72 Hours Kits

Over conference weekend I decided it was time to update our 72 hours kits. The last time I updated them was before I had Mallory so it was a little more of a process this time and I wish I had stuck to my schedule of going through them and updating them every six months.
Conference is a perfect time because it comes every six months. I like to watch the between conference broadcasts as I sort and pack.
As I updated them I thought I would take pictures and share them in case any one was looking for ideas on making their own.

Kody came home from a ski sale one year with tow large packs. I couldn't understand why he bought them (we don't ski a ton) until he explained he thought they might be good for our 72 hour kits! What a good husband!

I like these packs because we can pack a lot into them (lots of room and pockets) and they are still relatively comfortable to carry on your back. I think for your adult packs you should definitely look into some nice bags (there are probably pack more specific for hiking that would work great too) because you will be hauling the majority of the items. I hope that in an emergency I could drive out but I am prepared for the worst case scenario of walking to wherever I need to get to.

In each of our packs we have mess kit with silverware, medical masks, ponchos, work gloves, paper and writing utensil, safety pins, lighters, radio, glow sticks,money small first aid kit, garbage bag, and a Leatherman (plyers, knives, screwdriver, etc.). We also have a sleeping bag that attaches to the tops of our packs.

The radio has a light as well and is operated by a crank so it doesn't need batteries. I have $50 in each kit: a $20 dollar bill, $10, $5, and twelve $1's...as well as three dollars in quarters. In a disaster you may not be able to use a credit card so I have enough total to rent a hotel room or buy gas and enough small bills to buy food items if needed. The quarters in case I need to use a pay phone to make a call.


We also have a change of clothes complete with underwear. For my kit I have some stretch pant, short sleeve large shirt and sweat shirt. Sweats are the best because you can fluctuate in weight (or be pregnant) and they will still work.

I also pack a hat, filtered water bottle, feminine hygiene, toilet paper, bathroom kit, and some water.

One thing I have learned is if you pack everything on the lists it will be way too heavy so instead of packing three days worth of water I pack one large bottle of water and the new filtered water bottle that you get through the church distribution center. They filter up to 100 gallons of water with powerful filters so you could literally go to the gutter and put in some water and it would be safe to drink. So we each have one (including the girls) in our packs so we don't have to carry as much water.

In the bathroom kit is combs, small soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, kleenex, washcloth, wipes, hand sanitizer, floss, sewing kit, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant.Kody's kit has contact solution, an old pair of eyeglasses, matches, a pair of contacts, allergy medication, and iodine tablets. We also put in a bottle of ibuprophen. If you have any specific medication you take try to get come to put in you pack.
Also Kody has a hand crank flashlight but now radio. Put the most valuable things in the mom's pack because if dad is home his is extra but hers has to support the family if dad is at work when the emergency occurs.
Food and water are the heaviest things in you pack so over the years I have tried to find things that have the lightest packaging but won't expire quickly. I get food that doesn't expire for at least a year (the candy and snack items go much longer) so I only have to buy food to rotate once a year. When we pull the soon to expire food out we still eat it so nothing goes to waste.
I planned out daily what we were going to eat and it is the bare minimum to survive for 3 days.
Here is "mom and dad's" food and our daily menu:

Day 1
Breakfast:Granola Bar & Fruit Snack
Snack: Twinkie & Snickers
Lunch:Soup
Snack: Trail Mix
Dinner: Lasagna & Green Beans
Drink: koolaid drink mix
Day 2
Breakfast:Granola Bar & Fruit Cup
Snack: Peanuts
Lunch:Soup
Snack: Trail Mix
Dinner: Baked Beans & Corn
Drink: koolaid drink mix
Day 3
Breakfast:Granola Bar & Fruit cup
Snack: Twinkie & Snickers
Lunch:Peanut Butter & Trail Mix
Snack: Jerkey
Dinner: Tuna & Mashed Potatoes
Drink: koolaid drink mix

Also after taking these pictures I made two copies of all of our important papers :birth certificates, social security cards, titles to our vehicles and four wheelers, and marriage license to put in a ziploc bag and put in each of the adult pack's.

I also have Mallory's (my 17 month old) stuff in my pack as well. Diapers, wipes, bathroom kit, children's and infants tylenol, change of clothes, gloves, hat, emergency blanket, and her food which consists of fruit cups, pudding, goldfish, and candy.


Each of the girls have a backpack with their stuff. Gloves, hats, change of clothes, flashlight, and a few "comfort items" like a coloring book, crayons, book and small animals. I also printed off some pictures of our family and a picture of Jesus to put in their packs as well.
It's difficult to find a pair of clothing that fits , that you don't want to use for 6 months to a year to put in their packs. You could buy some cheap clothes at DI or thrift store but also think about clothes that are stained or maybe outdated. In an emergency you won't care about the stain you will just want a clean change of clothes for your kids!
1st aid kit, whistle, bathroom kit, emergency blanket, poncho, and medicine for stings and bites. I think it's important they carry some of their own stuff with them in case we are seperated. I also put money ($25 dollars in small bills and some quarters) in their bags. We also have a page with their names, birthdate, our adress, phone number, cell phones and emergencey contacts in a ziploc bag in their packs. I choose two in-state contacts (one south, and one north of where we live) and two out of state contacts in case the emergency is state wide and phone service are off line.
The girls good is also divided into days (and I have printed off the eating schedule for their and our packs).
Day 1
Breakfast:Granola Bar & Fruit Cup
Snack:Fruit snack
Lunch:Soup
Snack: Starburst & Snickers
Dinner: Spaghetti O's, Green Beans
Drink:drink Mix
Day 2
Breakfast:Granola Bar & Peanut Butter
Snack:Gummi Bears
Lunch:Soup
Snack: Gummi Bears
Dinner: Mashed Potatoes & Corn
Drink:drink Mix
Day 3
Breakfast:Pudding & Fruit Cup
Snack:Peanuts
Lunch:Soup
Snack: Twinkie
Dinner: Beanie Weenies
Drink:drink Mix

I only pack food I am sure my kids will eat (ex. my kids don't like oatmeal so we don't pack that)

We've also in the past packed applesauce, yogurt covered raisins, and fruit pieces. Fruit leather would also be a great idea. Strip everything down out of it's packaging. If you are worried about it leaking (like the applesauce) put it in a ziploc bag.

Our 72 hour kits are stored in our upstairs coat closet by the door so we could grab and go. It is the bare essentials to make it for 72 hours. There is so much more you could add but again the weight will get you.

If I am able to drive out I have a large first aid kit, one burner stove with butane, and another small tote that I would throw in the car.

The tote has: latex gloves, masks, emergency candle, maps of the area, tarp, tarp tent, rope, emergency shovel, hatchet, emergency whistles with compasses, flashlights, batteries, duct tape, more diapers, MRE's, emergency blanket, heat packs, powdered milk, lots of water and gatorade.

It may seem a little "doomsday-ish" to some but it makes me feel better to be prepared. My husband is at work a lot so I want to feel confident I could take care of my girls if I needed to. We had two refinery explosions in our neighborhood last year so the threat of evacuation or emergency is real!

I think of Hurricane Katrina and all those people in the New Orlean's Super dome. How much easier would life have been with a 72 hour kit!

If you have any questions or would like to share some tips/ideas with me I would love to hear from you!