Disclaimer

Whilst all efforts have been made to give you the most up to date information available, the author recommends that
after reading this book you may want to do further research at your local Red Cross Chapter or

What is a 72 hour kit?

Why have a 72 hour kit?

Family Disaster Plan

72 Hour Kit

Conclusion

Appendix 1

How to make sure water is safe enough to drink.

Appendix 2

Check Lists

Check Lists
Thank You

Check List Downloads

References

About the Author

Other Books By This Author

 72 Hour Kit
What you need to survive 3 days after a
disaster.

By
Farley Pitton
72 Hour Kit
Copyright © Farley Pitton

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any

form whatsoever, by photography, or xerography or by any other
means, by broadcast or transmission, by translation into any kind of
language, nor by recording electronically or otherwise, without the
permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer, who
may quote brief passages in critical articles or reviews.
Permission may be granted by writing to:

Farley Pitton
farleytpitton@gmail.com

ISBN:

The author may be contacted at the above address.

Kindle Edition Published June 2013

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Disclaimer

Whilst all efforts have been made to give you the most up to date
information available, the author recommends that after reading
this book you may want to do further research at your local Red
Cross Chapter or emergency management office.
The author recommends you look at the following websites:
http://emergency.cdc.gov – Emergency information and kit idea.
http://www.redcross.org – First Aid Information and Kits
What is a 72 hour kit?

A 72 hour kit is a collection of materials that are kept together so that in an emergency
you can pick it up and go knowing that you have enough water, food and survival
equipment to last you three days or 72 hours.
They can also be called a bug out bag, get out of dodge bag, go-bag and grab-bag.
They are thought to be based on the bailout bags carried by aircrew so that if the plane
went down and they had to bail out, they would have equipment with them to help them
survive. Obviously they had the barest minimum equipment as it had to be light but if a
family has to leave home in an emergency, they will need more supplies.
This kit is for people who have to leave in a hurry and should not be confused with
what you would need if there was an emergency and you had to remain in your home
until you are rescued. You would need far more in that situation.
Why have a 72 hour kit?

When I think of an emergency, I first of all think it will never happen to me which is only
human but a BIG mistake. It could happen to me and although I live in a modern
civilized, I need to be prepared in case the worst comes to the worst.

My second thought is of all the old newsreels I have watched of refugees in Europe in
WW2 and in other wars since. I’m sure that they didn’t think it would happen to them
and days later they were fleeing for their lives with their prized processions.
My next thought is of seeing people trying to get emergency supplies when an
emergency is declared and the shops having empty shelves.
After watching these images flit quickly through my brain, I have come to the
conclusion that disasters happen in real life as well as the movies. I was a Girl Guide
(Girl Scout) and I think the motto Be Prepared is a good one and applies here.
If disaster strikes your area so that you have no electricity, safe running water, gas or
food in the shops and you have to leave your home you need your plans made and be
ready to go.
When I was researching this book, I looked at the statistics of the two largest
hurricanes of modern times – Katrina and Sandy.
Katrina affected an area from Louisiana to Canada; New York to North Carolina and
through Tennessee and Ohio. Many states that weren’t affected directly by the storm
were affected by refugees who all needed food and water.

If you can drive for 72 hours and be self sufficient for that time, you can get to states
that are not affected either directly or indirectly, and get to states that have food, water
and electricity.
A word on electricity, nearly a million people were without electricity for several weeks
and two days after the hurricane went through it is thought that 800,000 home were
without electricity.
Hurricane Sandy affected the Eastern seaboard from Florida to Canada and wet to
Michigan and Wisconsin. All in all, it affected 24 states and some on the largest cities
on the east coast including New York.

It is thought that the cost of the hurricane to be $75 Billion.

10 Billion gallons of raw or partially sewage was released around New York and New Jersey.
 Six days after the hurricane made landfall, over six million customers were still without power in 15 states

Caused a large snow fall in the Carolinas

7000 people had to go to emergency shelters.

23 foot high waves on Lake Huron

Canada affected to an expected damage bill of $100,000,000!!!!

If you don’t live in a hurricane area, you can still be affected by other natural disasters
like tornados, snow and ice storms, earthquakes, forest fires and tsunamis.

If this isn’t enough, manmade accidents or acts of terrorism could also mean you have
to leave you home in a hurry. Would you be one of those trying to buy supplies of
water, food and petrol or are you going to get ready NOW.
Before I give you information on what to include you may want to take these facts into
consideration.
1) A normal person needs water more than they need food and it is second only to
air for basic requirements.
2) A normal person requires 2 quarts of water a DAY to drink.
3) Pregnant women, the sick, children require 3 to 4 quarts of water a day to drink.
4) You need more water if you live in a hot climate.
5) You will also need about 2 quarts of water per day for food preparation and
basic hygiene.
6) Pets also need water!
7) Do not ration your water intake.
8) If activity is reduced then healthy people can survive on 50% of their food
requirements for long periods.
9) You can safely ration food for the healthy except for children and pregnant
women.

So what does that mean for me and my family? It is better to carry an excess water
and if necessary less food. Water is heavy and if it has to be carried by hand you will
have to cut back on other things. A 72 hour supply of water per person would weigh
more than 25lbs which if you work in metric 11 kg based on a gallon of water per day.
If you are unable to obtain the 3 gallons per person then I will include later in the book
how to treat water to make it safer to drink or use for basic hygiene.
Family Disaster Plan

Before you start to get your supplies together, it is a good idea to include other
members of the family. There are practical reasons for this which are firstly you may
not be at home when the disaster strikes, if you include your children, you can allay
their concerns as you do so and they can help keep the supplies up to date and advise
you when you should change your water supplies etc. Obviously, younger children
should have less responsibility but teenagers should be included and have
responsibility.

Families seem to cope better, if a disaster strikes, if they work together. Creating a
family disaster plan helps everyone to know what to do and will reduce panic. The
disaster plan should include a communication plan, an evacuation plan and the 72 hour
kit.
There are four stages to creating a Family Disaster Plan (FDP). These are a) find out
what could happen in your area, b) make a disaster plan, c) Complete the checklist and
d) practice your plan.
Find out what could happen in your area.
Check with your local Red Cross Chapter or emergency management office what types
of disasters are likely to happen and how to prepare for them.
Learn about your local warning signals – what they sound like and what you should do
when you hear them.
Animal care after a disaster – animals other than service animals may not be allowed
in an emergency shelter.
Care of the elderly or disabled persons help.
Check with Schools, daycare and workplace for their disaster plans.
Create your FDP
The best way to do this is a family meeting to discuss why you need a plan to prepare
for a disaster. Explain to your children about the dangers of fire, bad weather and
earthquakes.
Discuss with them what to do in each case and draw up a plan that they can learn.
Things to include are:
Where to meet in case of a fire e.g. outside the front of the house or at the neighbors.
Contact numbers of the emergency services
Best ways to escape from the house – try to find 2 ways per room.
Safe spots in your house for each type of disaster.
Contact number to leave messages if the family is split up. Ideally this should be out of
state as it is often easier to call long distance as local land and mobile networks are
often jammed with calls.

Email addresses to leave contact information.

Registration with the American Red Cross Safe and Well website.
How to use the toll-free Contact Loved Ones voice messaging services (0-866-78-
CONTACT)
The last two services have been set up so that people can find out if family members
are safe.

Complete The Checklist

Put emergency numbers near the phones so everyone knows where they are.

Emergency services numbers and when and how to call them.

Escape routes from your house and each room.
Safe spots in house for each disaster type.
Show each family member where and how to turn off water, gas and electricity at the
main switches and leave the necessary tools near each.
Check your level of insurance is adequate.
If you have fire extinguishers then train everyone on their use.

Install smoke detectors on each level of your house especially near your bedrooms.
Stock emergency supplies and set up a 72 hour kit for each member of your family.
Take a first aid course and CPR class. (There is a great video on YouTube staring
Vinnie Jones which demystifies it. You do it to the music Staying Alive by the Bee
Gees.)

Practice Your Plan

So you have a plan – now what?
Test your smoke detector Batteries monthly and change each year.
Quiz the family every six months so no one forgets.
Do fire and evacuation drills – you may look silly BUT who cares if it saves your life or
those of your family.
Check and change water and food supplies so they don’t go bad.
Get the fire extinguishers serviced every year.

Final Words before I give you the information on the 72 hour kit.
If you or your family are in a survival situation then the Rule of 3 may just save your
life.
RULE OF 3'S IN SURVIVAL

You may die in:

3 minutes without AIR

3 hours without SHELTER (hypothermia)

3 day without WATER

3 weeks without FOOD

72 Hour Kit

So you have found out about possible local disasters and have set up a plan. Now you
need to sort out a 72 hour kit for each member of your family – yes I do mean each
including your pets.

Each kit should be kept in one place which is easy to get to and is not likely to get
damaged by water or vermin. Look around the house now and decide with the family
where this should be. (The loft/attic is not a good place as you will not be able to get to
the bags easily. Water is heavy; could your children get them down quickly if you were
not there?)
Whilst you hope to leave your area by car, this may not be possible, so what would you
carry your supplies in? Boxes are easy for storage and to put in the car but a back
pack would be easier to carry. Is there a way of putting the water on a trolley, old pram/
pushchair or wheel barrow so that it is easier to take?
Packing the bags. Yes I know you are an adult and should be able to carry heavier
things but let’s think about this for a moment.
If you put all your food in one bag and the can opener in another and you lose one of
the bags, you will either end up with no food and a can opener or food but no way to
open the cans.
The best way is for everyone to have their own supplies so that if one bag is lost the
others in the group will have things to share.
What to include?
Water – use pre bottled, sealed water containers from the supermarkets. OR water
containers from camping supply shops. Wash, sanitize and rinse before putting in
water from your tap. Tap water should be treated before being stored – ask you local
water supplier or the public health service for details on how to do this for your area.
How to Clean your water bottles.
Wash containers with dish washing soap (washing up liquid).
Sanitize by swishing all the interior surfaces with a solution of one teaspoon of
household chlorine bleach to a quart of water.
Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Change the stored water every six months.
Do not use containers such as milk bottles as they can degrade glass bottles that can
break or any bottles that may have held toxic liquids.
Food – use foods that are easy to prepare. That does not need refrigeration and do not
need cooking. Dry food is lighter to carry but will need more preparation. Use food you
like and eat regularly.
Include multivitamins and mineral supplements to keep your diet as healthy as
possible.
Protein supplements are good as meal replacements on a temporary basis.
If one of your party has a special diet or allergies make sure they are catered for.
Cooking may be difficult when you are on the move but charcoal BBQ’s and camp
stoves are useful to put in your supplies.
Avoid salty food as this will make you drink more.
Storage of food and water- Best to keep things in a cool, dark area out of sunlight.
Remember that basic hygiene is important so wash your hands before food prep or use
alcohol bases gel or wipe in soap and running water is not available. This simple step
is one of the best ways to prevent illness.
Please see the appendices for more food ideas.

General Items
Flashlight
Battery powered or hand crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
Extra batteries
First aid kit
Medications (7day supply) and medical items
Multipurpose tool e.g. Swiss army Knife or Leatherman
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof
of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
Cell phone with chargers
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Emergency blanket
Map(s) of the area
Medical supplies (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes,
cane)
Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
Games and activities for children
Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, and bowl)
Two way radios
Extra set of car keys and house keys
Manual can opener
Whistle
N95 or surgical masks
Matches
Rain gear
Towels
Work gloves
Tools/supplies for securing your home
Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes
Plastic sheeting
Duct tape
Scissors
Household liquid bleach
Entertainment items
Blankets or sleeping bags
A can of fuel to top up your tank in your car. Never let your car get below half full before
filling up so you always have enough fuel to get you out of the evacuation area before
you need to refill. My car does about 600 miles on one tank of fuel which should get us
to a safe area.
If you have children then include one personal toy or object for them to have if all their
other possessions are lost. This will give them something of their own and may reduce
their sense of loss.

As you can see, a 72 hour kit bag contains what in most people’s eyes are common
sense items. It is not there to carry you through a long emergency but if evacuated, it
will help you get to a shelter where emergency supplies are available.
Conclusion

Being prepared for an emergency is the best way to increase your chances of survival.
A 72 hour kit will help you be prepared for the first 3 days after a disaster so that you
can get to safety.
If you want to know more about how to survive for beyond 72 hours, then please look
out for my next book which will cover this in more detail.

Samples of the lists are on the following pages so you can see what you will get before
you download them.
Appendix 1
How to make sure water is safe enough to drink.
These instructions are not for water to be stored for long periods, just for water to be
drunk straight away.
Untreated water can make you very ill as it may contain either water borne diseases or
chemicals which are toxic for humans. Apart from having a bad odor and taste, it can
contain toxic chemicals, heavy metals and germs that cause such diseases as
dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis.

To reduce you risks, follow the regime listed below before drinking outdoor water, using
it in food preparation or for hygiene.

Straining it. Pour the water through paper towels, a clean cloth, or a coffee filter. This
removes any suspended particles.
Boiling it. In a large pot or kettle, bring water to a rolling boil for 1 full minute. Cool it.
To improve its taste before drinking. Pour it back and forth between two clean
containers.
Chlorinating it. Using household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 to 6.0 percent
sodium hypochlorite (read the label) as its only active ingredient, add 16 drops (1/8
teaspoon) per gallon to water in a large pot or kettle. Stir and let stand for 30 minutes.
If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand
another 15 minutes. If it still does not smell of chlorine, find another source of water
and start over.
Distilling it. Fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot's lid so that
the cup will hang right-side-up inside the pot when the lid is upside-down without
dangling into the water. Boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid
into the cup is distilled.
None of these methods is perfect. The best solution is to use all of them. Boiling and
chlorination will kill most microbes but will not remove other contaminants, such as
heavy metals, salts and most other chemicals. Distillation will kill or remove most of
any remaining contaminates.
Appendix 2
Check Lists
I have prepared the following check lists so that you can get on with preparing you 72
hour kit. Please feel free to add to the lists, but remember, you may have to carry it on
your back.
The kit is so that you can survive the first 72 hours after a disaster – during this time
you should have reached safety or been rescued. For longer periods, please read my
next book
Survival Kit – which will be out soon.

I prefer to have lists I can scribble on so I have made a download file which you have
my permission to download and use.
Download URL
https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/72%20hour%20Survival%20Check%20Lists.pdf?
w=AAAesH81UHdcB7pHYtyHG7SsTivp1mvBlomw5-u1Gk9Kpg
Check Lists
WATER
GENERAL 1
GENERAL 2
GENERAL 3
GENERAL 4
FOOD USE IN 6 MONTHS
FOOD USE IN 12 MONTHS
FOOD INDEFINITE STORAGE
SPARE FOOD SHEET
STORE CUPBOARD FOODS
DOCUMENTS
CAR LIST
CAR WINTER
CAR SUMMER
Thank You

Before you go, I would like to say “thank you” for purchasing this
book.
I realize there are so many other books you could have picked
from the Kindle publishing section of Amazon. I hope you are
happy with your choice and your children enjoy it.
Once again, a big thank you for downloading and reading it to
the end.
“If” you like this book then I need your help!
Please could you take a few minutes to review this book on
Amazon at

This will take you to the book page. Scroll down and hit the “Write a
customer review” button.
This feedback will help me write the kind of books you like and
will encourage me to write more often.
Check List Downloads

If you would like a copy of the check lists I have made a PDF file
for you to download. Just follow the link below.

https://dl-
web.dropbox.com/get/72%20hour%20Survival%20Check%20Lists.
pdf?w=AAAesH81UHdcB7pHYtyHG7SsTivp1mvBlomw5-
u1Gk9Kpg
References

http://emergency.cdc.gov – Emergency information and kit idea.

http://www.redcross.org – First Aid Information and Kits

http://en.wikipedia.org

http://www.fema.gov/

http://ezinearticles.com/?Survival-Kit-Ideas&id=7557385

http://ezinearticles.com/?2012-Survival-Tips---Assembling-Your-Survival-Kit&id=7225918

http://ezinearticles.com/?Homemade-Survival-Kit&id=1444702

http://ezinearticles.com/?Power-Outage-Survival-Kit&id=1058681

http://ezinearticles.com/?Building-a-Survival-Kit&id=4523517

http://ezinearticles.com/?Survival-Kit---Everyone-Should-Own-One&id=3621053

http://ezinearticles.com/?Build-A-Basic-3-Day-Survival-Kit&id=5328464

http://ezinearticles.com/?Disaster-Survival-Kits:-Keeping-Yourself-and-Your-Family-Prepared&id=7112335

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Make-A-72-Hour-Survival-Kit-For-Emergency-Preparedness&id=6998945

Cover Images urls

http://readywisconsin.wi.gov/tornado/tornado_myths_facts.asp

http://www.arlingtonva.us/portals/topics/page74482.aspx Blizzard

http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fmt/contest/2004-secondwinners.html

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080122_warmeroceans.html
 About the Author
Farley Pitton lives in France with his family and pets.
Although he doesn’t live in an area which suffers from disasters such as earthquakes
and hurricanes, he does suffer from power outages (cuts) which have been known to
last for more than a week.
After the last one, he has searched extensively for information to make the next power
outage (cuts) to be less stressful.
This book is based on his initial findings.
Farley Pitton is now working on his next book which will help those of us whose
disaster lasts more than 72 hours or who are unable to evacuate.
Other Books By This Author

Coming Soon are the next two books in the series

Survival Kit – what to have if you need to survive for longer than 72 hours.
And
Zombie Survival Kit – a comic strip story for teenagers so that they can understand and
help you.
 Table of Contents
Disclaimer
What is a 72 hour kit?
Why have a 72 hour kit?
Family Disaster Plan
72 Hour Kit
Conclusion
Appendix 1
How to make sure water is safe enough to drink.
Appendix 2
Check Lists
Check Lists
Thank You
Check List Downloads
References
About the Author
Other Books By This Author