How to Determine the Best Survival Gear for 2012 Disasters

Regardless of what disasters will occur in 2012 or any year, each family should prepare for the possibility. Earthquakes, floods and tornadoes are a few of the common situations that affect life. Choose survival gear for 2012 that will see you and your family through the disaster. There are some standard stockpile items for any emergency with a variety of shelf life for each one. As with any item, buy when you can and use the older stock up before it expires, replacing it with new.

No matter what the emergency or crisis, there are basic needs to meet, including water, food, shelter and warmth. It is particularly important to store these needs ahead of time in a location that you will be able to access. Consider an underground vault, such as a waterproof cement basement or a storage shed. If you have a vacation home, that is another option for storing these supplies.

Watch for sales on bottled water and on gallon jugs, as well. Store them in a cool, dark place. We need water for drinking, cooking and minimal cleaning. There can never be enough. Stock up on water purification pills and quality, unscented bleach.

MREs, the basic Meal-Ready-t- Eat, is common on military field and combat exercises and a perfect example of survival gear for 2012. Entrees are better when warm or hot, but everything is edible while a person is on the go. That means you can consume them cold when necessary and depending on the emergency, that can be reality. Because of the convenience in carrying them along, manufacturers make supplies for civilian consumption. A case of twelve provides different entrees, such as vegetable lasagna, spaghetti and meat sauce and beef stew. Side dishes include good energy-delivering food like fried rice and potato cheddar soup. Desserts vary, but are usually some type of cookie, candy or cracker. MREs have a shelf life of five to eight years at room temperature storage. Storing them in a cool, dry place often yields a longer shelf life. Each pack of MREs includes accessories such as instant coffee and flavored powdered drink. Those can harden, but will dissolve with warm water and stirring. The matches have a long life. Although a plastic spoon is included, a quality supply of stainless steel silverware is recommended, as it is easy to clean and will help prevent bacteria from forming on the utensils.

If something happens to the house, your family needs temporary shelter. A tent and strong plastic tarp can be set up in the yard in a pinch. Practice pitching the tent with the family so that the drill goes smoothly and quickly. Regardless of the time, the sooner the shelter is set up, the calmer people will be and the faster you can decide how best to handle the emergency. Move the tent easily if you have to leave. Practice taking it down and packing it up to go elsewhere. Blankets and sleeping bags provide warmth. Some heaters are not safe to use inside a tent, so read the warnings and select a suitable heater.

In the event of a flood or earthquake, drinking water will likely be affected. The Katadyn Vario Dual Technology Microfilter outdoor water filtration system works with most hydration bladders and is actually easy to use. Even in normal situations, water carries bacteria usually eliminated at the water treatment plant. In an emergency, dirt and debris will affect drinking water and a filtration system can help keep you and the family healthy. It is even possible to take water from a pond and make it safe to drink, thanks to the three filter levels that come with the kit. In addition, the charcoal in the filter takes the smell out of the water caused by plants and impurities.

Communication is important and without power, people will depend on battery-operated devices, such as cell phones, laptop computers and radios. Many of us have automobile chargers for phones and laptops, but what about the other batteries that need charged, such as those used in the flashlight? A deluxe solar powered battery charger with meter will handle the charging of the most typical household batteries, including D, C, AA and AAA batteries. It has an all-weather fiberglass board with the solar panel, hinged for maneuvering to get the most light from the sun. The meter shows the user the strength of the sun and the solar panel output. In addition, it lets the user know the estimated time needed for a full charge of each type of battery. There is no need to worry about the reverse flow of electricity due to the circuit’s blocking diode.

Although life during a catastrophe is an adventure, survival gear for 2012 makes it easier to deal with whatever comes along. Traditional supplies such as flashlights, lanterns and first aid kits are part of any emergency preparedness. Do not light any matches until you know there is no gas in the area that can ignite or explode. Protein bars, small boxes of raisins and cans of fruit are excellent items to have in a food supply. Avoid the stir-crazy drama by packing games, decks of cards, books and art supplies. A GI can opener handles those cans not equipped with pop tops. Large heavy-duty plastic bags are excellent for dirty clothes and for trash. Heavy-duty metal cans covered by secured lids will hide the aroma of the garbage from wild animals. Preparing before a disaster means that you and your family have the things necessary for survival and can avoid the lines waiting after a disaster to see if there are provisions available.