Essential items needed in a quarantine survival kit would be those that would get you from the point of contamination to the safety of hazmat gear and a secure area.
Survival Kit – Things to keep during Quarantine will help you get ready. What you choose for your survival kit should be based upon the quarantine barrier in place.
Also, try to think about where your family may take shelter in case things suddenly go south. If they are at home during the initial stages of an outbreak, then it would be best to keep your survival kit in the house.
If you are at work or on the road and face quarantine, it would be best to keep your survival kit in your vehicle.
Have A Plan!
First of all, create a plan for what items you will take with you, if an evacuation is necessary. Make sure to include a survival kit for each vehicle and the organized supplies you take in an easily accessible manner.
The more you remove from your car, the longer it will take to get out of dodge. An empty trunk, doghouse, or camper shell is best used for storage, as they are all easy to open from the outside of your vehicle.
A properly packed survival kit will give you peace of mind and a fighting chance in almost any circumstance that might arise. The necessity of having a survival kit can depend on the type of quarantine you may be dealing. If an area is quarantined but not sealed off, you may have some time to get out if things go wrong.
What you pack can be based on how far your destination is and what gear you have at your disposal to get there. My advice is to stick with a bare minimum survival kit for your vehicle. Items should include an item for signaling, medical supplies, food, and water.
The key to packing a successful survival kit is simplicity and organization. If you plan on evacuating the area or an evacuation is ordered, you will only have limited time to get out of the area.
If you do not have items packed in advance, you could run out of supplies. When quarantine happens, you will need to leave behind everything that is not directly essential to your immediate survival (i.e., your gun collection).
Your survival kit should be kept in your vehicle, ready to go at a moment’s notice in an evacuation situation.
Items Can Include:
- How you choose to pack your survival kit is up to you. Most things will fit into a medium-sized duffle bag or backpack. The organization is crucial, and the more organized you are the better prepared you will be for any situation. Keep your kit within arm’s reach and ensure that all items are easily accessible from the outside of your vehicle.
- The main priority of a survival kit is to ensure that you can successfully get your family to safety. Your options might be limited with what to carry. An obvious choice would be food, water, and first aid supplies. Other items could include a change of clothes, blankets, and other things that would make the ride less miserable.
- Another priority in a survival kit would be to help you survive while waiting for the “all clear” from authorities.
Having a survival kit on hand can do wonders for your mental state of mind. It could also help you secure additional supplies needed to make it through quarantine. When you plan for enough supplies to last you and your family for at least three days, you will be more prepared.
A survival kit consists of food, first aid supplies, water, signal mirror, fire starter, and clothes change. Pack this in a duffle bag or backpack and have it ready for evacuation. Many items can be found in your vehicle already and can make useful additions to your survival kit. Some of these items include batteries, blankets, a change of clothes, and flashlights.
Survival kits vary from vehicle to vehicle. If you have a sports utility vehicle (SUV), camper shell, or doghouse, you have several storage options. Keep your survival kit the trunk so will be out of reach of prying hands and most weather elements. When putting your survival kit in your vehicle, in the event of a lockdown, do not lock the vehicle doors so that you can quickly escape if things go wrong.
A survival kit for your vehicle should contain the following:
Suppose you are traveling in a large group of vehicles. In that case, it is vital to keep an eye on your fellow survivors’ condition. If they run low on supplies (food, water, gas), be prepared to share. You may also want to agree upon meeting up if everyone agrees.
For the safety of your group, before entering any Zone, stop at a local gas station or supermarket and stock up on food and water. Purchase extra supplies and put them in your trunk before entering an area under quarantine.
Another good idea is to bring identification with you, such as I.D., driver’s license, etc. I.D. will help authorities identify who you are and where you live if you get into trouble while out in the Zones.
Suppose you are in an evacuation zone and a gas station or market is not available. Drive to a hospital or some other large building and park there.
Carpools can be extremely helpful in this situation as well. Always be aware of your surrounding area while driving through a quarantined area. If you see something that does not look right, then go another way.
Remember, when driving through a zone is that you need to be extremely careful. There may be animals, people, and other obstacles that may cause a problem. Prevent this by keeping your windows up and turning on your flashers.
Driving at night through a quarantined zone can be extremely risky, especially if no street lights are working or large areas without power.
If you must go at night, then be sure to keep your headlights on and flash them occasionally to help prevent someone from hitting you. Avoid freeways or large roads if possible.
Find the smallest streets that allow you to avoid the large crowds. If you run out of gas, it is important not to panic. Remain as calm as possible, especially when fuel is a limited and precious resource.
Try to keep an open mind and think of any possible solutions. Keeping up on your vehicle maintenance will ensure that you can get to where you need to go. Inspect your spare tire so it is ready to be used as well as your full gas tank.
Also, you must know how far your vehicle has left before it runs out of gas. Each vehicle is different, so make sure you check the “Readiness Guide” for your particular car.
The guide will allow you to figure out how far your vehicle has left before it runs on empty. It is also essential to keep a map of the routes of where you are going. Also, mark the roads where you have been.
Having your route marked will help keep you from getting lost. In the event your vehicle breaks down, stay near it until help arrives. Make sure that you find cover so that no one can see or hurt you.
The essential items needed in a quarantine survival kit are water, food, sanitation, and communication. Without these necessities, you will not be able to survive for long.
Water:
One gallon of water for every person for each day as an absolute minimum; usually, more is better. If you have extra space available, add more water to your kit. If possible, also add various methods of purifying the water, such as iodine, an ultraviolet light, or chlorine dioxide.
Food
You should have some non-perishable foods in your kit that doesn’t require cooking. Canned goods are best, but anything that doesn’t need cooking is good. Some sort of long-shelf-life food rations would be ideal but may not fit your budget or space concerns.
See these articles for help with your food items.
Sanitation:
Have a way and clean yourself. In the case of your water being off, you should have a small shovel and a container for an outhouse. Flush the human waste down if you have water to do so. In public places with many people being around you, it might be wise to use gloves to keep germs from spreading.
Wrapping Up
When building a kit, make sure that you find out how long the quarantine situation could last. If it is likely to be less than two weeks, build a small kit that you could carry with you on your person at all times.
This kind of kit should include food, water, sanitizer, and some communication devices. If it is likely to be longer than two weeks, build a bigger kit that you can leave at home and use as a backup.
This kit should include nonperishable food, water, sanitation, and communication devices. The idea behind your quarantine survival kit is to attempt to keep you healthy while under quarantine.
Ensure that the items listed above are only suggestions; if something else comes to mind that will help you survive, add it. Make sure you are familiar with all of your survival supplies.