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Special Planning Areas Money or Phone Cards: You will never know what type of situation you will encounter. You might be forced to evacuate your house in the middle of the night or leave in a moments notice which could cause you to be without enough money. The amount of money you include in your 72 hour kit is up to you. As little as 50 cents for a phone call could be enough, or you might need as much as $100. When deciding how much money you should add, take into consideration your surroundings, your family members and what type of disasters are posible in your area. We recommend at least $20. If you include a phone card, remember to check the expiration date and rotate it as needed so the phone card will remain current. Some phone cards do not have expiration dates to worry about. Important Documents and Irreplaceable Items: After a disaster such as a flood, an earthquake, a fire, or a hurricane there are certain documents or treasures that you will want. Documents such as insurance papers, wills, birth certificates, wedding certificates, phone numbers and credit card cancellation information could prove very valuable afterwards. Other items such as family history papers, photographs, family heirlooms and other such items that are irreplaceable are also very valuable and you might consider putting copies into your 72 hour kit. Babies and Small Children: Babies and small children require different preparation than adults. If you have a baby, you might consider adding a bottle, diapers, formula, an extra blanket or warm clothes, a pacifier, small toys, or other such items to your 72 hour kit. These items may seem unimportant now, but if you are forced to leave your home with a baby for more than a few hours, you will soon be very grateful they are included in your 72 hour kit. Elderly: Just as babies and small children have special needs, so might elderly men and women. Items such as special medication, extra warm clothes, special dietary foods, dentures, an extra pair of glasses, extra batteries for hearing aids etc. should be considered when building your kit. Special Medical Needs: Special medical needs are very important to remember when building your 72 hour kit. If you or one of your family members is diabetic, you may want to include the insulin and other accessories needed. Other items such as extra asthma inhalers or prescribed medication should be included if you or one of your family members requires it. Also consider your family members who are physically handicapped such as in a wheelchair or on crutches. They might need extra assistance or other special accessories. Stress Relievers: Emergencies can be very stressful situations. Games, books and toys will help relieve some of this stress. Consider your family, their ages, and the kinds of things they like to do. Ideas to include: card games, jacks, small puzzles, harmonicas, yo-yos, hard candy, small toys, picture books and easy-to-read books, travel-size games, paper and pencils or coloring book and crayons. Be creative in what you include and your family will appreciate you during that stressful time when they want something to do. Stress relievers benefit everyone in an emergency. Everyone is unique with different needs. Having insulin for a diabetic in your 72 hour kit can be as lifesaving as having the basic food and water. When you assemble your 72 hour kit, think about who you are making it for, cover all your bases and be creative. You will only have yourself to thank or blame when the time comes to use your kit. Back to the Preparing For Emergencies page.