What would you take with you?

[Diana Erhart]

Today, a wildfire broke out only about 7 miles from our home.  Over 100 acres burned along with 8 houses being totally destroyed and 20 severely damaged.  Although the fire is now contained it is still not under control.  The weather here in Austin is very dry and the wildfire danger is very real right now.  This got me thinking and I am making a list of the things that I would grab and take with me if we had to evacuate in a hurry.  Of course I have the normal "house" things on my list....important files, pictures, etc....but then I started thinking that maybe I should have an "emergency" pack of things for Charlie.  For those of you who have something like this already in place, what all do you have in your emergency pack?  I never really gave this much thought before and I guess I should have as you never know around here with tornados and now wildfires.

[Lynn D.]

Dog and Cat food. Bully stick or similar chew. I have 5 gallons of water in 1 gal milk bottles. It's for the fish tank but if I had to evacuate I'd take those to. Medications in same cabinet as the food. Cat has super sensitive stomach and I don't want to upset the dogs stomach with all the new stressors. Cat litter I can get at the store and a rubbermaid container for a box.

Leash for each. Harness for cat, leader for dog.

I have a grooming box that has travel shampoo/conditioner with brushes and small first aid kit.

A photo of his rabies tag is stored on my phone as well as a log of his vet records (app). I try to have a recent photo within the past month, on my phone too.

There is a kennel in my car, I can use that for the cat if needed. The kennel pad can be removed and the dog can sleep on that.

[GBK]

Great idea with the rabies tag photo on phone Lynn!!!!

 

[Jena ~ Dublin]

I love the idea of the rabies tag on your phone along with pet records app, I am going to check that one out!!!  Thank you for sharing...

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I also agree what a great idea with the rabiesand current pics on phone! Thanks!

[Camilla and Darwin]

DH and I are working on 72 hour kits for each of us, and Darwin. They contain cash, water, space blankets, no-battery flashlights, first aid kits, etc. Darwin's will contain food (rotated out), extra leash, collar, booties, blanket, perhaps a toy, his vaccine information, etc. They are about 3/4 complete so we are excited to get that done.

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

I asked my DH about this - along with being a police officer he is a training instructor for disaster preparedness (yes that's a word!), mass disaster and disaster with contamination and ALICE - which is interesting because it deals with active shooters and he said in any disaster you have an increased risk of an active shooter.  He says you always prepare for a 72 hour disaster but keep in mind it took FEMA 5 days to get water to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina.

 

The first thing he said was "a complete First Aid/Trauma Kit - anything that you can use for a human you can use for a dog or cat. Make sure to include sanitizer, peroxide, alcohol, acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, eye pads, prep pads, tissues. bandaids, gauze, extra's of all medications you take on a daily basis, tourniquate (sp?) and a spoon to tighten it. Also have a generous variety of bandages, wraps, gauze pads, and adhesive tape. You may also want to include items that will cleanse the eyes, the ears, and the hands. It is also important to make sure that there are latex gloves in the kit that you choose so that you may appropriately protect yourself.  It is absolutely essential that you and each member of your family have these trauma kits on hand at all times." 

Emergency blanket, mylar waterbags or pouches, food bars - energy bars high in protein, any pet foods in zip lock bags, one small pet bowl if possible, have a leach and collar on your pets and also take a spare set, multi-tool or all purpose style tool, a knife being an option, or a 5 in 1 survival tool, compass, a whistle, a waterproof matchbox and waterproof matches are very important, a package of clothes line, a mirror, and a fire starter, a glow stick or light, in a plastic bag  paper, mechanical pencils, and an sheet listing all phone numbers you may need, addresses, names of doctors, hospitals and medications, he said that would be a great place to keep your dogs vet info and license info., old fashioned maps, you can't rely on a GPS or phone service, water purification tablets, battery powered radio with extra batteries, CASH - you can't depend on debit cards or electronic transactions, 2 way radio with extra batteries, (make sure they are charged), firearms to protect yourself and your family, you might think that sounds crazy but people will do desperate things at desperate times. 

 

He was going to a meeting so he said he would add more later if he thought of it!  Better to be safe than sorry :-(  I will add more when he gets back to me!

 

[Linda and Murphy]

Denise, 

As someone who stayed behind during Katrina, this is a wonderful list. Please thank your husband.

Cash is so necessary. Cell phones definitely didn't work. (I did learn to text because that did work)  The old fashion non digital land line phones will work....those that require electricity don't.

Fill all the bathtubs with water (my mother always made us do this)  At least you can flush toilets when you get back or water the plants if you still don't have water.

Definitely keep your car filled with gas. You don't want to be in that line.

 

 

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

THANKS SO MUCH!!

[Jeanne, Tura and Dolly]

Denise, I must disagree with your statement that it is OK to use anything you can use on a human you can use on a dog or cat.  Spend a few minutes on Google and you will see that Aspirin MAY be OK for short term pain relief only with a dog. Never to a cat.  Acetaminaphen (Tylenol) is very toxic to dogs and cats, as well as Ibuprophen (Advil).  Just a word of caution to anyone who may have misunderstood your post.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Sounds like I need to make an emergency kit for us all!  We could keep it in our basement!  Thanks for the tips.

 

As for Peri and Tacky, I have a bag always ready for them (if I take them to my parent's, friends, etc...).  It is their Humane Society reusable bag (DH calls me a hippie with it on) - I have the Planet dog food bags and a bowl to go with them. Tacky has his food in a blue one, Peri's is red.  They are always restocked when needed.  I also have a tupperware container I could easily take (shoebox size) with their brushes, heartworm meds, frontline, EPO tablets, nail clippers, bubble bath, etc....  This is next to my box of important documents, so I could easily take these if I needed to get out of the home quickly. 

 

I need to go back and put together a good first aid kit...

[shelly]

Wow.  I never even thought of a kit like this.  We really don't have many "emergency evacuation type' weather here on Long Island in the town where I live.  Just perhaps the beachfront houses/communities.  Unfortunately, if there were such a disaster here on Long Island, I fear none of us would be able to evacuate due to the traffic jams it will pose.  But you did get me thinking for hurricane season - in case one does hit and we are out of power for any length of time.  The last time that happened was in 1985 I believe.  We were without power for about a week, leaving some stores closed as well.  We didn't have a dog then, but this makes me wonder about having enough food for Tori if such was the case now.  We feed her canned food - which lasts for a while, so I could stock up.  And can't forget pumpkin which may be needed to settle an upset tummy in times of stress.

[sandy b]

We had to evacuate in 2004 due to hurricane Charley and were not prepared. We were not allowed back home for 6 days and fortunately we had friends who lived off island and we stayed with them for that time. Since then we definitely have a list.

Water - at least 1 gal daily per person/pet for a week

Food (for a week) non-perishable packaged or canned food/juices; snack foods, non-electric can opener, cooking tools/fuel (we have a camp stove), paper plates & plastic utensils, pet food

Blankets/pilows

Clothing - seasonal/rain gear/sturdy shoes

First aid kit/medicines/prescription drugs

Toiletries, hygiene items, moisture wipes

Flashlight, cellphones, batteries and if possible an extra battery for your cell phone

Radio - battery operated and NOAA weather radio

Cash, keys, important documents in a waterproof container

Tools

Vehicle fuel tanks filled

Pets - proper id, vet records, crate, harness & leash

We were advised before we left the island to shut off the water and power which we did. However, thinking we would be back in a day we didn't empty the refrigerator & freezer!!! Yikes what a mess.