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A recent poll by the American Red Cross and Harris Interactive revealed that 90% of Americans who possess a disaster supplies kit feel prepared.
However, the poll also determined that only 28 percent of the population actually owns a disaster supplies kit.
Even worse, the Red Cross has research that indicates that only seven percent of Americans are "Red Cross Ready."
The Red Cross Ready program is designed to help citizens prepare for floods, severe storms, high winds, power outages, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires or man-made disasters including terrorist attacks.
"We want everyone to have the confidence and peace of mind that comes with being prepared," said Darlene Sparks Washington, American Red Cross director of national preparedness.
Meeting the tenets of the Red Cross Ready program involve taking three action steps - getting a kit, making a plan and becoming/remaining informed.
Fit for a kit
Preparing a disaster supplies kit involves including not only a standardized set of items but also taking individual and specialized needs into consideration.
Customizing a kit for special needs might mean including certain medications, pet supplies and personal documents, for example.
During a typical emergency, one might be confined to home for a period of time or conversely, one may be forced to leave one's home for a period of time. A well-prepared kit should include items for both eventualities. The Red Cross recommends that each kit offers enough items for each member of a household to utilize for three-day emergency use.
These kits should be stored in an easily accessible location in a home and kept in a sturdy container that will also help keep some of the items in fresh and potent conditions.
The basic items that should be found in any disaster kit include:
Water - at least one gallon per person, per day. A gallon per day should be alloted per dog or cat, too.
Food - keep non-perishable, high protein foods such as energy bars, canned fish or meat or peanut butter. These items do not require refrigeration, cooking or water to be edible. Of course, meals ready to eat (MREs), an army/navy store staple, is perhaps the best solution to meeting the nutritional requirements of an emergency scenario.
Emergency lighting - flashlights, whether battery-operated, solar powered or one of the new wind-up varieties are an absolute essential. Chemical light sticks are another solution that are a good supplemental choice for a disaster supplies kit.
Radio - a battery-operated, solar-powered or hand-cranked radio is a necessity. Keeping spare, fully charged cell phone batteries handy can also be an important inclusion in any kit.
Batteries - extra batteries for flashlights, batteries, cell phones and any health-related device are also vital components for an emergency kit.
First Aid kit - army/navy retailers should stock and sell pre-manufactured first aid kits and/or can create store-assembled kits based on customer requests or the need to meet medical emergencies specialized to the likelihood of certain emergence conditions such as hurricanes, wildfires or flooding.
Medications - including all prescription and OTC medications that family members might need in an emergency.
Be sure to periodically review food items, first aid kit items and medications for expiration and freshness dates.
Make a new plan, Stan
When disaster strikes, it usually happens quickly and with little or no warning. It is also human nature to underestimate the impact and consequences of a major calamity.
"The most importtant part of any emergency response situation is to have a pre-arranged plan," according to Steve Adkisson of Major Surplus (Gardena, California).
Adkisson explained that when disaster strikes, family members may not be together in one location.
"Kids might be at school, mom out shopping, dad at work. Families have to have a plan to meet at a predetermined location if they find themselves unable to communicate with each other," said Adkisson.
Part of that plan is to have emergency kits available at multiple locations, such as in places of work and in family cars.
Army/navy retailers should sell backpacks in different sizes depending on where they will be stored," Adkisson noted.
Items that should be included in an emergency kit include blankets, cots, heat packs, whistles, ponchos, warm clothing and MREs, advised Adkisson.
He also advocates the inclusion of a pair of comfortable shoes, emergency contact information and money.
The Red Cross advises that familes have both a communication plan and an evacuation plan.
A proper communication plan means choosing an out-of-area relative or friend as an emergency contact in case local phone lines are not working. It also involves finding out the local community's warning signals - what they sound like and what they mean.
Create a contact list that includes emergency agencies, hospitals, doctors, law enforcement officials, utilities and power agencies and of course every phone number where a relative can be reached.
Teach young children how to call 911 and/or local emergency medical services. Show each family member how to turn off water, gas and electricity in the home. Show them how to use a fire extinguisher and install and properly maintain multiple smoke detectors in the home.
The great escape
Make sure that all family members are informed on your community's evacuation routes and on how to get to your pre-arranged rendezvous points should you get separated.
And practice makes perfect.
"Every family will need to practice their plan differently during the weekend than they do during the week. Families should practice until each person in the household is comfortable enough to execute the plan like second nature," said Sparks Washington.
That includes how to get out of their own home safely should fire cut off obvious escape routes.
Information is power
Lastly, stay informed on what types of disasters can happen or are anticipated in a given area at a given time.
Find out how to get information during the course of an actual emergency.
Also, determine what plans a workplace or a school may have in place. Training in CPR or other emergency techniques is also key.
author: By Mark Hawver