Although assistance from first aid teams is crucial in emergencies and after disasters, taking certain precautions beforehand can be life-saving.
It’s important to have an emergency kit prepared at home and at work, especially for situations like earthquakes, floods, or fires. Car owners may find it useful to keep an emergency kit in their vehicles as well.

An emergency kit is equipped with the essentials needed to survive the initial 72 hours. For individuals with babies, children, or pets, adults should also include items like baby formula, diapers, and extra clothing. Items such as medicines, food, and beverages in emergency kits should be regularly checked and replaced if necessary.

There are concerns that having an emergency kit can slow people down during building evacuations. However, placing the emergency bag in a designated location close to the exit can save time when evacuating. It’s crucial that the bag’s location is known to all residents.

You can either assemble the emergency bag yourself by including your specific needs or purchase one from AKUT, AFAD, and various non-governmental organizations. If opting to buy, pay special attention to the quality of the materials. Encountering a flashlight that doesn’t light, a radio that doesn’t work, or a pocket knife that doesn’t open could make it challenging to survive the first 72 hours. If you’re considering buying or preparing an emergency bag for your safety, we have compiled a list of the essential materials that should be included:


Food - Beverage

Include high-calorie, vitamin- and carbohydrate-rich, dehydration-preventing, and long-lasting foods in the emergency kit. These can be canned goods, dried fruits, biscuits, tahini-molasses, and fruit juice. If you have any medical issues, consult a doctor to add foods suitable for your health condition to your bag. Ensure that the food is sufficient for at least 72 hours. If you have a baby or pet, include appropriate food items for them in your bag. Finally, add at least 1 liter of water to your bag, and if there is room, you can include even more. Additionally, it’s important to regularly check the expiration dates of the food to ensure you can meet your needs in case of a potential disaster.


Important Documents / Papers

Having a waterproof document file in the bag is crucial for safeguarding your important documents and accessing them quickly. Include in your document file identity cards, driver’s license, title deeds, insurance documents, license documents, compulsory earthquake policy, diplomas, passport, and a photocopy of your deposit book. If you have pets such as cats and dogs, include their health certificates as well.


Clothing

Add underwear, socks, raincoats, and seasonally appropriate clothing to the emergency kit. Regularly check your clothes and replace them with new ones at each change of season.


Medicines

If you take medications regularly, keep them in the emergency kit. For individuals with cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, or other chronic conditions, it’s especially recommended to have spare medicines in the bag.


Hygiene Supplies

After disasters such as earthquakes, the surrounding area is covered with dust. Dust not only damages the lungs but also restricts visibility, making it difficult to reach the assembly area. Having a dust mask in your bag allows for more comfortable breathing in such situations. It’s also crucial to include items like wet wipes, toilet paper, sanitary pads, diapers, soap, disinfectant, toothbrush, and toothpaste in the bag for personal hygiene.


First Aid Kit

Small first aid kits containing various first aid materials needed in the first 72 hours should be included in the emergency kit. It’s also advisable to keep a first aid kit at home, in the car, and at work for emergencies.


Sleeping Bag / Blanket

At night, temperatures may drop, leading to a feeling of cold. Therefore, it’s useful to have a blanket or sleeping bag in the bag.


Whistle / Small Scissors

When needing to make our voices heard in disasters or emergencies, blowing a whistle instead of shouting consumes less energy. For this reason, a whistle must be in the emergency kit.


Pocket Knife

Multi-purpose pocket knives that you can use for cutting, joining, screwing, and opening can assist you in performing various operations needed in the first 72 hours after emergencies or disasters.


Work Gloves

Your hands can be at risk of damage while setting up tents, caring for those in need after a disaster, or performing any other tasks. Work gloves help prevent damage to hands during post-disaster operations.


Match / Lighter

During disaster situations, having a means to generate heat for both objects and the body becomes crucial. To address this need, it is advisable to keep matches or a lighter in the emergency kit.


Rope

Following disasters or emergencies, a durable rope might be essential for assembling tents and securing materials during the transportation of goods. Therefore, it is advisable to include a sturdy rope in the emergency kit.


Notepad - Pen

Having a notepad and pen on hand can be essential for jotting down notes, recording important numbers, or for various other reasons. To this notepad, you should also include contact information that can be used in case of an emergency.


Flashlight

In the event of power cuts in cities during disasters, having a flashlight in your bag is essential. Considering the need for hands to be used actively after the disaster, opting for a head torch is more useful than a traditional flashlight.


Battery - Operated Radio

Since there may be problems with systems such as television or GSM, relying on a radio can help you stay updated on current news.


Spare Batteries

Keep batteries in your backpack for radios, flashlights, and other electronic devices. Ensure there are twice as many batteries for each device as needed. Avoid leaving batteries in electronic devices during extended periods of non-use to prevent melting and deterioration.


Cash

Keeping some cash in your bag is advisable in case you encounter difficulties with finding assistance for urgent needs.


Pet Needs

Owners of pets such as cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, etc. should be prepared for unforeseen circumstances by either putting together a specialized emergency kit for their pets or integrating their essentials into their own kit if there’s sufficient space. The bag should contain sufficient food for a few days, water along with a water bowl, hygiene items (shampoo, cat litter, litter bags, paper towels, toilet pads, or newspapers), stress-relief toys, and any medication your pet regularly takes. For detailed information on your pet’s emergency medical needs, you can consult your veterinarian.

To enhance your pet’s safety outdoors, it’s crucial to include a collar and ID tag in the bag. Additionally, in case you need to leave your pet in an emergency, placing a photo of you and your pet in the bag and chipping your pet can assist in confirming ownership to others.

Sources Utilized:

www.afad.gov.tr/afet-ve-acil-durum-cantasi-nasil-hazirlanmali
www.akut.org.tr/akut-acil-durum-cantasi
www.ready.gov/pets