. However, some overlooked items can make a huge difference in an emergency.
For example, duct tape and zip ties can patch holes, secure belongings, and fix equipment. A whistle or air horn ensures your voice is heard if you need to call for help. Work gloves provide protection during rescue operations and cleanup. Multipurpose tools like a Swiss Army knife enable makeshift repairs. Heavy-duty aluminum foil can be molded into cooking pans or shaped into signals. Garbage bags have many uses, like waterproofing, insulation, or transporting gear. Pet food and supplies will provide comfort for furry family members. Entertainment items like playing cards break up boredom.
The key is anticipating needs outside of a standard kit. Versatile, innovative items allow you to handle unpredictable scenarios. Be creative when prepping. Having flexibility and options empowers you in emergencies. Prepared Bee recommends you include the following items in this kit as well.
Alternative Light Sources
Having alternative light sources available during an emergency can be crucial for safety and communication. Flashlights are a classic option, providing portable illumination from batteries or hand cranks. Candles are another traditional choice, creating flickering light from wax or oil without any electricity required.
More modern alternatives include glow sticks that provide neon lighting by mixing chemicals inside a plastic tube. Headlamps allow hands-free lighting by strapping an LED light to your forehead. Lanterns with removable battery packs or solar panels can provide bright area lighting.
For power outages, battery-powered string lights and lamps can be plugged into USB ports for efficient LED illumination. Radios with built-in flashlights serve double duty. Reflectors and glow-in-the-dark markings on walls or floors also aid visibility.
Having several light sources available provides redundancy if any fail. The key is choosing reliable, durable options that meet your lighting needs during emergencies when regular power sources are unavailable.
Upholstery Needles and Thread
Upholstery needles and thread can be invaluable to have on hand in an emergency. If you need to make quick repairs to tarps, tents, packs, or clothing, an upholstery needle and strong thread will allow you to stitch up rips and tears on the go. The heavy-duty needles are designed to pierce tough fabrics like canvas, denim, and leather, making them perfect for gear repairs.
Should injury strike, the needles can also be used for suturing wounds in a pinch, although proper medical supplies would be ideal. The waxed and coated threads are abrasion-resistant and won’t easily fray or break when pulled through the material. Having a variety of thread colors and sizes, from heavy-duty to fine delicate needles, will allow you to mend a wide range of items and materials. While proper emergency supplies and training should be your first line of preparation, keeping some upholstery needles and thread in your go-bag or survival kit can provide versatile, durable, and lightweight repair capability when you need it most.
Pencils, Not Pens
In an emergency, having pencils on hand is far more useful than pens. Pencils have the advantage of being functional even if they get wet, unlike most pens whose ink will run when damp. This makes pencils the wiser option for emergencies where water may be present, like flooding, boating accidents, or storm damage.
Additionally, pencils do not rely on gravity to function properly. Pens often stop working if held at certain angles, while pencils can write from any orientation. This versatility can be crucial in emergencies when you may need to write in tight spaces or at odd angles.
Pencils are also superior to pens because they can write on a variety of surfaces like wood, cardboard, and certain fabrics that pens would struggle to mark. Having this flexibility allows you to leave important messages or directions on any available surface in a crisis. Finally, pencils never run out of ink or leak, which makes them far more dependable and mess-free than pens. For reliability, versatility, and practicality, pencils beat out pens for emergency preparedness every time.
Super Glue
In unexpected crises, Super Glue can be your salvation. This powerful adhesive is handy for quick fixes that temporarily patch up problems until more thorough repairs can be made. On a camping trip, if a tent pole cracks or a boot sole peel away, a few dabs of this multi-purpose glue can get you by until you’re back home.
Super Glue truly shines in emergency medical situations. If you suffer a deep cut, pouring Super Glue into the wound can seal it up. Carrying a small tube of Super Glue provides an easy, painless solution for all kinds of unexpected troubles and damages. With quick-bonding Super Glue on hand, you’ll be prepared whether you’re in the office, car, outdoors, or even facing a medical crisis. It’s a simple tool with endless emergency uses.
Paracord Belt
A paracord belt can be a versatile and valuable tool to have in emergencies. The belt itself is made from durable nylon cords that hold up to 550 pounds. Not only can the belt be used to hold up your pants, but the cords may also be unwoven to provide you with strong and lightweight rope. Having several feet of rope available can be invaluable if you need to build shelter, make repairs, or create traps.
The inner threads can also be used as fishing line. If you ever need to start a fire, the inner fibers work perfectly as tinder to help ignite kindling. The sheath strands can then be used as lashing to construct a lean-to or other basic survival structure. Don’t underestimate the potential of a humble paracord belt. With its strength, versatility, and multi-purpose nature, it can be an essential item for wilderness survival or emergency preparedness. The right belt provides you with critical resources when you need them most.
Dental Floss
Dental floss may seem like an odd item to have on hand for emergencies, but it actually serves a variety of important purposes. Its thin, strong fibers make dental floss a versatile tool for improvising repairs and fixes. If you need to splice two items together, dental floss acts as a quick replacement for rope or wire. Simply tie knots in the floss to bind things tightly.
The wax coating on some types of floss also makes it helpful for starting fires by rapidly rubbing it against wood. If you ever have to stitch up a wound, dental floss sanitized with alcohol or boiled water works as an emergency suture. Despite its small size, keeping some dental floss in your emergency kit is wise. It takes up little space but provides a strong, durable string that can aid survival efforts, DIY repairs, first aid, and more. In a pinch, it may accomplish tasks you never imagined possible with just a thin strand of floss.
Sanitary Pads
Sanitary pads are an essential item to keep in any first aid kit in case of an emergency involving bleeding. They help absorb and stop blood flow, providing a clean and effective way to dress a wound. Pads are soft and designed to fit against the skin, unlike makeshift alternatives like cloth scraps that may irritate an injury.
The absorbent layers of a sanitary pad soak up blood quickly, preventing excess blood loss. Pads also help protect wounds from contamination, keeping the injured area cleaner. Having sanitary pads readily available means you can quickly care for someone with an injury that results in bleeding.
Safety Pins
Safety pins are a versatile item that every prepared person should carry for emergencies. Though small, they provide help in a pinch. Safety pins can temporarily mend clothing that gets damaged or torn during a crisis, holding things together until a proper repair can be made.
They also act as impromptu fasteners, turning a blanket or towel into an emergency sling or splint if someone gets injured. Safety pins are great for temporarily closing a gaping wound or affixing bandages in place. If you need to jury-rig something, safety pins can act as improvised fasteners, links, or connectors. Unlike needle and thread, safety pins are safe and easy to use, even under duress.
When preparing an emergency kit, it’s important to think beyond the basics like food, water, and first aid supplies. While those are all essentials, adding a few unusual items can also come in very handy during an emergency situation. Some unusual but useful things to consider include some cash in small denominations in case ATMs are down, copies of important documents in a waterproof bag, and even a simple board game or puzzle book to help pass the time.
Having creature comforts and forms of entertainment can lift spirits during very stressful emergency scenarios. Preparing for emergencies takes forethought to ensure all bases are covered, including adding a few items that may not be top of mind but greatly improve quality of life if disaster strikes. Taking the time to prepare an emergency kit with both critical supplies and some unexpected items can really pay off when they are needed most.
