72 Hour Kits

I was watching CNN this morning speaking about the hurricane that just hit Texas. They said that 4 million people are without electricity. They mentioned that when Katrina hit some didn't get their power back on for 3 or 4 weeks.
I heard the frustration in the leaders voices about the people not evacuating and now they have to spend there time rescuing people.
He also mentioned the fact that FEMA has told ALL Americans to have 72 hours worth of bottled water and food in their homes. He said that Salvation Army and the Red Cross and the government cannot do everything for everyone.
To me it is common sense to have this on hand. We see everyday somewhere in the country catastrophes happening. We need to do our part to help ourselves.

My mother made these kits at her church. These are 72 hour kits. If you have one of these for each person in your family, 2 liters of water, and cash tucked away, you can rest at ease.
(Click on the picture to see them up close)
This is what is in the containers.
Day 1
2 granola bars
1 juice box
1 pkg soup mix
1 pkg crackers (peanut butter or cheese)
1 beef jerky
1 pkg. ramen noodles
1 pkg cocoa mix
5 pcs candy
3 pcs gum
1 fruit roll up
Day 2
2 pkg.oatmeal
1 pkg cocoa
1 beef jerky
1 pudding cup
1 can soup
1 pkg crackers (peanut butter or cheese)
1 fruit roll up
5 pcs candy
3 pcs gum
1 pkg peanuts
Day 3
2 pkg oatmeal
1 pkg cocoa mix
1 beef jerky
1 pudding cup
1 can soup
1 pkg crackers (peanut butter or cheese)
1 fruit roll up
5 pcs candy
3 pcs gum
1 pkg peanuts

My daughter, her husband and baby were in Oahu, Hawaii when an earthquake hit on the Big Island. She heard about it on the radio. At the time I was speaking to her no one knew if it was going to turn into a tsunami.
She was very nervous because they had moved from one apartment and was heading to another. She had thrown away a lot of food and hadn't had much in the refrigerator because she didn't want to move it. They had only $17.00 cash and all the stores were closed and the power was out. The gas pumps didn't work and they could only pay with cash because the credit card machines didn't work.
She had a cell that could be charged with the car so I could talk to her, but not help. She bought junk food at a gas station and was very worried about the baby with not much formula.
If she had these little kits, the water and cash she wouldn't have been so panicked.
Lucky for them the power was restored in about 24 hours. She and I learned a valuable lesson to be ready in case of unexpected emergencies.