I have listed some of the best emergency preparedness gifts we all need on my blog today. Let’s just say, I’m a very practical person. My idea of giving is need over want when it comes to presents. Wants will come and go but needs will usually last way after the birthday or whatever holiday prompted the gift to be given. Of course, kids clothes will be outgrown, I get that.
By now, you know I’m talking about emergency preparedness to hopefully help people think about their gift-giving this year, and every year thereafter. Let me add that the age group I am talking about here will be anyone over 16-18 years of age.
This is the age where we are grooming our kids to go to college, serve their church, go learn a trade, get married, or otherwise pursue their dreams. If someone is 18 years of age and is just moving out to be on their own or attend school, they will soon learn that mom and dad aren’t in their room to help out. It could be a flashlight to hand to the student when the power goes out. It may be some canned food when the stores are closed during a storm. If you have smart parents, they may have put together an emergency kit for you when you moved out of the home base.
Yes, I would have and did pack one for my daughters, but I am a prepper chick. LOL! My grandson loves his solar-powered e-book charger. My son-in-law loves the solar-powered phone charger/iPad charger I gave him. He works at a hospital and it is critical his phone is charged at all times. That’s his line of communication with other hospital workers.
Okay, these items are fairly inexpensive but can be used in natural disasters or in the event of an emergency. Today I want to talk about some basic items that could prove to be bare necessities and a few more advanced emergency preparedness holiday gift ideas.
Emergency Preparedness Gifts
1. Water-Emergency Preparedness Gifts
Water can be purchased in cases of 24 bottles and stacked in the corner of your bedroom or in your closet. They can make you a nightstand with a tablecloth covering it. You can fill washed soda bottles and they are ready to use in an emergency.
You can add eight drops of unscented bleach per gallon of water to keep the algae from growing. Shake up and down before opening and boil to be sure it is safe to drink. Or buy some Sports Berkey Water Bottles and you can filter/purify the water you stored in the soda bottle
You can also buy WaterBricks. The gift of filled water containers for water storage would be awesome, I promise. You never know when your loved ones might need that clean water. Many of your local hardware stores and large chain stores carry those 55-gallon barrels as well. Add some Water Preserver and a hand pump, you have generated great holiday gifts! Water Preserver
2. Communication/Contact Info
Put together a plan of communication with your family and friends. How will you get in touch with each other in an emergency? Hopefully, not every location will be without power. You could possibly text your loved ones if you remember their phone numbers. Make a written list of your contacts. If your phone is dead you might not remember emails, phone numbers, etc. Here is a FREE Printable Contact Sheet.
One thing I learned from a search and rescue guy was to use walkie-talkies, not the old ones we used at Disneyland, they don’t work over longer distances. Of course, if you have your Ham radio license you are good to go. Here is the model the local Search and Rescue Team recommended to me: Motorola
I have a few neighbors with the same model as our walkie-talkies so we can check on each other through houses several streets away. We have set our walkie-talkies on the same channel. These would be great holiday gifts.
It’s also important to stay in touch with the outside world with a radio. I recommend a hand crank radio in case the power is out. Consider a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) radio if you want the latest weather reports.
3. Food Storage-Emergency Preparedness Gifts
This is the fun part, if you think about it. Challenge yourself to add 2 cans of something every week when you go to the grocery store between now and when the holidays start, which equates to 8 or more cans a month. Some of these cans can be soup, beans, or large #10 cans of soup base. I would have loved having some #10 cans of soup base for a gift when I was raising my family. Augason Farms sells some at Walmart, it has a short shelf life but would be a great family gift.
These cost approximately $18.00 a can. You can make several pots of soup from each can. Try adding some onions, corn, green beans, etc. to make the soup more healthy and flavorful. Snack Ramen is another inexpensive soup base. You can then add some canned chicken and some vegetables for a tasty meal. Pancake mix is another great gift that most everyone would like to receive. Augason Farms Soup
I would love to say that I make everything from scratch, but I don’t. We still buy a few convenience products. I buy 6 bottles of my favorite pancake syrup at a time when it’s on sale. I can fix pancakes or waffles in minutes. If you can afford to buy some #10 cans, that is awesome. Just remember, dehydrated is cheaper but it has such a short shelf life, so I rarely buy dehydrated items and use freeze-dried foods instead. They are proving to be more costly these days, but keep your eyes open for some sales.
I DO buy dehydrated carrots and potatoes, that’s it. Everything else is freeze-dried because of its long-term shelf life. My pantry is also stocked with cases of canned goods I use on a regular basis. The fall is a great time to look out for case lot sales of canned veggies, fruits, and meats. A manual can opener is a must for opening all those cans!
4. Light Source-Emergency Preparedness Gifts
I need to start with flashlights. Please give some GOOD flashlights that don’t need batteries. If they have a crank and a solar panel, that rocks! These are my favorite flashlights: Goal Zero “Buy right the first time” is my motto. I really like all of Goal Zero’s products. If you watch for the Costco roadshows you can find some of the products cheaper and purchase these holiday gifts. Oflashlights and Bushnell Lanterns
I have solar flashlights resting on my window sills so they stay charged at all times. If you feel more comfortable with battery-powered flashlights, be sure to have some extra batteries.
5. Heat Source-Emergency Preparedness Gifts
If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, you are set. Then gather some wood, if it’s okay to store where you live, and you’ll have heat available when needed. I have a small space heater I can plug into my Goal Zero Solar generator power source.
Blankets/quilts would also be excellent gifts. If your loved ones lose power they can layer warm blankets to keep warm. A small space heater is great as a holiday gift. How To Heat Your Home In An Emergency
6. Cooking Source/Fuel-Emergency Preparedness Gifts
One fairly inexpensive cooking stove is a butane stove. It uses very little fuel and the fuel is pretty cheap. These can be used for cooking when you go camping if allowed in your area. If you can invest in a SunOven, it requires zero fuel. Sun Oven
A thermal cooker is great too, but you need another fuel source to bring the food to a boil for 4 minutes before placing the food in the cooker to continue cooking. They can keep food cold for a few hours, too! These would be great holiday gifts! Butane Stove and Butane Fuel
These are great for bringing water to a boil and cooking some meals.
Thermal Cooker: These are awesome because you can bring the food to a boil and let it finish cooking your meal in the Thermal Cooker.
Check out this post about foods you should consider giving to others as they prepare for the next unexpected emergency.
Survival Food Storage by Linda
Some Other Items for Holiday Season Stocking Stuffers
- Dust and N95 Masks
- Duct Tape – some many uses, including using plastic sheeting to make a shelter
- Loud Whistle – let’s you notify people where you are
- Gloves of all kinds
- Hand Sanitizer – small bottles for the car or purse
- Tools like pliers, crescent wrench, screwdriver assortment, and hammer
- Ponchos
- Waterproof matches – small lighter
- Small first aid kit
- Wool socks to wear in those sturdy shoes or galoshes
Final Word
This is a very simple list for emergency preparedness gifts. My heart tells me to simplify and minimize our needs. Please spend money on emergency preparedness gifts, you’ll be glad you did. I promise. Thanks for being prepared for the unexpected. May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Christmas Wrapping Gift Items Depositphotos_92459188_S By urban_light
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