If you aren’t sure what you need for a pandemic, we have you covered. Unlike storms or other natural disasters, pandemics can’t always be forecasted to a moment of impact. That's why it is wise to always have a pandemic safety kit ready to protect you and your loved ones.
Build a Pandemic Bug Out Bag
A bug out bag is a helpful tool and important part of strategic preparedness. Also known as go-bags, these kits are packed in advance so they're ready when you need them. A pandemic could start anywhere in the world and spread quickly, making it hard for people to get the medical care they need. This makes it important to have emergency supplies on hand or in a secure, nearby location at all times.
You might want to have a small bag to carry hand sanitizer, gloves, and masks in case you need to go somewhere with a high risk of exposure.
Using a tactical backpack efficiently designed with compartments and pockets to carry more specialized items, such as the ones we’ve listed here works well for bugout bags.
What should you keep in the bugout bag? Here are the essentials:
- Flashlights
- Extra batteries
- Extra cell phones/sat phones/power banks/chargers
- Multitools
There are bags built to hold supplies lasting from a few days to a couple of weeks, so get one based on the storage capacity that you think you’ll need. No amount of preparation is too much, but be careful to not over-stockpile on specific, individual supplies so that you can save space for a wider array of helpful items.
Backstock of Food and Water
Canned goods and non-perishable foods are must-haves for any emergency, not just a pandemic. Focus on foods that are heavy in nutritional value. You will need to be prepared to keep your energy up and nutrition levels as balanced as possible. A healthy diet is one of the best defenses when fighting any disease. Don’t forget to grab a water filter and method of water storage so you’ll always have fresh water too.
During a pandemic, disease may also impact food sources.
Animals may be carriers or also become sick as a virus spreads, eliminating their meat as a potential source of protein. It is also wise to maintain a backstock of essentials like food and water in the likely event a pandemic also impacts the supply chain, making it more difficult to find certain items at grocery stores.
You could also be prepared with some multivitamins if certain food options are unavailable. A supplement is never a meal replacement, but pairing certain vitamins with standard meals that aren’t as evenly balanced as you would like them to be will help keep your body in better condition to fight disease.
Do First Aid Kits Have What You Need for a Pandemic?
No. It's a good idea to keep the reliable items found in any first aid kit on hand--bandages, sterile wipes, and pain relievers--these items will aid you in the context of a minor injury. But, to be prepared for medical emergencies in a pandemic scenario with widespread disease, you should consider including more symptom-specific items like portable oxygen, a pulse oximeter, a blood pressure cuff, shears, a thermometer, anti-diarrheal medication, and antihistamines in your pandemic preparedness kit.We hope you have a good idea now of how to prepare for the next pandemic. TD has a variety of bags, kits, and other supplies to help you build your pandemic preparedness kit, so check out our collections and select what you’ll need or feel free to contact us if you need any assistance.