Suggestions for a 72 hour kit

2/11/2003 | Important vanity

[Utah Girl]

Since the alert level is now high, and there have been many articles and TV blurps about preparedness, I thought I would post suggestions for a 72 hour kit. I keep mine in my front hall closet of my home.

A lot of the stuff was lying around the house, I didn't buy hardly anything new. I did buy a solar, battery operated radio from Radio Shack for ten dollars. Here is the total list in one spot. I probably spent under 25 dollars for my kit, but I am single without children. The most money was buying the stuff for the first aid kit. One extra thing I threw in the first aid kit is four sanitray napkins. They work really well for compressing against a bleeding wound that needs to be staunched. I also store my sleeping bag and blanket right next to the 72 hour kit. I still use the sleeping bag when I go camping, so I didn't buy another one.

This 72 hour kit should meet the needs of your family. Use ready to eat foods your family will eat and hobbies and entertainment your family likes to do. Include individual medication as required by your family members. Whatever container is used should be portable. I use two duffel bags.

You should have:

Immediately available Battery powered radio Flashlight and extra batteries Emergency Needs Instruction Manuals on Emergency Preparedness Water storage Sleeping bags and blankets Sanitation Kit Plastic bucket with tight fitted lid Plastic bags and ties toilet paper disinfectant improvised toilet seat (for bucket) feminine hygiene needs paper towels soap paper cups paper plates plastic utensils can opener utility knife Stress Factors Children - coloring book, crayons Adults - books, needle work In the Car Standard First Aid Kit Blanket Flashlight and batteries Reflectors and flares Individual Medical Needs Suggested Additions Family Photographs Medical Information Sheet Insurance Information Identification for each Family Member Will or Trust Information (copies of each)

Food - Ready-to-eat Meats: canned Fruit Cocktail Peanut Butter Powdered Milk Infant Care: Canned milk and bottles Dried Fruit: (caution - drink plenty of water.) Raisins, prunes, fruit leather Crackers Stress Foods Sugar Cookies Sweetened Cereals Hard Candy Standard First Aid Kit First Aid manual Spirits of ammonia Scissors Table salt Baking soda Eye drops Safety pins Matches Adhesive or paper tape Bandages Telfa pads (4"x4") Triangle Bandage (37"x37"x37") Roll of Gauze Elastic Bandage Splints Popsicle sticks shingles or thin board 40 page newspaper or magazines Heavy String At least one change of clothing for everyone including shoes

I've also thrown in a sweatshirt with a hood, an inflatable pillow, my scriptures (Bible, Book of Mormon)

[from occupied ga]

Where can someone acquire an M-16 or AK-47 Serious answer. Most gun shops carry the currently available semi-auto versions (which should be perfectly OK) You will NOT be able to legally by them in communist sh!tholes like NJ and CA at all, but most other states allow them. I personally prefer the AK because I consider them to be the most reliable rifles in the world. I've never had one misfire, and I have had M-16's misfire, but this is another discussion altogether. The only drawback to the AK comes at full auto - it climbs to the sky and the M-16 tends to stay on target, but you are unlikely to want to buy full auto once you see the price, plus a whole lot of states ban full auto.

and are they significantly cheaper than rifles available at, say, Bass Pro Shop

I can't answer the question about the BassPro because they carry a wide range of stuff some cheaper and some not. My guess is that an AR-15 variation will be fairly expensive and an AK variant considerably less so.

AK ammo used to be the cheapest center fire ammo you could get. Don't know these days. Last I looked, large capacity mags were available for both though at a considerable premium over what they were a few years ago (Thank you Sara Brady may you rot in hell forever).

About the shot gun most assuredly not for a LOT of reasons. IF you are in the soup, you want a firearm that was designed for combat. M-16/AR15 and AK47/AKM both fit the bill. Range, weight of ammo (combat load), reliability, recoil, firepower, cost of ammo, just to name a few.

[P8riot]

Here's mine:

[kAcknor]

kAcknor Sez:

Jumping in...   It's nice to have the AK/SKS/AR-15 or what ever bolt action Main Battle Rifle around if the entire world goes to h*ll in a handbasket. Nobody will think twice about seeing anyone so armed in such an environment. But what if it only goes halfway to h*ll?

In a situation that is most likely to occur someone with an AK on his back will draw cops like flies. One should also consider a lower level of need for firearms and take a look at these:

Or

 

Of the two, I like the M6 best. No jamming a single shot, and the added benefit of a shotgun/22 combo is nice. The Henry is VERY light, but needs a good break in period to stop the occasional jam.  Both can be carried in a pack broken down and nobody has to know you have them.

There is also the of saw about the best way to survive a fight is to not get into one.  I think many of us feel "braver" when we have the firepower, and these aren't that good for self defence. I have a decent 6" revolver & holster for that.

"bImejDI' reH betleHlIj yItlhap" (Never leave home without your bat'telh.)

Basic HTML help for new FR posters. <Ver 1.4>

[drjimmy]

I can go 200+ miles on a full tank of gas, there are a dozen different cities, a chunk of another state, and even part of another country in that radius. I don't think they're taking out the electricity for that far.
I didn't say anything about the power being out. If the computer that runs the gas pump don't accept your piece of plastic or even your cash, the gas pump don't turn on. There was a small taste of what could happen just a couple of weeks ago.

[discostu]

If the pump doesn't take my plastic I go somewhere else. Got 200 miles to work with. Oh yeah the mighty internet worm. I'm glad you broguth that up because it's a shining example of how overly paranoid people are. I was on-line most of that day didn't even suspect anything bad was happening, if it wasn't for the newstories the whole next week I'd have never found out about the thing. Much ado about nothing. I'm sure a few people were inconvenienced, but life goes on. So far nobody's thrown up any example that would have any more affect on me than some parade I didn't know was scheduled to go right by my house, wait a couple of hours or find an alternate route, no big deal.

[Dengar01]

Thanks for the info UtahGirl, I'm going to the grocery store in an hour.

This may seem to be a stupid question but I am looking to purchase a gun and was wondering if anyone knew what the age limit was in Illinois. I'm assuming it is either 18 or 21, I'm 20 so I'm right in between.

[Grig]

The idea behind a 72 hour kit is that it takes about 72 hours after a disaster for all relief agencies to get things running smoothly. The kit then covers you for that period of time.

Not very many people can have everything ready to deal with a long-term crisis, but most everyone can get a 72 hour pack together easily enough.

[Denver Ditdat]

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RRR 599 OM. CUL ES 73 DE KØVJ dit di-di-dit dit

[goodnesswins]

LOL...re: what the guns are for....my husband and his boss started speculating about what the first thing they would do at work if something happened....my husband said "I'd steal your water."

[MarkL]

Now, the question is, do I go with the semi auto, or can I keep my .38 revolver?

Is it a .38, or a .357? What's the model? What's the frame made of? What's the barrel length?

One of the best self protection loads is the "FBI load," which I believe is a +P 125gr HP.

Mark

[JDoutrider]

The list is good, but if the scat hits the fan, along with all the other items mentioned, you should get a bottle of Betadene disinfectant to add to your first aid bag...

[CARDINALRULES]

Actually both booze and tobacco have medical uses.

Tobacco can be placed in serious wounds ---chemicals in the tobacco will help clot the blood.

Booze of course has many uses --pain killer and steralizing, among other things.

[goodnesswins]

Yes, I have questions about the sheeting, also...what "mil?" Clear or black? I live between Seattle and Tacoma, right over a major PORT. I'm taking all this seriously.

[RightWhale]

Clear or black?

Black would be advantageous. You could see if any anthrax spores had collected on the surface.

[G Larry]

Will we need a CCW in condition RED?

(i won't)

[G Larry]

Don't bother w Gas Masks even for the people.
You'll never have one that meets the threat, and if you did you wouldn't be near it when you needed it.

[GOP_Raider]

I've added a .45 and a few hundred rounds of ammo. Still need to stock up on some more items, though.

[Mears]

Thanks for your info about tobacco.. I knew what alcohol would do but didn't have a clue about the clotting properties of tobacco.

Very good to know.

[goodnesswins]

SA

[Neenah]

I have a question...serious.

We are told to get a certain kind of plastic and duct tape for sealing in a "safe room"....here is the question or fact.

Isn't this true ? Duct taping windows and doors with plastic ..no matter what kind of plastic..will do NO GOOD....you need AIR to breathe...if you tape everything up tight...you won't last..you need air to breathe

. Sealing yourself up..is like getting the best garbage bag....put that over your head and tie it tight around your neck...how long are you going to last ?