Hey folks, I wanted to chat with you today about an often overlooked aspect of home safety – having a safety box. Now I know what you may be thinking – isn’t a safety box just for important documents? While that is definitely one use, I’m here to tell you it’s so much more than that. A safety box can truly be a lifesaver in an emergency situation.
Allow me to paint a picture for you. It’s late at night and you hear glass breaking downstairs. Your heart starts racing as you realize someone has broken into your home. In a panic, you scramble to call 911 but – oh no! – you can’t find your phone. It’s at this moment having a safety box could be the difference between life and death.
Why You Need a Safety Box
Let’s start with the obvious – a safety box puts you in control during a crisis. Rather than be a victim of circumstance with nothing but chaos around you, having your essential supplies consolidated gives you power over your security and peace of mind. When disaster strikes, you don’t want to be frantically searching for necessities like your phone, cash, or first aid kit.
As someone who has lived through hurricanes, tornadoes, and even a home break-in, I can confidently say that having a pre-packed safety box made all the difference in those panic-inducing situations. When a tornado warning hit, I was able to grab my box and quickly take shelter without worrying about supplies. And during a hurricane evacuation, that box held everything I needed for a safe departure at a moment’s notice.
Emergency responders also strongly advise citizens to have a safety box ready. As one firefighter told me, “When we arrive on scene of a house fire or flood, one of our top priorities is accounting for everyone’s safety. But we also worry about people putting themselves at further risk trying to salvage belongings. A pre-packed safety box removes that temptation and allows residents and first responders to focus on critical evacuation and rescue efforts.”
Essential Items to Include
So what exactly should go in your safety box? At minimum, it’s important to have the basic supplies necessary for survival, safety and communication until help arrives. Here are some key items responders recommend:
- Flashlights and extra batteries: You’ll need light to navigate safely in the dark. Opt for flashlights over candles due to fire risk.
- Battery-powered radio: This allows you to stay updated on weather alerts and evacuation notices. Have extra batteries!
- First aid kit: At least a small kit with bandages, antibiotic ointment, pain relievers etc. Consider including any prescription medications.
- Copies of important documents: Keep ID, insurance cards, birth certificates protected in a waterproof bag or container.
- Cash: Small bills for food, supplies, gas if ATMs are down. $50-100 should suffice.
- Phone chargers: For all devices your household uses. Solar chargers are great for long-term outages.
- Non-perishable food: Granola bars, nuts, dried fruit etc. to hold you over for a few days.
- Manual can opener: Vital for accessing canned goods if power is out long-term.
- Personal hygiene items: Toilet paper, sanitizer, menstrual products, diapers if needed.
- Utility tool: Pocket knife, duct tape, zip ties – multipurpose items for repairs, first aid, more.
Of course, you can include any other supplies specific to your family’s needs like pet food, baby items or medications. Just be sure contents don’t expire too quickly.
Choosing the Right Safety Box
When it comes to selecting a quality safety box, the adage “you get what you pay for” definitely rings true here. Opt for something certified to protect contents from fire, water damage and tampering. Aim for at least 30 minutes of fire protection to allow emergency responders time to arrive.
I personally like Pelican or Frontier brand cases since they’re rugged and waterproof up to 3 feet deep. The latched lids provide peace of mind they’ll stay shut during transport. A combination or key lock helps deter potential thieves as well. Just be sure to store the code/key separately from the box itself for obvious reasons.
A medium-sized plastic storage tote or toolbox works too if on a budget. Just check fire ratings and make sure the lid seals tightly. Most importantly – practice opening your box smoothly so you can access supplies in the dark or under stress. Ease of use is just as vital as durability in an emergency.
Safe Storage Locations
When it comes to placement, the ideal spots are high up and out of sight yet still accessible. I like to keep mine on a closet shelf or under the bed where it’s not the first thing noticed by potential intruders. Garages or sheds work too if you can easily bring the box inside when evacuating.
Just avoid areas prone to water damage like basements. You also want it convenient to grab without disrupting your regular storage system too much. Consider mounting boxes to walls using security screws if worried about theft. A hidden wall or ceiling compartment provides another discreet option.
Routine Maintenance
It’s critical to routinely check expiration dates and refresh items in your safety box. I make this part of my monthly chores along with testing smoke detectors. Batteries die out every 6 months on average, so swap those and any food with best-by dates ending soon.
Also take time to replenish supplies used from your box and note anything additional your family has learned is important to include. For example, we added a portable charger after a power outage taught us the value of multiple charging methods. You never know what small items could aid your survival until an emergency arises.
Protection Against Theft
A quality safety box with a lock provides an extra layer of security for your valuables too. In the event of a break-in, thieves are less likely to spot a discreetly stored lockbox than loose items out in the open. This gives peace of mind that important documents, cash and supplies remain protected even if other areas of your home are ransacked.
A lockbox also deters potential scavengers after major disasters. Sadly, looters have been known to prey on evacuated neighborhoods despite firefighters’ and police officers’ best efforts. Having supplies secured safely away prevents added stress during already difficult times.
Family Safety
Beyond personal supplies, it’s wise to include items specific to your family’s needs as well. For example, I keep extra copies of custody documents, medical info, and emergency contact lists for my children. Having that critical information easily portable brings me comfort knowing it can be accessed quickly if an emergency arises when kids are at school.
Senior citizens or those with medical conditions may want to add details on diagnoses, medications, physicians etc. Anything responders would need to know for treatment. Pet owners should plan for beloved animals too with extra food, leashes, and vaccination records. A safety box truly is a necessity for whole-family preparedness and peace of mind.
In Summary
While I hope you never actually need to use the supplies in your safety box, their importance can’t be overstated. Taking just a few hours to assemble and store one critical kit removes so much potential stress from disaster situations. It’s a relatively small investment that pays huge dividends in life-saving preparedness and peace of mind. I encourage everyone to make this small act of readiness a priority for your household.