There are pros and cons to each of these types. When deciding the best option, you must consider your situation and individual requirements. Other things to consider should include; product weight, shelf life and if it fully contained.

MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) is something that many people have heard about or even seen on television. These meals are exactly as their name implies, ready to eat. They come in individually wrapped portions that are fully cooked and can be eaten either hot or cold with no preparation. The variety of these meals is broad and they can include everything from full entrees to deserts. The cost of these range from $1 to $6 depending on the the type of meal, such as a side item or a complete entree. With an optional heater and a small amount of water, they can be heated in their own pouch, providing a warm meal.

Freeze dried meals are normally lighter in weight but do require that water be added for preparation. It is recommended that hot water be used, but cold water can be used in a pinch on most items. Preparation time ranges from 5 to 10 minutes depending on the meal. Again, the variety of meals is wide ranging with items for breakfast, dinner and even desserts. These meals are packaged in special pouches that also double as the cooking container. The shelf life for these pouches can range from 2 -7 years depending on the meal and the storage conditions. Optional heating appliances are available to provide a hot meal in most situations. The cost per entree is approximately $6 per single serving pouch. 

Ration bars are a fully, self contained nutrient bar designed to give you the basic nutrition you need to survive for a limited time. The variety of flavors is extremely limited, but no water, heat or other items are needed for consumption. Most are manufactured to have a 5 year shelf life. These bars are often notched or segmented into 400 calorie portions, with a target of 1,200 calories per day. The cost for a typical 3,600 calorie (3 day ration) bar starts at approximately $7. Because these bars can withstand a much greater range of storage temperatures, they are ideal for vehicles.

I personally keep some of each type in my survival bag. The variety and convenience of each type gives me a degree of flexibility depending on the situation. As with all the items you place in your 72 hour kits, take the time to become familiar with them. Try using these items when you don't need them. A survival situation is not the time to learn about a new product.

As mentioned above, a fire can provide warmth, light and a way to cook  food or boil water. I also think fire has an emotional value much like comfort foods. Think about sitting around a campfire and the feeling of strength and safety a fire can provide. I think fire gives us a feeling of power over the elements. In a survival situation, any mental advantage is welcome.

In addition to the standard components of my 72 hour kits, I like to include these simple to make fire starters. All that is needed are some cotton balls, petroleum jelly and a storage container. What I really like about these is the fact that they can be ignited with just a spark, they burn for a couple minutes and are very lightweight. These features might not seem that important, but there are many tools that will create a spark even after they have been fully submerged. And since we might have to carry our disaster supplies, weight is always a consideration.

To make these fire starters, just rub a little petroleum jelly into a cotton ball. It doesn't take a large amount, just make sure that you work it into the fibers as thoroughly as possible. Once you have finished, you can place the treated cotton balls into a storage container. I like to use an old medicine bottle to store the treated cotton balls. Since the medicine bottle is rigid, it can be firmly packed, won't leak, has a lid, floats and can be written one with a marker. You might also consider a small plastic bag or other type of material that can be wrapped around the treated cotton.

To light these fire starters, just take one of the cotton balls, pull it apart slightly to help expose the fibers and then use a sparking device to actually light it. Remember that once lit, it will burn for a couple minutes, giving you time to build your fire around it.

Have you used these as part of your disaster supplies? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.  

Having a first aid kit, be it for a disaster or just life in general is always a good idea. Life is full of unexpected accidents. If you are anything like me, I need bandages on what seems like a daily routine. It is not that I am extremely accident prone, it's just that things happen. Having a well stocked first aid kit really saves me time and money.  

As you begin to prepare your first aid kit, keep in mind that this is not only for you, but also for your family. Your first aid kit is just one more piece of  your disaster supplies. If it has been given a little thought, this component should fit perfectly into your 72 hour kit.

Basics

Probably the most basic component of any kit is band-aid strips. As you begin assembling an assortment of strips, remember that large ones can cover small cuts but small ones can not cover large cuts. If larger bandages will work for small, medium and large cuts, just take large bandages. They will adapt to more situations and by omitting the smaller ones, you can include a better assortment of types, like the  knuckle type.

Before any cut or scrape is covered, it should be thoroughly cleaned. The addition of a topical antibiotic will help prevent infection and also speed in the healing. Instead of a large tube of antibiotic cream, I like to include several smaller, individual packages that can be used as needed. These one time antibiotic creams take almost no room since they are flat and can be dispersed between packs if needed. 

Additional Items

Tweezers – used to remove splinters, stingers and other items that penetrate the skin. 
Gauze - can cover very large cuts and be used in more ways than just a band-aid.
Tape – used to hold all types of bandages in place. Especially useful when securing bandages to hands and other flexible locations.
Scissors/Knife/Scalpel – something that can be used to cut tape, bandages, dig out splinters or even open commercially sealed packages.
Tongue Depressors – can be used as small splints, spreaders for ointments or actual tongue depressors.

This is by no means a complete list.  Think about items that can be used in various ways. Having multiple use items allows us to do more with less. Just another way of keeping our disaster supplies minimal but extremely useful.

What else would you include in a first aid kit?

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Last time I asked you to consider a good place to store your 72 Hour Kits. Did you find any good places? If you found a great or unique place, please leave a comment or send it to me.

In my opinion, there are 10 major categories to consider when creating your kit.  When I say creating, this would still be true if you purchased parts, a whole kit or created your own from scratch.  Although you might purchase what is considered a complete kit, you still have things that will be unique to your situation.  These differences can be based on age, gender, geographic region, income, comfort level or experience.

The Top Ten

Water

We have all heard that you can survive days without food, but you need water. In my opinion, this is the most important item you will consume. Since we consume water, the amount we immediately have available is very important. Not only is it heavy to carry, we might not be able to replenish our supply easily.

Shelter

This is a tough category in my opinion. Many of us like the comfort that our home provides. Shelter might just be a place out of the sun or rain. Maybe it needs to be more, protecting us from elements like snow and freezing temperatures. Many people might decide to stay in their home if the power was out, but what if the house was no longer able to provide adequate shelter?

Food

This is one of my favorite items, disaster or not. My house is full of food created to increase the comfort of teenage boys. This food doesn't require cooking, can be eaten without utensils, and was once sealed for freshness. However, it is not very nutritional. Although we might consider some of this as comfort food, we need to think about food that is more sustainable.

Lighting

I don't know about you, but I like to see where I am going and what is happening around me. It's not that I am afraid of the dark, I am afraid of the things I can't see because it's dark. I think all of us are more comfortable when we can see something, not just hear or touch it. This could be especially true in a new environment.

Tools

Most of the items in our 72 Hour Kits will be in a form that we can readily use. However, there are some simple tools that will help us extend, adapt and combine our supplies. The tools don't have to be elaborate, but they do have to work.

Communication

Remember that communication is a two-way process. Not only do we need to be able to get information, we might need a way to transmit information. Communication does not always mean speaking. A paper and pencil can become a great way to communicate just by leaving a note.

Clothing

I expect that most of us are normally dressed in some type of clothing so the basic issue is literally covered. But what happens at night? Does it get cold? Is it wet? We'll talk more about this later, but just remember that things like the weather can really change in three days.

First Aid

I personally don't require any type of disaster to need a first aid kit most of the time. I tend to somehow get my hands against all sharp objects in an area. This need of mine, to come in contact with those things that should be left alone, causes my skin to leak at times. Imagine what I am like when I am out of my element!

Money

This is something that I think most of us could tend to overlook and with good reason. When I think of survival, I think of staying alive. However, if I was evacuating from a potential disaster, like a hurricane, would I be able to get money at an ATM? Could I be in a situation where I could only get gas for my car by paying cash? Having a little extra money might help us in ways we can't imagine.

Packaging

As you can see, we have the potential for many items. How will we carry all of this gear? The best way will be to place it inside some type of container. In fact, one container or type of container might not be enough. Think about where you're located and what the most likely situation would be in your area.  Do you need protection from the elements or ease of use? Most people look for something that is a compromise between both requirements.

Summary

I know this got a bit long. I will handle these categories individually in upcoming posts. Did I forget a category? What do you think of the top ten shown above? Please leave a comment and tell me what you think.

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In addition to the normal loss of water, our bodies are also affected by heat, cold and stress. Of these last three, stress would a constant companion during a disaster situation. Also, depending on the time of the year, we could be subjected to heat or cold. In short, we would not be in a normal situation if we were using our kits for survival supplies.
 

Dehydration

When our body becomes dehydrated, our blood thickens and our heart must work harder just to circulate it. Other symptoms of dehydration can include lethargy, headaches, loss of strength and confusion. This impairment of our abilities could be extremely critical in a life or death situation. 

To avoid dehydration it is suggested that a person consume a minimum of 2 quarts of water per day. This recommendation is based on normal situtions and does not include any amounts we might need for food preparation or daily hygiene.  Just remember, this is in a normal situation, not a survival situation.

Our Survival!

Basically, in a disaster situation we would need a minimum of 2 quarts of water per day, per person. For a 72 hour period, we are looking at a MINIMUM of 6 quarts per person. The weight of this water alone would be 12 pounds per person. Again, this is just the minimum.

There are many types of prepackaged water and water containers available for our consideration. If you choose to use your own refillable containers, remember that your water should be changed ever 6 months as a minimum. If you want something with a longer shelf life, you can look at commercially prepared water pouches and boxes that can provide up to a 5 year shelf  life.

Can We Compromise?

My position is a compromise between buying water and filling my own containers. I have purchased some commercially packaged water boxes that are similar to a child's drink box. These have a shelf life of 5 years and hold 8.45 ounces per container.  Since they are individually packaged, I can distribute the weight easily. If something should happen to one, like a leak, I only lose a small amount of water. I also have refillable water bottles that can be used to hold additional water.

If I can not carry all the water I need for my family, I will have to rely on my bottles and the theory that I can find drinkable water or filter water from natural sources to fill my bottles. So, should 72 hour kits have water filters?

Leave a comment below to share your plans or suggestions for storing and transporting water.