Tsunami on My Mind

Our hearts go out to everyone following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.  Although it's surely being covered, we thought it prudent to remind everyone (ourselves included) to have the proper supplies on hand in the event of an emergency.  We've heard it said that "The First 72 are on You" - i.e., have enough on hand to last everyone in your family that long.  Here's our rough guide:

1.  We love Scout storage bins.  They're wonderful catch-alls that look fab as well.  So purchase a couple of these for both the trunk of your car and in an easy-to-reach locale at home to store all of the supplies.  Here is the Junque Trunk (or we also like the slightly smaller Shouldah Bin):

2.  Essential all-purpose emergency back-packs are also a must.  Calculate how many you will need for your family.  Although a bit pricey, it's nice to have this all in one place, but you could build your own kit as well.  This is a two-person pack, good for a couple, or families that can buy two or three.  How they can fit all this into a regular back-pack is kind of astounding.

3.  Food & Water.  Having Meals-Ready-To-Eat (or MRE's) are good to have on hand.  We are drawn to the ones that come with a heat source just in case.  Consider adding a box of protein energy bars as well.  Be sure to have some extra gallons of water on hand or purchase these packets to have in both locales (there's water in the emergency pack above as well).  One gallon per person, per day, for three days is a good rule of thumb.

4.  Emergency Radio.  Good to be able to hear news reports.  Ideally have one that is a hand-crank or battery operated.  We like this one from LL Bean that is also solar powered, has a flashlight and ports for charging a cell phone:

5.  Be sure to also have blankets, essential tools (hammer, screwdriver and a wrench in case you need to shut off a gas valve), some shoes for everyone, and cash in small denominations.

We're sure there is always more but we hope this gets you started or helps you fill in what you may be missing.  Take care of each other - that's what Lipstick Money girlfriends do.