Ideas for "emergency kit" at home

[Tinacollada]

Morning to you all!

I recently ended up being admitted to hospital unexpectedly for a few nights, and while I made initial provisions for the DC initially (who went to stay relatives) there were loads of silly things that have cropped up while I was away, so it's made me resolve to be more organised and prepared for something out of the ordinary should it happen!

One of the things I'm going to do is clear the top drawer in the kitchen and have inside:

A spare key
A ten pound note
Names and numbers of friends/ family for emergency contacts
Names / numbers of GP / Dentist / school

Do you have one of these?

Can any help me with what else to add?

What to do if the power goes out ( phone number etc)
Written directions to house if they need telling to someone in an emergency.
First aid kit.
Written instructions for care for any animals.

Good idea OP.

We are very rural so I've learnt over the years power cuts are a big problem.

I have an old plug in phone as that usually works if power off. A torch. Then on fridge power company and BT numbers, again because can't google them if power off as phone wifi only.

Taxi company numbers.
I'd increase the cash but with instructions on how it may and may not be used.
Bin days. Details on anything else regular like milk delivery.
I have a little "manual" I put together with such things on how to run the house, basically.

A headtorch.
Batteries.
A sensible contact to ring for random advice ( eg boiler cut out)
A note of where stopcock is and how to turn off gas/ electric.

A separate file not for prying eyes, biut available, to note family members medical conditions and histories, and medications.

Another of any quirks of the house - eg, back door key will only turn if you pull it out a bit and wiggle it downwards, or whatever.

Next of kin details in case you are incapacitated.
Two weeks supply of regular medications.
First Aid Kit.
Emergency Credit Card.
Copies of passport
Copies of Wills
Advanced Care Planning decisions

Torch plus spare batteries. Box of plasters. A spare mobile, charged and with some credit on.

Good idea OP!

we have an 'oh fuck' plan for the dc.
we love abroad and don't have family close by, but a couple of good friends the dc can reach out to.
as older dc are teens with all the covid stuff we discussed that they stay at home if our absence is foreseen for a limited amount if time. for longer than a couple of days family would travel over.

to add to the list:

• (in a separate, closed envelope) supermarket delivery log-in & password. payment details are in that profile so dc (or our friends) could order a delivery.
• phone numbers of the school(s)

Wilco sell these flat magnetic torches, for some reason our proper torches always migrate around the house so I have one of these on the fridge to help me find the real ones in a power cut 😁

www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-magnetic-torch/p/0454627

Slightly separate thing, but I have all our key documents stored so that they can be picked up and taken out the house in one fell swoop in case of an evacuation or a fire. Yes, things like car ownership documents, passports etc can be replaced but it seems much better to me to minimise the chance we'd have to replace them.

If children need medications best to write down timings for taking them, I would assume most teens could manage their supplies themselves but if they were small extra supplies I guess.

WiFi password possibly, in case someone has to come and stay at the house?

One thing I did do when I went away a lot was build up a second set of wash stuff, meds etc: so I had shampoo, conditioner, old glasses, regular medications, ear plugs, eye mask, all lived in a bag - that might be handy as an "emergency" (and holiday) pick up and go bag - hospital, evacuation etc. I don't live in a flood risk area but when that bit (I think of Bristol) got evacuated at zero notice due to a second world war bomb I decided I wanted more things ready to pick up and go.

Yay, great replies!

I do have a first aid kit...
good idea about instructions for pets too

My mum stays on occasion to mind the DC, and she has regular medication, so a small supply of that is a good idea too

Also - a couple of things that caught us short which we hadn't considered were:

Bike lock combinations for children's bike
Car seats were in the car, which was locked at DPs work place and the keys went in the incinerator when they chucked is clothes / scrubs in (he was at work when he collapsed with Covid) - so spare keys or some option for spare car seats.

We also have an Oh Fuck bag with fireproof pouch in for documents / copies of documents.

Possibly something to allow someone else to access emails - not suggesting writing down password, of course, but something secure/encoded - you can find out tonnes if needed from someone's email, and could be useful?

Rather than keeping any medication in the kitchen drawer, perhaps somewhere more secure. Also if money/ personal details in there.

I'd need to have have spare glasses in that emergency drawer - just the previous pair, the prescription will be close enough to function in an emergency.

In a similar vein whilst you are emergency planning:

Think about how easy your house would be to find at night by an ambulance. Is it clearly numbered, visible from the road? Is there a porch light? If it is remote or doesn’t have a number, what is the What-Three-Words code or OS grid map reference?

Do you have a fire evacuation plan, and do your children know what their part in it is? Bear in mind studies show that children often aren't woken by a smoke detector and their instinct might be to hide rather than escape.

Make sure your children know your names! Especially if you have a different surname from them or the name that they hear other adults in the family call you is actually a nickname rather than your name.

If anyone is a carer for an elderly or disabled family member, it's possible to create and register a What-If plan. The card with the details to activate it could then go in your purse or that drawer.

Some great tips here, thanks.

I have a grab bag of emergency supplies in case of hospital visits (I'm disabled)
So I have a backpack filled with pjs a spare set of clothes, travel sized toiletries such as shampoo and shower gel, toothbrush and toothpaste, a purse with £20 in, tampons, a phone charger, a book and a spare key.

One thing that I've found really handy is on the notes app on my phone, I have a list of my medical conditions and medication, like this (I don't mind showing it, don't worry!)

Some great tips on here!