What You Should Have in Your Car Emergency Kit

Thanks for visiting my article on auto emergency and roadside assistance kits. In essence, your car is going to break down - someday, somehow, someway, it's going to die on you, and not at a convenient place or time! With that in mind, there are certain essentials that you need to have in your car at all times. These items will form the basis of your auto emergency kit. That said, let's take a look at what you'll need.

(Also, please be sure to visit my hubs on Home Emergency Kits and Best Emergency Power Generators. Like emergency kits for your car, these are must-have essentials not in case something goes wrong, but when it does.)

Video:  Basic Vehicle Emergency Kit

Jumper Cables (aka Booster Cables)



In all honesty, I do not know how people can drive around without jumper cables in their car. It is a basic item that either you - or someone you know - will need at some point. Moreover, you look like an absolute putz when you're stalled on the side of the road and someone pulls over to help you, and you don't have jumper cables. Your would-be rescuer won't be able to help you, but as the old saying goes, "Heaven helps those who help themselves." Jumper cables are an absolute must, and - like insurance - it's practically irresponsible to drive around without them.

In addition, if you want to be incredibly self-reliant, it probably wouldn't hurt to have a jump starter in your emergency kit as well. These are usually powered by a rechargeable battery and can hold a charge for months. (In short, with a jump starter, you wouldn't even need the assistance of another car.) In my opinion, these are incredibly useful and well worth the cost of having at your fingertips when the time comes.


Gas Can


This is another indispensible item that you should have in your auto emergency kit. Running out of gas is something that has happened to almost everyone, and it's not a fun experience (although it's usually memorable). Even if you fill up every time your gas gauge reaches the halfway mark, having a gas can is essential. For instance, you may not personally need it, but maybe your teenager runs out of gas the first time you let them stay out driving past curfew. Or maybe your elderly mother's eyes are going bad and she misread the gauge and thought she had a full tank, so now you have to go get her. In brief, you've got to see the big picture, and right now that includes having a gas can in your roadside assistance and emergency kit.

Tire Repair: Sealants, Quick-Fixes and Air Compressors


Like running out of gas, almost everyone gets to experience a flat tire at least once in their driving life. There is almost nothing worse than leaving the office after a hard day's work - wanting nothing more than to get home and relax - only to find your tire rim practically resting on the ground when you reach your car.

Fortunately, there are products on the market that can help with this and have you up and running in minutes. There are lots of quick-fixes for flat tires, like Quick Spair and Fix-A-Flat, that can offer a short term solution until you get the tire patched. Likewise, a portable compressor can fill your tire with air again in a jiffy. Finally, if you have a slow leak, you can use a sealant to fix it. (Sometimes, using a sealant will resolve the issue and keep you from needing the have the tire patched at all.) And as stated, all of these can have you mobile again in no time.


Food and Water

Not all vehicle breakdowns will occur in balmy weather, populated areas or hospitable environments. You may find yourself stranded in a snowstorm 10 miles from the nearest town. Thus, just because we're talking about your vehicle, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't have the basic necessities of life on hand - namely, food and water.

Fortunately, you can find all kinds of emergency rations out there in the marketplace, and most of them have extremely long shelf lives - usually 5-to-7 years. Thus, you shouldn't have any issues finding rations to stock your emergency kit with. (You might want to lean towards food bars. They are usually fairly compact, and come loaded with enough calories to get you through some rough times.)

Even more than food, you'll want to have some emergency water handy. While a healthy person can actually go up to 8 weeks without food, the length of time they can go without water is considerably shorter: 3-5 days!. With that in mind, your auto emergency kit should absolutely have water in it.


Weather Gear: Ponchos, Thermal Blankets, etc.



In addition to the items mentioned above, there are some other products that are just good, practical items to have at hand. All-weather ponchos, for instance. Anyone who has ever had to change a flat or peek under the hood in the middle of a pounding thunderstrom will tell you that some type of all-weather covering would have been great.

Similarly, thermal blankets, hand warmers, and the like are items you might want to have at your disposal. (In fact, the thermal blankets shown are the #1 seller in three Amazon categories - two of them emergency-related.) I had a good friend years ago whose vehicle was always breaking down; I got stranded with him in snowstorms on no less than two occasions, and I would have given a pound of flesh, blood and bone for a thermal blanket each time.


Let There be Light: Flashlights, Light Sticks, etc.


Last but not least, every emergency kit of every type has to have a light source, for reasons that are intuitively understood and don't need an explanation. Flashlights are, of course, a necessity, but light sticks can be good for attracting attention, since some fo them can be seen up to a mile away.

(If you've ever been on a dark road at night with no streetlights, you'll have a full understanding and appreciation of why this one is so important. Most of us are so used to being in areas that are illuminated that we have no true idea of just how dark it can get at night.)


Car Emergency/Roadside Assistance Kits


Up to this point, we have been discussing car emergency kits from the standpoint of putting one together yourself. (Getting a gas can, a flashlight, emergency rations, and so on.) Of course, it may be simpler and easier just to buy one off the shelf. These are kits that come prepackaged with most (if not all) of the essentials mentioned above and more. In addition, there's the sheer convenience that comes from simply buying it all in one lump-sum package as opposed to assembling your car emergency kit piecemeal.

The long and short of it, however, is that there are many ways of putting together a car emergency or roadside assistance kit. But how you put it together isn't particularly important. The most important thing is simply that you have one.

What You Should Have in Your Home Emergency Kit

Thanks for visiting my article on home emergency kits. Whether it's an extended power outage or a natural disaster like an earthquake, you should always be prepared at some level for an emergency. To that end, everyone needs to have a home emergency kit for those occasions when disaster strikes. Whether you choose to put it together yourself or just buy one outright, you need to have it. That said, let's take a look at some of the basic items you should have in it.

(Also, please visit my articless on Car Emergency Kits and Best Emergency Power Generators.)

The First Item in Your Emergency Kit: Water

Unless they're involved in some physical activity that causes them to become dehydrated (like sports), people are often more concerned with addressing hunger rather than thirst. If only they knew: a healthy human being can actually survive for about 8 weeks without food. And without water? 3-5 days!!!

That being the case, water is numero uno in terms of items needed for your emergency kit. It is an absolute must-have, without excetion. If putting together your own kit, feel free to use bottled water, although emergency water packs - being more flexible and more compact - might be a better option.


Emergency Rations (aka Food)

As stated above, food isn't essential for survival in the short term, but it will certainly help to keep you comfortable during whatever crisis has arisen. However, you'll have to remember that the food needs to last, so rationing may have to become part of your overall strategy. You can't simply eat your fill.

If you're looking to stock your kit with items you might already have, you could utilize products with a long shelf life, like beef jerky. Other options include snack bars or protein bars. Or you could opt to buy an emergency meal kit like that pictured, which has a shelf life of seven years.

First Aid



I know, I know: most of us already have some type of first aid kit at home. However, the point of having an emergency kit is that it's for emergencies. In other words, while your regular first aid kit is used on a regular basis for everyday scrapes and boo-boos, the emergency first aid kit is set aside and not used until there's an actual emergency. The last thing you want is to have an emergency situation in which you need first aid supplies, but find that you're all out because the kit you had was doing double-duty as both the everyday first aid kit and the emergency kit. It's far better to have a separate kit that is just for emergencies.

That said, there's the question of what should go in it. Here, you don't have to be particularly extravagant in terms of supplies. You'll want some alcohol pads for disinfecting, band-aids of a few varying sizes, and medication for various pains and ills (e.g., Tylenol). There's probably more you can have, but these are certainly the basics items. And again, if you don't desire to pull this stuff together from current items you have at home, you can always just buy a kit.

Flashlight and Candles



We live in a world that is rarely ever completely devoid of light. At night there are streetlamps, neon signs, well-lit advertisements, etc. Thus, very few of us realize just how dark it really gets at night when there's no artificial light. That being the case, you need to have a light source in your emergency kit.

First and foremost, you should have a flashlight. This will be your most powerful light source, but to keep from running it down you should also have other items in the artificial light category, including candles, light sticks (some of which can be seen a mile away for those occasions when you are stranded), and of course matches.

(FYI: the candle pictured is a 100-hour emergency candle. Not only will it last more than four days - which is quite likely more than any emergency will last - but it is also smokeless and odorless.)

Video: 72-Hour Emergency Supply Kit

Radio and Generator

We've covered most of the basics here, but there is at least one other thing you'll desperately need during any emergency: intel.

In short, you'll need to know what's going on, what the authorities are doing, how much longer you'll be on your own, etc. Thus, you'll need an emergency radio - either battery or solar-powered - since we are planning for an emergency in which there is no electricity.

Speaking of electricity, you may be in a situation where it is dangerous to go without it for an extended time (e.g., after an ice storm knocks out power lines). Thus, it may make sense to have a generator on hand. You can purchase either battery-powered or gas-powered generators. (Of course, with battery-powered/electric generators, you'll have to make sure they're charged before your electricity goes out. In fact, it's probably a good idea simply to keep them charged, in case of emergency...)

Conclusion and Store-Bought Emergency Kits


In retrospect, you should always have an emergency kit prepared in order to deal with any adverse situation that arises. Moreover, there are several items that should always be part of such a kit, and I've tried to touch on the most essential ones here. Needless to say, there are plenty of other items that you could incorporate into your kit: thermal blankets, hand wamers, all-weather ponchos, etc.

With that in mind, many find it easier to simply buy a ready-made kit that already has everything they require inside. Should that appeal to you, just remember that there are many diufferent types of emergency kits on the market, so simply make sure that any kit you buy will adequately fulfill your needs.

Best Emergency Power Generators and Batteries: You Got the Juice?

Don't Have an Emergency Generator? You Need One

Thanks for visiting my article on emergency generators. The subject matter here is very much in line with that discussed in my articles on Home Emergency Kits and Car Emergency Kits.

Typically, in an emergency situation, one of the first things to go is eletrical power. Unfortunately, we as a society have grown dependent on electricity to an extraordinary degree, so having another source of power during an emergency is paramount. Fortunately, power generators are pretty common these days, so it's merely a matter of finding one that suits your needs. Generally speaking, there are two different types of generators: battery-powered and gas-powered.

Emergency Power: Portable, Solar and Hand Cranked

Battery-Powered Emergency Generators

Battery-powered generators or "power packs", as the name suggests, tend to run off of a battery. In most instances, these devices can hold a charge for months, and can be recharged merely by plugging them into a standard electrical outlet. There are various brands and models to choose from, including the following:

Webetop Portable Generator

This  model  comes with both AC and DC outputs, 110 V AC outlet, USB ports and includes a built-in flashlight. It can be charged with a solar panel and runs a vast array of appliances, including TVs, laptops and more.






Schumacher XP2260 Portable Power Source

An ideal solution for power outages, dead batteries, etc. In addition to jump-starting car batteries, it has AC and DC outlets for powering household appliances, cell phones and much more. (It even comes with an air compressor.)





Aeiusny UPS Backup Battery

Like many other power packs, the Aeiusny UPS Backup Battery comes with AC and DC outlets, a flashlight, jumper cables and more. Thus, as expected, it can run varius tools and devices away from traditional power sources like a wall socket. Moreover, it has a rechargeable battery that can be powered up via any standard household electrical outlet or by solar panel.

It does a great job of powering items like likes and computers, as well as recharging mobile devices like cell phones, iPods, what have you. (Needless to say, it also does wonders in term sof jump-starting vehicles.) Moreover, it weighs in roughly at a paltry seven pounds.

Gas-Powered Generators

One thing you'll notice right away with respect to the difference between power packs and gas-powered generators is that the latter are clearly larger and more powerful. Gas-powered generators are what you'll really want in terms of powering big appliances like refrigerators, freezers and more.

WEN 3,000 Watt 4-Cycle Gas-Powered Portable Generator

This generator will provide excellent emergency power for the home or office.  Most customers are impressed with its ability to simultaneously run multiple items (e.g., refrigerator, computer, television, etc.) during power outages. Other benefits are that its easy assembly, and the fact that it is relatively quiet compared to most other gas-powered generators.

DuroStar DS4000S Gas-Powered Portable Generator

This is another powerful generator that seems to have no problem powering large appliances:  Items noted as being powered by this generator (usually in the wake of a natural disaster, like a snowstorm, hurricane or tornado) include air conditioners, refigerators/freezers and more.

Champion 3800-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Generator

Like many of its peers, this generator is able power a wide variety of appliances - e.g., refrigerator, lights, televisions, computers, sump pumps, etc. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, it seems that whether you wish to go with a power pack or gas-powered generator should really depend on its expected use. While it is clear that power packs can indeed power appliances and the like, they are probably better utilized for smaller jobs or short-term tasks like jump-starting vehicles or charging mobile devices. (It's probably not a bad idea to keep a power pack as part of your home or car emergency kit.) For long-term, extended use, you will probbaly want the more powerful gas-powered generator, as these have a lot of juice and can keep you living in a somewhat "civiized" state during an outage - with air conditioning (or heat), television, computers, etc. - until power is restored.