Friday, November 20th, 2009•Virginia, USA
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The 72-hour Kit: Gotta Rosary for the run?
In the event of an emergency, do you have a 72-hour or Bug-out Kit? Gotta Rosary for the run?
A 72-hour kit is a bag, bucket, or box of everything you will need (food, water, medicine, …) to survive 72-hours as you flee a natural disaster, terrorist event, or civil unrest.
The idea is that you should be able to get where you’re evacuating to within three-days, or that civil authorities (police, national guard, etc.) will have brought the unrest under control.
There are as many variations on the 72-hour or bug-out kit as there are websites dedicated to readiness. 
The key for you is to adapt YOUR kit to your needs, budget, and the time you can spend putting it together.
Big Budget – Little Time to Shop and Assemble
If you’ve got the money and not enough time to shop for a list of things to buy, there are plenty of companies who can supply you ready-made kits. You should add local maps for your area, prescription medications you need, infant formula, pet food (if you’re scatting with your cat or dog), to the ready-made kit. They don’t supply everything and you can’t assume any given company is going to know specifically what you need.
With that in mind, below are several ready-made kits and sites to shop from:
- Lifeline 2-person disaster kit (Dick’s Sporting Goods)
- Stansport Survival 4 Person Family Kit (Dick’s Sporting Goods)
- List of Emergency Kits from Amazon.com
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Little Budget – Lots of Time
If you’re on a budget, you may want to assemble your own kit. Wikipedia has a fairly decent emergency kit list which you can buy piece by piece during normal shopping trips to the supermarket, sporting or hardware store:
- Enough food and water to last for seventy two hours. This includes:
- 4 litres (1 gallon) of water per person per day, for washing, drinking and cooking.
- Non-perishable food
- Water purification supplies.
- Cooking supplies
- Cutlery and cups/dishes.
- A first aid kit.
- A disaster plan including location of emergency centers, rallying points, possible evacuation routes etc.
- Professional emergency literature explaining what to do in various types of disaster, studied and understood before the actual disaster but kept for reference.
- Maps and travel information.
- Standard camping equipment, including sanitation supplies.
- Clothes and bedding.
- Enough medicine to last an extended evacuation period if, for example, one’s home were destroyed.
- Pet, child and elderly care needs.
- Radio.
- Lighting (battery or crank operated flashlight, glow sticks).
- Firearm(s) and appropriate ammunition.
- Crowbar (offensive weapon, building and vehicle entry, etc.)
- Cash and change, as electronic banking transactions may not be available during the initial period following an emergency or evacuation.
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And finally the Catholic touch!
- Small travel bible (and reading glasses if you need them). The Word of God can sustain you during a crisis!
- Small bottle of holy water. Bless your family throughout the evacuation! Small signs of faith are powerful prayers for intercession!
- Blessed candles if you have them. Again, using a sacramental is a sign of faith in Christ, faith which will hold you up during an emergency. And in this case, light up your world!
- A Rosary. If you’re stuck in traffic on an evacuation route or find yourself in an unknown place, the power of the Rosary calls loudly to the Blessed Mother and will settle your heart and help give you peace. She will also be watching over you!
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You can also explore links to other innovative do-it-yourself 72-hour kits I found on the net:- THE 72 HOUR EMERGENCY KIT assembly instructions from an Oregon Fire Department.
- Here’s a video of how to prepare a 72-hour kit using a milk jug!
- Here’s a good site where San Francisco urges its citizens to prepare for 72-hours. Too bad they don’t urge their citizens to renounce abominable behavior too.
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So, what’s the plan?
As important as the kit is that everyone in the family knows where the kit(s) is(are) AND what to do if the family is separated.
- Where is your rallying point? IE, where are you going to try to regroup at? A friend’s house? A hotel? (Call as you leave because these book quickly!)
- What is the travel plan to get there? Remember, most primary and secondary highways are likely to be full. Which one will you try first and what’s your alternate? If you live near an airport, are you going to try to get the first flight out to anywhere?
- Cell phones are likely to be jammed, so your plan should be to try TEXTING one another. Text messages typically go through much faster!
- Who’s your triangulation point, i.e., who is the friend or neighbor who you all are going to call to let know what your status is. Imagine you can’t get a messages between family member’s cell phones. Plan to try calling a third-party everyone knows about. That person may be able to help coordinate logistics for you.
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Practice the plan
You and the family (or yourself and friends) should practice the plan at least ONCE! Taking a weekend to go through the plan and traveling to your rallying point will make everyone familiar with what to do/where to go. THIS IS IMPORTANT as during a real emergency, you may be worried/distracted/upset. Being familiar with your plan will make the entire evacuation go much easier.
Involve friends and neighbors
This is a hard one. I’ve read on many survival sites that it’s often hard to find people who want to be as prepared as you! Yes, many will agree with you, but few will actually join you in preparations.
But you must try! There is strength in numbers and you never know how each family will be able to help the other!
Creating a user group on Yahoo Groups may also be one way to keep a group together and on message during preparations.
Arm yourself
This is a topic that is going to trouble some readers, especially on a religious site.
But the reality of the world is that during an evacuation or emergency, evil people may attempt to harm you or your family, or take your emergency kits, your car or truck, etc.
As a Catholic, you DO NOT have to give in to this. And as an American Catholic, you HAVE THE RIGHT (and responsibility I believe), to arm yourself.
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You also have a responsibility to:- train yourself and/or your family on how to use firearms (take a course),
- practice, practice, practice!
- know how to handle and store firearms safely,
- know the laws of your state or city concerning firearms,
- know the Church and Biblical contexts that assures you that you can defend yourself.
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If you believe Catholicism (or Christianity for that matter) are incompatible with gun ownership and self defense, please read some of the following resources. This should calm your fears:- Why Catholic Readiness?
- The St. Gabriel Possenti Society – Yes, there is a proposed Catholic Saint for handgunners!
- Wikipedia on St. Gabriel
- EWTN on St. Gabriel Possenti
- A very good blog entry on “Should Catholics Own Guns?”
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And as one site mentions:There are saints for ammunition magazines (Barbara), ammunition workers (Elmo), anti-Communism (Joseph), archers (Sebastian), armies (Maurice), armories (Lawrence), armorers (Barbara, Dunstan, George, Lawrence, and Sebastian), arms dealers (Adrian of Nicomedia), arrowsmiths (Sebastian), artillery gunners (Barbara), battle (Michael the archangel), against battle (Florian), against burglaries (Leonard of Noblac), cavalry (Martin of Tours), Crusaders (Charles the Good, King Louis IX of France), fortifications (Barbara), freedom (Holy Infant Jesus of Prague), hunters (Hubert), hunting (Eustachius, Hubert of Liege), infantry (Martin of Tours), knights (Gengulphus, George, James the Greater, Julian the Hospitaller, Michael the Archangel), military chaplains (John of Capistrano), paratroopers (Michael the Archangel), quartermasters (Martin of Tours), security forces (Michael the Archangel), swordsmiths (Maurice), United States Army Special Forces (Philip Neri), and the Women’s Army Corps a/k/a WACs (Genevieve, Joan of Arc). There are also a large number of saints for the armies or navies of particular nations.
You can verify these saints here.
28 Responses to “The 72-hour Kit: Gotta Rosary for the run?”
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Make A Difference In Ava's Life
1February 14th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
We have done this already. I have been planning for @ 10 yrs. and the last things have been enough food for others.
our supplies: crank radio, NOAAH radio, Tyelnol for high temp and Benydril for alergic reactions, nuts and granola bars because of the energy and they are small to carry (the south pole explorers use nuts for this reason), water purification filter, knives and hatchet, 4 season tent found on overstock.com, family dollar asprin, hydrogen peroxide, bandages, antibiotic ointment, soap, cotton balls, magnifying glass, water proof matches, safety blanket ($1 at Gander mt), duct tape, candy and toys for little ones, prepare as if winter will be the time because its easier to adapt if its summer, wood for our fireplace, Consecrate the home to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Rosaries and lots of 3rd class relics, Blessed Salt and Holy water, US Army Survival manual I found for a couple of bucks at Barns and Nobel discount table.
Dont depend on technology to work. Have a place to meet if we are seperated and go from there. Also a set date to act if we are seperated to meet in second place if necessary. example, after 7 days if I’m not at the first place meet at the second if necessary.
Pratice as well.
Overreact? possibly but I can take the criticism if I have, I won’t be able to forgive myself if I underestimate.
P.S. the army manual can be found online….. Lots of batteries and crank emergency light with a solar power attachment with a cell phone charger (remember that the cell phone call can be traced to location)
God Bless!!!!
Tony
2February 14th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
oops, firearms as well as blankets, alternate routes for meeting points, fix a flat tire repair kit and radiator repair.
any one else in Michigan preparing?
God Bless!!!
Tony
P.S. we are planning to step out of the way when panic hits. I believe that things will happen quickly. Similar to a fire happening in a theater. Get out when you smell smoke because after someone yells fire, panic will start and people will run over you to save themselves. You don’t want to get caught in the middle of the mess that is in our near future.
3February 14th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I am glad that others are preparing. Unlike the Depression era, today’s population do not have a moral compass to keep them from taking what they want. Pray that Jesus will help you to see things coming ahead of time. Organize a group of like minded friends to gather with. Safety in numbers. Don’t try to do it on your own.
4February 14th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
I have the disaster kits since 9/11. Holy candles and water, natch.The guns are a problem, as NY laws make it expensive and difficult to have hand guns. I suppose I should at least get a rifle.
5February 14th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
you mention having a designated place to meet and possibly stay. my question is.. how do we know where to find a designated place? how do we know ahead of time what areas will be safe and which ones we should stay away from? why do we have to leave our homes if we don’t know where the danger will be? i will have a disaster kit ready, just in case. i do believe that the lord God will take care of those who love and trust in him.
6February 14th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
http://www.rk19-bielefeld-mitte.de/survival/FM/inhalt.htm
US army field manual.
Other things, CDC says that one thing that kills many in 3rd world countries (which is what we will be when the technology fails) is diarrhea. have anti-diarrheal medication along with electrolite replacement if you have little ones.
We have several travel bags set up if we have to leave. If we can stay at home we should be good for a while.
Hold the faith. When all is said and done, there will be work to do to help others who are going to be hungry for the Truth in Jesus. Also, they will want to know about Mary and the Catholic Church.
God Bless!!!
Tony
7February 14th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
I don’t know folks..I went through this with Y2K and I spent way too much!! I’m just gonna pray, hope and try not to worry…there is so much in the Bible about this sort of thing…I think I’m just gonna trust in God…I have ’stuff’ in the basement left over from Y2K so I think we will fare OK….My love and prayers go with us all as the future unfolds for all of us…Blessed Be God Forever!! In His Angels and In His Saints!!!!
8February 15th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Any suggestions as to the type of firearms to purchase?
I think I can get hold of a .22 revolver and my mom has a .25 semi-auto pistol, though, luckily, she lives in a far more outlying area. But both of these seem like they’d require frequent re-loading (and are very small caliber with not a lot of stopping power).
Any suggestions as to inexpensive additions?
Also, my wife and I live in the heart of a city in an apartment (we still can’t afford a house). How do we know whether to stay put or head for the hills when the time comes?
May the Sword of St. Michael hover over us all.
9February 15th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I would also suggest a ham radio. If others of your friends also have such, you can communicate with them even if landlines, cell phones, and the internet (Skype) is down. Landlines and cell phones often go out in times of emergency. Even if your friends don’t have them, you can communicate with others who can provide help such as passing messages outside of the disaster area. The test isn’t too hard, doesn’t require morse code ability, and costs less than $10 and is good for 10 years. But, thanks to McCain, you do have to give your SSN. A capable but modest station can be assembled for about the price of a good handgun, several hundred bucks.
10February 15th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Without a will to live and a place to go, one would be better off to “BUG IN”.
At least your house would keep you dry and relatively warm. Hopefully you would have auxillary heating and cooking methods as well as plenty of extra WATER. Google “100 items to disappear first in a disaster”.
Check out “Survival Blog.com”, “Warrifles.com”, EmergencyEssentials.com and the book “When All Hell Breaks Loose” by Cody Lundin.
All have very good extensive information on preparedness.
You can take preparedness as little or as far as you want or can afford.
The time is late with all the potential enemies and scenarios (from without and within) arrayed against you.
The best thing that YOU can do is to prepare YOUR family for the worst.
If everyone did that, we would all be in far better shape.
I for one, refuse to bet the lives of my family that everything is going to be just fine.
“Don’t be scared, be prepared.” Wish you the best. God help us all.
11February 15th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
My family has been laughing at me for years about my emergency preparedness kit – I started pulling it together during the Gulf war. Everything is still in rolling backpacks, esp. the non-perishables and the emergency foods get rotated and replaced.
I also have saved all the little “freebies” one gets in the mail from charities – prayerbooks, rosaries, medals, etc. and things one collects in a lifetime for use if these things are hard to find. Or if you find a lot of people needing them.
I just hope I have my ears and eyes open when it’s time to seek shelter – and can see the signs the Lord is sending us.
12February 15th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Good to read these comments. The feeling of being alone with enough food for at least a year. gets lonely after a while. I read where Our Lord told us not to worry about the past due dates on the food becausd HE will take care of it. Does anyone know if water can be OK after being in a 55 gal drum for about 12 years?
I just kept buying anything anyone mentioned like ham radio(do I have to know how to use it?) I have a gas mask and other masks. I have beeswax candles, a monstrance, communion wafers in the freezer, chalice, and every things for a Mass. I have peace now with all this. I wear my sacramentals. I have holy water in every room……blessed salt at the doorways…..crucifixes on the windows. I have told as many people as possible. I probably have a 1% rating. (smile) He will take care of us…….
13February 15th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Great info. Question: Where did you get those pictures of the nuns? They are awesome!
14February 15th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
You not only have to know how to use a ham radio, you need a license which you must pass a test for. The test isn’t too difficult, and as of fairly recently you no longer need to have proficiency in Morse code. It is helpful to use the radio under non-emergency conditions so that should an emergency arise, it won’t be the first time you’re turning it on.
FYI radios that operate above 50 MHz are good for local contacts, and those operating below 30 MHz are good for distance contacts, depending on solar activity. (Currently we’re in a lull, and frequencies below 14.35 MHz are best.)
15February 15th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Hi all, We’re stocked. Suggest “heater meals”, “freeplay” crank radio (has FM/AM & shortwave) remember the stations may be out!, first aid kits, 2 shotguns, 1 BB (good enough to scare)wood, charcoal, portable grill & gas grill, plastic sheeting & tape for window/floor seals in case of fallout, masks, canned and dried food, shake flashlights, tarps for shelter & sealing, iodine tablets & tamiflu pills, hawthorne tea, blessed salt & candles, St Benedict medals buried in 4 corners of prop, St Benedict medals worn, rosaries & bible, and of course, trust in the mercy of God! In Michigan – know refuge in Petosky, as well as some churches. Don’t hord – share w/those who didn’t prepare. God will multiply! God bless! D
16February 15th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Geralyn – I’m concerned you mentioned communion wafers. I’m assuming they’re unconsecrated – which means they’re just crackers. If you are bringing home consecrated hosts – please, dear – consume and go to Confession! God bless D
17February 15th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
One last thought — know how to use the firearms before you have to. Don’t just go out and buy a gun and expect to be able to use it when you need it. Our family is gun friendly and our children (now adults) grew up learning how to use the guns safely and how to clean them. We all have a high level of comfort around them and we feel that, God forbid we’d have to use them, we would hopefully not have to think hard about the actual mechanics. My father, God rest his soul, used to say that we don’t have guns to protect ourselves against other citizens — we have them to guarantee our way our life against a government run amok. He was a peaceful man who knew that this day would eventually come. God bless us all.
18February 15th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Required water is one gallon per person per day for MINIMAL drinking, cooking and washing. Store tap water by adding 8 to 10 drops of REGULAR Clorox (no dyes or other chemicals) per gallon of water. After mixing it should have a VERY slight chlorine odor. If the smell is disturbing or overpowering, you used too much.
A stored 55 gallon drum might be OK after 12 years depending on how much disinfectant (chlorine) was originally in the water and if the container has been sealed well. If there is any doubt, empty the drum, rinse it out and refill as mentioned above. (I hope that the drum was new originally and did not contain any chemical residue of any kind.) The best water containers are new so there is no doubt.
Clorox is exactly the same chemical (Sodium Hypochlorite), although more dilute, that municipalities use to disinfect their city tap water, the water that you drink every day. (Don’t take my word for it, research it for yourself.)
I have 85 gallons stored this way in 5 gallon jugs in my basement in case I can’t get to my well water storage tank of 1100 gallons.
19February 15th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Thank you so much. I am delighted that I happened to come into contact with your website.
20February 16th, 2009 at 5:51 am
i am totally confused. what are we waiting for? the end of the world? government collapse?
what are we planning for?
21February 16th, 2009 at 8:02 am
PRAY THE ROSARY, DIVINE MERCY EVERYDAY.
PRAY TO ST. MICHAEL.
HAVE BLESSED WAX CANDLES/BLESSED OR EXORCISED SALT.
STORE CANNED GOODS/DRY FOOD AND
GALLONS OF DRINKING WATER.
HAVE YOUR HOUSE ENTHRONED TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS AND THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY.
22February 16th, 2009 at 8:06 am
MY LORD AND MY GOD,
PLEASE FORGIVE ALL OUR SINS AND THE SINS OF THE WORLD.
MAY GOD BLESS US, KEEP US AND MAY HIS PEACE BE WITH US.
23February 16th, 2009 at 8:12 am
This is the first survival guide i have read that mentions prayers/spirituality.
Thank you and may God bless you and protect you.
24February 16th, 2009 at 8:20 am
GREAT AND EXCELLENT INFORMATION!
READ THE BIBLE AND HAVE ST. BENEDICT CROSSES ON YOU DOORS AND ST. BENEDICT MEDALS ON YOUR WINDOWS.
WEAR A ST. BENEDICT CROSS AND BROWN SCAPULAR.
25February 16th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Where will you go that is safe? It is good sense to go and step out of the way while there is confusion and chaos. But where would you bug out to that is safe? With only a few days of supply, what are peoples plans beyond that? I am interested as I have a lot to learn. Thanks
26February 16th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Nancy,
These are basic emergency preparations for any type of natural disaster, man-made disaster, or civil-unrest. Recent events like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Dec. 26 2004 Pacific tsunami, Australian wildfires, etc. remind us that sometimes events occur beyond our control and we may need to leave our homes temporarily.
The 72-hour or ‘bug-out’ kit is meant for you, or you and your family, to take with you if you need to evacuate, and to keep you alive until you reach safety, where ever that may be.
This is meant more as “Boy Scout” than “Paranoid End-of-the-Worlder.”
Many civilian authorities recommend having such a kit also, to give them time to respond. For example, first responders have to wait until a hurricane passes before moving in to help people. In an earthquake, people may have to leave the fires of a city on foot and find shelter. In a terrorist event, who knows? At least you’ll have three days head start on getting settled somewhere else.
We have an obligation to protect our families and being able to relocate temporarily is an insurance policy against the unexpected. We also have an obligation to look after our souls, even in an emergency; thus the sacramentals to be brought with you, as an act of faith and a plea for the Lord’s help and mercy.
God bless you and hold you, in good times and bad, BF
27March 7th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
[...] recent 72-hour kit article generated a lot of [...]
28March 9th, 2009 at 7:22 am
[...] last readiness article, the 72-hour bug out kit, described how to make or buy a kit with enough food and tools to get you through a 3-day crisis, [...]