Common Craft Blog
New Video: Preparing an Emergency Kit in Plain English
By leelefever on May 26, 2009 - 12:11pm
Today we published a new video called "Preparing an Emergency Kit in Plain English." 
This video represents a new kind of relationship for Common Craft. A while back, we were contacted by Public Safety Canada (PSC) about this subject and we saw a couple of opportunities. First, we could work on a video that has the potential to have a positive impact. Second, we saw an opportunity for a win-win in terms of the video's ownership - something we call a hybrid relationship.
Emergency kits are a widely accepted part of emergency preparedness and most agree on what a kit should contain. The opportunity we saw was to work with PSC to create an emergency kit video that would fit their needs and give us an opportunity to offer a similar video for licensing on commoncraft.com. So, PSC received a video built for their Canadian audience and we have a video with versions appropriate for our American audience. We see this as a win-win and enjoyed working with PSC to make it happen.
This video offers governments and organizations focusing on emergency preparedness a quick and effective way to help citizens get started on building their kits. It can be licensed and branded for use in training and education, or on public facing websites.
Readiness and Rotation
Great video, useful and timely. Its message is very similar to official recommendations in earthquake-prone Japan, as utilities may fail and emergency relief by authorities can take days until roads are cleared. Stores sell mini-kits for most basic necessities, often including a helmet and gloves. I would add a cook stove and fuel, and clothes for the season.
What I would like to see more prominent in the video is the message that when it strikes, all you will have during the emergency is all you got before the emergency.
And plan for an annual review and replacement of the stored supplies. All too often life goes on, you do not need the kit for many years, and when you need it, important supplies and batteries have expired. In Japan, September 1 is a national emergency drill day and the recurring occasion to rotate the supplies.
Other items for the emergency kit
Besides the obvious items and clothing addressed in the emergency kit, I would suggest some steel toe boots or a good pair of military quality boot, and some firearms and ammunition. Since an emergency is often times not just a "natural event", preparing for the possibility of civil unrest after a major natural event, or , God forbid, terrorism or war would add safe footwear and an "equalizer" if some malcontent wishes to separate you from your family or supplies.
It's a matter of self
It's a matter of self reliance and protection. Safety must be prioritized. Emergencies are everywhere, it's pretty wise when you have all the things to manage during that situation. Thanks for the video, it helps a lot.
Handyman in Minneapolis
Great Blog
Great blog.Thanks a lot.
fire?
What if it's cold? You may not be able to use the heater. It might be necessary to start a fire in the fireplace, or an outside fire-pit (makeshift or otherwise) Magnesium fire starters, and/or firesteels are great for that, and they're easy to transport and store.
Finally Someone Expanded on This Concept
I remember very distinctly that people started talking about emergency kits after 9/11 and I'd never heard about it before then. It faded out but came back with a vengeance after hurricane Katrina.
Reporters have been bringing up the importance of having an emergency kit again and again. It's almost a "popular" type of thing...like "going green".
I always filed it in the back of my mind and never bothered to ask what actually went into one of these emergency preparedness kits. The video made it killer simple to understand how to put one of these together.
I especially like how you hinted on that these "kits" are probably not small but will be the size of a suitcase (or two) that will need wheels because it's so heavy. Well done.
- Brian Kurtz
Very practical advice
I appreciate the comprehensive video with very practical tips. Here in Northeast Boston area, we had a nasty blizzard after Christmas 2006 that left us without power for 7 days. Since we're on well water, the pump wasn't working and we had no water source either. Well, that was enough of a taste of an emergency for me to follow up on your video. We really take so much for granted with conveniences that make me realize how unprepared we really are for an emergency.
Thanks Again George
I feel the same way about disco as I do about mouth herpes
Great & Practical
We usually have an emergency kit on our car. Few years ago, my family and I was on a very hard accident on a road, the emergency kit save a child life until the ambulance arrives, since then I never leave my house without it. Your video show me some useful articles to add to my standard kit. Thanks!
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