Emergency Supplies Kit
Prepare yourself and your family for a minimum of three days.
Due to time required to move relief support, the overwhelming need and disruption of roads and bridges, assistance from emergency services may not be available for up to 72 hours following a major disaster.
It's never too early to prepare for a disaster.
Disasters seldom give warning and are often devastating to their victims. Some people only prepare for Hurricane Season, but its always Earthquake Season in Charleston.
Keep informed.
Emergency Management officials in the Lowcountry work with local, state and national weather officials and the media to keep residents informed of the best ways to prepare or respond during a disaster situation. The purchase of a Weather Alert Radio for your home and place of employment can help you remain informed of changing conditions.
Storing your Kit.
Choose a location to store your kit where it is cool and dark, such as a closet or "safety corner" in the garage. If you live in an apartment or have limited space, be innovative. Other possible storage locations include under the bed, under stairways or even a large box or plastic tub that can be covered with a table cloth and used as an end table.
Layer and monitor supplies.
Layer supplies and keep them together in a container such as a plastic garbage can with wheels. Check the items every 6 months for expiration dates, changes in your children's clothing sizes and weather requirements. A good way to remember to inspect your kit is to do it when you set clocks back and change your smoke detector batteries.
Use what you have.
Start with what you already have and prepare as if you are going camping for three days in the mountains with no facilities. If you're a camper you've got a head start; camping supplies, tent, camp stove and water jugs, can double as emergency supplies.
