in the Bay Area, we live under the constant threat of a devastating earthquake happening at any time. There is no way to know exactly what to prepare for, but we wanted to create a “rolling survival kit” – something we could pack into a trash can on wheels, to be towed to some nearby location if our house were to be leveled. There’s no way to cover every possible contingency, but this is our shot at three days worth of survival gear for a family of three.
- Twelve gallons of clean, sealed water
- Four days worth of Coast Guard/Homeland Security-approved emergency rations
- Canned beans and soup
- Leatherman multi-tool (pliers, knife, screwdriver, wire cutter, can/bottle openers)
- First-aid kit
- Mylar emergency blankets (10-pack)
- Hand-crank/solar-powered radio/flashlight
- Mini camp stove with extra fuel
- Water filtration system
- Lightweight cooking pot
- Plastic cups, bowls, utensils
- Dust masks
- Solar-powered USB charger for phones
- Fint-and-steel fire starter
- Drinkable vitamin C
- Toilet paper, maxi pads, toothpaste/toothbrush
- Moist baby wipes
- Cotton swabs (for fire starters, in place of tampons)
- Prescription medication
- Misc plastic trash bags
- Towel
- Duct tape
There’s always more that can be added, but this covers most of the bases, fits into the rolling trash can pictured below, and gives us a lot of peace of mind should a worst-case scenario ever come to pass.
