Car Emergency Kits

Having Car Emergency Kits full of emergency essentials for each of your vehicles in Truckee and the Lake Tahoe area, is just smart ! An emergency kit in your vehicle is important to have in case of a natural disaster such as an earthquake, forest fire, or a flood, and is definitely needed during Truckee Winter Driving, or just in case of a car accident!

(The information on this page below, is written by my sister Kerry Bacon, of Healthy Diet Habits. She has a Science degree in Dietetics, and lived 5 miles from the 1994 Chatsworth CA earthquake. Read her story of the experience!

The Chatsworth earthquake happened at 4:31 am in the morning. I had to look at that time for days, because our power was out. I will never forget the time! Most people were at home where they had the most chance to be prepared. We were lucky!

I have always wondered about what would have happened, if the earthquake had happened later. Many people would have been killed from downed freeways and buildings. Many people would have been left stranded at their workplaces, without proper food and water. Many roads were impassable. Gas lines were broken and fires started. Power lines were down everywhere. It was not safe to be out and around. Families would have been frantic for one another, and there were no phones in an emergency. We found that out quickly.

The best, and safest plan of action in a serious emergency is to remain where you are. If you are at work, it is best to stay there until you know it is safe. Make sure that everyone in your family knows what they are supposed to do in the event of an emergency, especially, if you are separated! Have prearranged meetings places.

I would encourage everyone to prepare a backpack of emergency supplies. Leave it in the trunk of your car in case of an emergency during work hours, or if you were out driving and could not make it home. Ready made car emergency kits can be purchased for fairly cheaply, or you can make your own kit. Your car kit should contain basic emergency food supplies, emergency water supplies, and items for warmth, especially in winter.

Each area of the country is different. If snow is a problem, you might want to buy a small shovel, and leave boots in your car. If it is winter, leave a warm coat in the car. Know and understand your areas potential disasters, and prepare for them!

Specifically you would want to provide a backpack full of emergency essential supplies that could be easily toted if you needed to walk home:

• Small bottles of water


• High calorie Bars - you can buy bars that are 400 calories


• Flashlight & extra batteries


• First aid kit


• Wool blanket or emergency blankets or bags (the silver reflector ones)


• Rain poncho


• Multipurpose tool/Duct tape


• Road Flares


• Medications


• Extra glasses or contacts


• Toothbrush/Toothpaste


• Small snow shovel


• Winter Boots - in Winter Time


• Winter Coats - in Winter Time


• Change of Clothes

No one wants to think about emergencies, but they do happen. They happen often! Develop the lifestyle solution of having an emergency preparedness plan, before an emergency strikes. Prepare car emergency kits for each driver in your family for peace of mind!

Emergency Preparedness Related Pages

Emergency Preparedness:

• Car Emergency Kits
• Emergency Supplies
• Emergency Food Supply
• Emergency Kit
• Emergency Water Storage
• Survival Cooking
• Survival Food Storage