I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Duracell. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Murphy lives at my house. Anything that can go wrong, usually will.

Being prepared for a some of the most basic everyday emergencies is the best way I’ve found to fight back against the unexpected. The good news is, there are some really simple things you can do to prepare yourself.

These are a few basic supplies that you should always have on hand. Having these available will help you prepare for some of the most common emergencies you may face.

Cash

In college, I ran out of money when there was a mixup with my paycheck. A good friend’s mom found out and sent me some cash along with some advice. She told me a story of a time when she was living overseas and there was an unexpected bank holiday. Since then she’s always kept $50 in her underwear drawer and told me I should do the same. Today, I may not be using my underwear drawer (so when my ten year old son reads this — don’t bother looking) but I do keep a small amount of cash in a home safe for emergencies, both big and small.

Batteries

In a true emergency, one of the most immediate thing you would need is batteries. Batteries can power everything from your flashlight during a power outage to your cell phone (if you have the right device). For emergency or first aid devices (like your thermometer) , I’d highly recommend going with a higher quality batter that is going to last. Duracell has recently released their Quantum battery. Recognizable by it’s distinct red color, this battery contains longer lasting power than any other battery on the market. This year, Duracell has donated one million batteries to first responders across the country to help them power their life-saving equipment.

Water

You can actually survive for quite a while without food but you can’t go for long without water. I’m a big fan of keeping the basic necessities of life on hand, because — well, in an emergency we’ll want to have them around. I store water in a variety of sized containers so I can grab what I need.

Water storage isn’t just for major emergencies. We had a pipe break while I was staying at my parent’s house once and the water turned off. This wouldn’t have been that big of a deal except for the fact that half of us were trying to get ready for a formal event. Since my parents had water stored, we were able to get everyone cleaned up (even if it did involve washing hair in the sink) and fed without it being too big of a deal. The water pipe was fixed later that day but in that moment we were all glad for water storage.

Food Storage

Since food is also a necessity of life I like to store plenty of it. You can go at this in a couple of different ways. I know people who store a year’s supply of food and others who keep 3 days worth of food in their home. If you have a decent sized pantry you should be able to store at least 2-4 weeks of food without it being much of a hassle. I’d recommend starting with at least 3 days worth of food and working up from there. Start with the basics. You can always add things as you find them on sale.

Basic First Aid Kit

I have boys. That means our first aid kit gets used on a nearly daily basis. Usually it’s for basic things like grabbing a bandaid or some headache medicine (for me . . . did I mention I have boys), but it’s nice to have supplies on hand for more serious emergencies like gauze, butterfly bandages, and more.

Fire Extinguisher

The thought of a house fire terrifies me. The best way to prevent a fire is to practice good fire safety habits and have a well maintained fire extinguisher in your home. I keep one right next to my kitchen so I have one if I ever need it. Sure, you can call 9-1-1 but think of all the damage a fire can do while you are waiting for the fire department to arrive.

 

Duracell Quantum Heroes

Our first responders are on the front line in the event of an emergency. Duracell has created Quantum Heroes, a documentary style video series that shines a spotlight on the incredible work of first responders and their stories of sacrifice and heroism. I loved the story featured in the video below. Be sure and check out the Quantum Heroes Youtube channel for more great stories of our community heroes.