Emergency items we should all have in our homes
By Tom Pearson
6 months ago
Fire Extinguisher
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A fire extinguisher is a crucial thing to have in the home, and you should keep in on an easily accessible and visible kitchen side. Having a fire extinguisher handy can turn a small kitchen mistake from a major catastrophe into a nothing situation.First Aid Kit
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As the old saying goes, health and safety first, first aid last. In an ideal world, you wouldn't ever have the need for a first aid kit, but you should have one on hand just in case. Ensure that it is well stocked up and any items you use get replenished quickly.Candles
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In the case of a power cut, you can't always rely on a battery powered or rechargeable torch or camping light to illuminate your home. Having a good supply of non scented candles is great for keeping areas well lit and even helps keep the house a little warmer.Batteries
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A lot of household appliances are now battery powered rather than needing to be plugged straight into the mains power. Keep a stash of batteries in all different sizes secure in a plastic container. This keeps them protected, and protects your other belongings.Wind Up Radio
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If the worse comes to worse, then you will need some way of having at least a little bit of contact with the outside world. The most reliable media source (in terms of accessibility) is a radio. A wind up radio needs no power source other than you, so will always work.Spare Glasses
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If you need glasses for everyday life, then get yourself a spare pair. You could either buy a cheaper pair to keep just in case, or keep your old pair somewhere safe. They might not be the best prescription any more, but they are better than nothing.Phone Charger
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Most of us now have some form of mobile phone, even if it is not the latest model of smart touchscreen phone. You should make sure that you have at least two chargers which fit your make and model of phone. One as a main charger, and a spare just in case.List Of Useful Phone Numbers
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Thanks to modern mobile phones, the address book is really a relic of the past. You tend to keep all of your most used and useful numbers saved in your phone, but make a paper copy of your doctor, friends, family and other important phone numbers you could need.Torch
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In the event of a power cut, you will need a torch to do a number of things. A good, powerful and most importantly reliable torch also comes in handy for emergency repairs that you might need to do in the middle of the night or tight, poorly lit spaces.Tinned Food
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In an emergency situation, having a well stocked cupboard full of tinned food can genuinely be the difference between life and death. Granted, tinned food does not taste as good as fresh, but it lasts so much longer and can be stored without a refrigerator.Matches
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In times of extreme emergency, a fire really can become a lifeline. In order to quickly and easily light a fire, so good quality, and if possible windproof, matches come in very handy. They are small and light, so can be stored and carried very easily.Fire Blanket
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In the case of a pan fire, you might need to use a fire blanket rather than a fire extinguisher. If you pour water onto an oil fire, it actually makes the fire a lot worse. A fire blanket works by smothering the flames and cutting off the air supply.Battery Radio
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A battery powered radio should always be kept to one side, along side a mains powered radio and a wind up version too. A battery powered radio is simple to operate and repair if needed, and the batteries last for quite a long time before they need replacing.Contact Lenses
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If you normally wear glasses or contact lenses, then keeping a few spare pair of contacts handy is always a good idea. You do not want to be left short on contact lenses in an emergency, so keeping some pairs alongside your emergency glasses should be a priority.Spare Mobile Phone
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A spare mobile phone is always handy in a stressful situation. If you can, try and buy an older phone with a better battery life. The older phones tend to be more durable, and as they do not have a touch screen the charge lasts for a lot longer than modern phones.Toiletries
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A pre-packed bag of toiletries will be easy to store and last for years before anything needs to be replaced. Although not essential, if the worse does happen it is nice to know that you have a bag of toiletries that you can easily and quickly freshen up with.Cash
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You know what they say... cash is king! Cash will pretty much always be legal tender, at least for the foreseeable future. You do not need to keep much cash saved up in case of an emergency, but a rainy day fund of few hundred dollars will go a long way.Bottle Opener
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Bottled and sealed drinks last a long time when stored correctly, but you need a bottle opener to get into them without hurting or cutting your hand. Many bottle openers are tiny nowadays, you might even already have one on a key chain or attached to your car keys.Photo ID
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Of course, many of us carry around some form of photo ID anyway, usually a drivers licence or work ID card. Keep your passport safe and easily accessible, and make sure that you have a copy of your driver licence, even if has now expired. It is better to have it and not need it after all...Spare Clothing
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Your spare clothing choices can be the difference between misery and making it. You need to pack for the weather, so if you live somewhere that is normally freezing, make sure your spares are warm and waterproof. The same applies if you live somewhere which is hot.Blankets
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Keeping a good stash of warm blankets does take up a lot of room, but if you have the space it is a great idea. If you find space limited, then use tin foil blankets that you see marathon runners wearing. These blankets help to reflect your body heat.Bank Card
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Thanks to modern mobile phones, many of us now have our bank cards and bank accounts linked to our smart phones. This means that you can conveniently leave your card in a safe place, and for normal day to day use, just use the bank card linked to your phone.Can Opener
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A substantial stash of tinned and canned foods means you need a tin opener to eat your meals. Thankfully, tin openers are compact and lightweight, making them very easy to store. A handy tip is to heat up your food in the tin, so that you don't need to use a pan!Important Documents
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In an emergency, you want to know where all of your important documents are, so store them together and keep them in a safe and secure place. Make sure everyone in the house knows where they are, and keep everyone's passports and birth certificates together.Bottled Water
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A good supply of bottled water is always handy to have in stock, and they normally come in sizable pallets of 100 or 200 bottles. This means that although they are weighty and difficult to transport, you can kind of just get them and forget them, until they are needed.Multitool
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The clue is in the name when it comes to a multi tool, it is literally multiple tools in one. With most multi tools, or Swiss army knives, you get a pair of pliers, a knife, a fish hook and a couple of screwdrivers. This is the bare minimum, and super useful.Sturdy Boots
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When it comes to study boots, you should buy the best that you can afford, and try not to scrimp. The boots you buy will drastically affect your level of comfort in adverse weather, so try and buy some over ankle boots which are nice and warm and waterproof.Winter Coat
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A thick and quality winter coat might not be necessary where you live, but you should try and store one away anyway. No matter where you are in the world, it always gets cold at night, so a thick and warm coat makes for an excellent bed when one isn't available.Carbon Monoxide Alarm
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Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer. It does not have a scent, or taste, it is colorless and does not take long to kill you. Normally, people who are poisoned by carbon monoxide just feel sleepy and drowsy, but never wake up from their sleep!MRE Meals
