72 Hour Kit - Articles & Videos

13 Survival Must-Haves You May Not Have Thought Of

January 5, 2020 January 5, 2020 / 119 Comments

I’ve read dozens, and I mean dozens, of lists telling me everything I need to have with me to survive. Usually there are no surprises. This list of 13 survival must-haves has some genius suggestions for items your emergency kit might be missing. I know a flashlight, pocket knife, and water are essential for my survival or emergency kit, but every now and then I come across some unusual piece of equipment that are brilliant but that I never would …

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36 Lessons Learned From Testing a 72-Hour Kit

May 30, 2019 June 11, 2020 / 77 Comments

Over the last two months, on two separate occasions, I had the opportunity to test my 72-hour kit. Yes, these tests were intentional. Testing a 72 Hour Kit…Why? My background is one of preparedness. In the military, we made casualty response plans, then tested those plans. We called them “drills.” Now, in my post-military life, I’m CERT-trained, and FEMA IS-22 certified and both deal extensively with emergency response and preparation. I’ve noticed many web sites that promote preparedness do not …

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A Four-Seasons Emergency Plan: Summer Survival

May 24, 2019 May 28, 2020 / 22 Comments

Not long ago I was feeling pretty good about my food storage and other preps, perhaps even a bit smug, until someone asked, “Are you stocked up on potassium iodide tablets?” “What??” was my incredulous response. After some research, I discovered a significant gap in all my survival preparation. I had not considered how my family would survive a nuclear blast. How foolish of me to overlook that contingency! The truth is that it’s impossible to prepare for every possible scenario. …

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Three Layers of 72 Hour Preparedness

December 17, 2017 May 29, 2020 / 18 Comments

The first 72 hours following any disaster are the most critical, but it’s also during those intial hours that emergency services and personnel are stretched to the limit. With a system of carefully planned 72 Hour Kits, your family can be self-sufficient until help arrives. A 72 Hour Kit is one of those handy-dandy, all-in-one grab bags that, theoretically, could keep you and your family in good shape during a three day emergency. How well they do their job depends on …

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Don’t Leave Home Without It: The Vehicle 72-Hour Kit

November 1, 2017 May 28, 2020 / 53 Comments

Soccer moms, football moms, cheerleading moms, whatever they call us, “chauffeur” better describes what we, Survival Moms, do every day. In my world, it’s not unusual to have a kid’s dentist appointment, a field trip, and a swim meet all on the same day, transported by our trusty Tahoe. Now, if that Tahoe ever broke down or for some reason we couldn’t get home as planned, what would we do? My answer is the Vehicle 72 Hour Kit, or Emergency …

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Comparing Emergency Ration Bars

October 23, 2016 May 30, 2020 / 15 Comments

If you’ve explored survivalist and prepper circles for any amount of time, you’ve probably seen those emergency ration bar thingies packaged in mylar. These bars are made by several different companies. They are all slightly different but are usually composed of some combination of flour, shortening, and added vitamins and electrolytes. Recently my dad had this cool idea for our family to do a taste test on as many different brands as we could, to see which one was the …

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Seven Things I Wish I Had Known When I Began Prepping

July 2, 2016 May 30, 2020 / 4 Comments

Have you gotten bit by the prepper bug? Millions all over the world now consider themselves to be preppers, and there are handbooks, such as this one, that provide step-by-step survival instructions for families. I bet you’ve spent hours on the internet searching for the ultimate solar radio, the most comprehensive food storage inventory list or maybe which water filtration system to use. We have all been there, usually late at night by the warm glow of the computer screen. …

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How to Prep Your Kids For Emergencies: Supplies

March 31, 2016 May 28, 2020 / 5 Comments

Being a parent means that your kids are the very first things you worry about. Doubly so when it comes to prepping your kids for emergency situations. Our first thoughts in any emergency are for our children; we want them to be healthy, safe, and not scared. That seems like it could be a tall order in the face of a scary emergency. READ MORE: “Are Your Kids Equipped to Handle These 7 Scary Scenarios?“ The truth is, having a child …

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10 Survival Uses for Zip Ties

June 13, 2014 May 28, 2020 / 30 Comments

Zip ties are handy little tools that can be used in pretty much any situation. In a way, they are kind of like duct tape in that the possible uses are infinite. Their strength and holding power are impressive, even in the smaller sizes. Originally called cable ties, the modern zip tie is made out of plastic. Original cable ties were used to, you guessed it, tie bundles of cables together. Nowadays, they are found in emergency kits, bug out …

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A Non-Traditional Take on the Bug-Out Bag, Part 2

July 13, 2012 June 11, 2020 / 25 Comments

Guest post by J.E. See Part 1 of his article here. Most disasters and emergencies send us to the homes of friends, family, or motel/hotel rooms to, “weather the storm.” This might be for a few days, weeks, months, even years. Most of the time we aren’t running into the woods or into the outback to, “camp,” our way back to better times. Yes, we need to be ready to rough-it in the wilderness, but I would argue that we …

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