Regardless of where you are located in the world, preparing for the worst-case scenarios is always a smart move. This increases in magnitude if you live in a rural area. However, urban people need to prepare themselves with necessary survival items for natural disasters and emergencies. In urban areas, clean fresh water, electricity, and the internet are impossible to imagine life without. This makes it harder for urban people to survive through crises. Depending on your location, just like nowadays, an ice storm might hit out of nowhere. Other places might suffer from unstoppable heavy rains for a few days which leaves no chance for someone to move freely without ruining their car or running the risk of getting severely sick. To help you in getting prepared for such emergencies, here are 4 must-have items that every urban person needs.

1. A Survival Kit

The first and foremost tip to bear in mind for survival kits is choosing a backpack that can fit all the items you are going to need. Choosing a suitcase might hinder you from carrying it for longer periods, in case you have to. On the other hand, choosing a regular backpack might prevent you from fitting all items you are going to need. Therefore, it’s essential to pick a bag that resembles a hikers’ bag, one you can carry on your back and fit all the essentials too. It’s rather crucial to pick a sturdy backpack that won’t collapse within the first few minutes of loading and carrying it. After finding the right type of bag that checks all the boxes, make sure to get each one of your family members a bag for themselves that they can carry. Even children can pick a smaller bag that they will be able to carry with some food, water, and other essentials.

2. The Essentials

Food, water, and enough money should be on top of your priority list. Any survival kit should contain at least a gallon of water for the person who is carrying it. It should be in durable bottles that are made for materials that don’t interact or degrade over time. As recommended by the survival gear reviews here, it’s best to carry some form of a water purifying device to ensure that you will have access to clean water whenever there is a chance. Drinking water, you came across directly from its source can leave you with a stomachache or bigger issues that you can definitely do without in the event of a crisis. Carrying enough food for you and your family members should also be done smartly. Make sure to pack food items that carry high calories and protein levels while ensuring that they will not expire any time soon.

3. Medical Supplies

The first thing you should consider while you are filling your medical kit is a first-aid kit that can come in handy in any situation. After this, make sure that you have enough refills for any chronic condition you or one of your family members have. You can then start filling your medical bag with several over-the-counter pills for all possible diseases and illnesses such as antibiotics, pain management pills, diarrhea meds, and anti-nausea. It’s also smart to pack some allergy medications as immune functions might deteriorate with sudden changes in diet and lifestyle.

4. Shelter and Sleep System

After making sure that you have essentials such as food, water, money, and meds, it’s time to consider a sleep system in the event you had to leave your home. You can choose to resort to a simple sleep system with a basic tarp and sleeping bags. Or you can go all out and pick tents that come with protecting sheets against mosquitoes and other insects. The important thing to consider while picking the right shelter for you and your family members is how protective it is in case you had to spend some nights out. Make sure to carry extra batteries, power banks, headlamps, and a map. These items can offer help in all situations regardless of whether you have access to working electricity or not. Power banks should only be used in case you need to make an emergency call.

Regardless of where you are located, preparing a survival kit with all the essentials that you might need in any given situation is a must-do. Your location only makes a difference in the type of crises you need to prepare yourself for and what should be carried in your bag. Make sure that you prepare a checklist with all needed items before you head out to buy your needs. While packing, cross items that you have covered. Planning and organization help greatly in such situations to ensure that you have got everything covered.