Must-Have Tools for Your Home Emergency Kit

Is it just me — or do you see an increase in weather-related emergencies? Or forest fires? Or floods?

Well, in addition to a first-aid kit, three days’ worth of bottled water (1 gallon per person per day), non-perishable food and a list of important phone numbers, consider putting together a home emergency kit.

Start out with a waterproof plastic tub and store it in a place where you can gain easy access. Then add the following items:

Duct tape – Use for repairs and temporary fixes
Blankets – A fleece or Mylar-type blanket is warm, lightweight and takes up very little space
Multi-tool – Something like a Swiss Army Knife or Leatherman will work. I suggest that the tool also have a pair of pliers and a can opener (to open the non-perishable food cans)
Lantern and flashlight – Battery-operated models with extra batteries for power outages
Nylon rope – Lots of uses
Work gloves – Buy heavy-duty, leather or tough material to protect your hands for storm clean-up chores
Radio – A hand-crank radio to keep you up to date on the latest weather alerts
Baby wipes – They will remove dirt and bacteria from your hands if no water is available