“It’s getting hot in here… I wanna take my clothes off,” or so sings Nelly in his 2002 hit song. But before you expose your dad bods to the unsuspecting world, you should know that going topless is not the best solution to the coming heat wave. You need a heat wave emergency kit to be better equipped in handling what is being described as a dangerously record-breaking situation.
Heat Wave Emergency Kit For Home
Drinking Water
It’s easy to access cold drinking water when you’re at home or at work thanks to the water and power grids. In the horrific event that both go down, you’ll find it difficult to survive. Now imagine this tragic scenario occurring during a heat wave. Surely, lots of living beings will suffer and even die.
If that last sentence scared you, it was for your own good. This should make you seriously think about building your heat wave emergency kit right now.
The normal person needs at least one gallon of water each day. Make sure you have enough drinking water in your prepper pantry. Take into account the number of people in the household. Your pets and plants need water, too.
Aside from the water stockpiled in your home, you should also pack at least three days of worth in each of your bug out bags. You’ll need every drop if you’re forced to evacuate your home.
Water for Cleaning and Other Needs
Once a heat wave hits, drought almost always follows. One terrifying scenario we’re looking at is a water shortage in almost all of the United States. Before this happens, stock up on water for drinking and for other tasks such as cooking, cleaning and watering your garden.
Fill up drums, tubs, or any large container with water. Heck, you’re staring at a potential crisis here so you should also fill up the little containers you have. Just make sure they’re covered and stacked properly so they don’t cause a mosquito outbreak.
If you have the means, have a water tank installed and make sure it’s always full. All these will also be useful after disasters and other emergency situations.
Ice
Make as many ice cubes as you can. You can even make blocks of ice by using large containers such as a water bottle or plastic tub.
Put some ice in your drink to freshen up your insides. Wrap some in a small towel and gently wipe it all over your body or place it on your head. You can also fill a small bowl with ice and place it in front of the fan.
Blackout Curtains/Blinds
The more sunlight that gets in your home, the hotter it will be. Block the sun out by using blinds or blackout curtains.
Bug Out Bag
Whether there’s the threat of a heat wave or not, you should have bug out bags prepared. Your bug out bag should be useful in every disaster or emergency you can think of. But since the temperature is about to go through the roof, you need to make sure your grab bag will pass for a heat wave emergency kit. Aside from water, your heat wave emergency kit or bug out bag should also have the following:
Non-Perishable Food
This is a no-brainer. After water and air, food is the most basic thing humans need to survive. When it comes to prepping for emergencies, however, you can’t just choose any kind of food. You need non-perishables that don’t weigh too much or take up too much space in your backpack.
First Aid Kit and Medications
Heatstroke is a possibility when the temperature goes up. When this happens, you risk damage to your brain and other organs. It’s also possible to die from heatstroke.
Your heatwave emergency kit should include wet towels, wipes, and ice packs aside from the usual items you find in a first kit. A cooling blanket will also help. Of course, you already know what sunscreen is for.
When treating heatstroke, some patients experience shivering due to the sudden lowering of the body temperature. Muscle relaxants help with shivering though these medications should be administered or at least approved by a doctor.
Other Heat Wave Emergency Kit Essentials
When you’re building your heat wave emergency kit, you should consider every other possible scenario such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and even a zombie invasion. Your heatwave emergency kit, therefore, should include common survival gear and other bug out bag staples.
Make sure you have a flashlight, camping lantern, and a headlamp for your lighting needs. Matches and other fire starters are also necessary despite the scorching heat.
Don’t forget your phone, an extra battery, and a fully charged power bank. A HAM radio may also come in handy along with a hand crank or battery-operated weather radio. You’ll need extra batteries for these.
Pack a multi-tool, knife, paracord, emergency whistle, signal mirror, compass, Mylar blanket, extra clothes, Duct tape, and other survival gear in your heatwave emergency kit. Don’t forget to have copies of important documents along with cash and your credit cards. You also have to consider the special needs of the elderly, infants, and pets.
Heat Wave Emergency Kit for the Car
It’s not ideal to keep plastic bottles in your car, especially if you’re leaving them under the sun for some time. A plastic bottle exposed to temperatures of 158 degrees Fahrenheit or more releases potentially harmful chemicals.
Also, a see-through plastic bottle filled with water can act like a magnifying glass if the sunlight hits it at the right angle. As you can imagine, this could end up badly. One man found out the hard way after the sun refracted through his water bottle and burned his car seat. It could’ve been worse if he didn’t notice the smoke coming out of his truck.
Water Bottle
You still need water, though. Make sure you keep your bottled water away from the sun. When you have to leave the car, take the bottle with you. A better option is to use a BPA-free water bottle so you don’t have to worry about hazardous chemicals in your water.
Cooler
Ideally, you should keep a cooler in your car. Even a small one that fits a few bottles will do. You know what? You should go and get one right now so you’re better equipped to deal with the heat wave while you’re on the road. Check out this list of coolers and portable refrigerators.
Towel
Keep a small towel or washcloth in your heatwave emergency kit. Pour a little water on the cloth then place it on your nape to give you some relief. You can also wipe your skin and cover your face with a wet towel. Of course, do this only when the vehicle is not moving. Common sense, folks!
If your air conditioning is not working, place the wet washcloth in front of the air blower. This will make the air colder. You do have to wet the cloth once it dries up.
Sunshade/Window Visor
When you have to make a stop, make sure you use your sunshade, especially if you plan on staying in your car. An emergency blanket can substitute for a sunshade thanks to its reflective quality.
Portable Fan/Car Fan
It seems like common sense to have a portable or handheld fan in your heatwave emergency kit. Some experts, however, say that fans cause more harm than good when it gets too hot. Apparently, fans make you hotter because they keep you from sweating, which is one of the body’s ways of keeping the skin cool.
Interestingly, Science Daily reported there is a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that says electric fans prevent elevations in heart rate and core body temperature due to severe heat.
For now, just pack a portable fan in your heatwave emergency kit. In fact, keep one in your bug out bag and everyday carry. You can also get a car fan to help deal with the heat wave.
Misting Bottle
Bring a misting bottle filled with cold water with you. Spray some on you whenever you feel hot and dry.
Sunscreen
There’s this old thread on Reddit where it was asked if applying sunscreen on windows will protect you from the sun. Some said it is an effective way to keep the harmful rays away. Others were skeptical.
While the debate continues, do yourself a favor and apply sunscreen on your skin, particularly on the exposed areas.
If you’ve been living under a rock for the past month or so, you probably don’t know that a heat wave struck Europe and is coming for the United States next. According to USA Today, around 90% of people in the country will be affected by the heat wave, which is expected to bring record-breaking temperatures.
Based on that alone, you know that things will get pretty ugly and dangerously hot. Preparing a heat wave emergency kit is just part of the solution. There are lots of other ways you can stay safe in the midst of sweltering heat. Follow Gentleman Pirate Club to get updates and tips on how to survive the coming heat wave.
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