Make disaster planning top priority this year!

What if a disaster should strike in your area? Are you prepared with the basic housewares? Many such products are often overlooked but could be very crucial in times of extended power outages, evacuations or other disasters. Here's a list of housewares that should be included in your household emergency kit:

• Sufficient drinking water for every family member for 3 to 4 days
• First Aid Kit
• Special medications your family members would need for a few days
• One blanket for every family member
• Flashlight, at least one, but preferable two, with spare batteries.
• Manual can opener.
  
• Basic cutlery, to prepare simple meals, as well as for your family to use.
• Plastic containers for water.
• Small amount of either plastic or tin plates and cups.
• An assortment of non-perishable foods to sustain your family for 2-3 days
• A transistor radio with spare batteries

Products for use in case of emergencies should form part of your emergency kit which can be stored in a plastic storage bin until needed. It should be ready at a moment's notice, so it's a good idea to purchase these specifically for the disaster kit, and resist the temptation to borrow periodically from it. Also check your local, provincial, state or federal agencies for their emergency preparedness plans, which will be tailored to your special climate or area conditions.