As the holiday season approaches, finding the perfect gift for your loved ones can be a challenge. This year, why not give a gift that truly makes a difference? The gift of preparedness is thoughtful, and practical, and can help ensure the safety and well-being of your family and friends. Here are some ideas to inspire you.

Emergency Kit Supplies

A well-stocked emergency kit is a valuable gift that can provide peace of mind. Include essentials like water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, a first-aid kit, and personal hygiene items. Tailor the kit to specific needs, such as car emergency kits, pet emergency kits, or workplace preparedness kits.

Learn more about emergency kits: OEM has a step-by-step toolkit that explains how to Be2Weeks Ready and what to put in your kit.

For a home kit:

• Emergency food buckets. Many stores online and in person now sell 30 Days’ worth of meals ready to eat that can be stored on a shelf for years.
• Supplies for an emergency toilet and emergency clothes washing machine
• Extra pet food and supplies
• Extra prescription meds
• Manual Can Opener

For a car kit:

• Jumper cables
• Ice scraper and snow brush
• Emergency foldable shovel
• Kitty litter or sand
• First-Aid Kit
• Flares, LED flashers, or reflective triangles to signal for help and increase your visibility.
• Tire repair kit and air compressor
• Rain poncho
• Multi-purpose utility knife
• Whistle

For both home and car kits:

• Flashlights with extra batteries
• Warm clothes and emergency blankets.
• First-Aid Kits
• A hand-crank/rechargeable emergency radio that receives signals from AM/FM/SW/NOAA and can act as a cell phone charger
• Basic toolkit that includes screwdrivers, pliers, and an adjustable wrench for minor repairs.
• Multi-purpose utility knife
• Duct tape
• Meals ready to eat and water
• Paper maps of the area in case GPS is unavailable
• A small, car-appropriate or under-counter fire extinguisher
• Personal hygiene items like tissues, hand sanitizer, and moist towelettes
• Tarps
• Paracord, which is a strong, versatile cord for various uses like shelter building and repairs.

Create a Basic Go-bag and Give It as a Gift

Get a backpack and fill it with the essentials for any go bag:

• A bottle of water
• A couple non-perishable food items to last each person for at least three days.
• A manual can opener
• A first-aid kit
• A hand-cranked/rechargeable weather radio that can double as a cell phone charger. Make sure it receives signals from AM/FM/SW and NOAA.
• Extra batteries of all types
• A whistle
• An N95 mask
• Wrench or pliers: To turn off utilities if necessary.
• Paper map of the area they live
• Multi-purpose tool
• Personal hygiene items (soap, hand sanitizer, feminine hygiene products, and disinfecting wipes, garbage back and plastic ties)
• A waterproof binder to store their important documents with a list of the documents they should put in it.
• Some cash in small denominations stored in a waterproof container
• An emergency mylar blanket
• Extra clothing
• A pair of sturdy shoes
• A hat for sun and one for snow
• Protective gloves
• A blank emergency contact card they can fill out with family and emergency services numbers. Or print out Unit 2 or the Be2WeeksReady toolkit and tuck it inside.

Additional Gadgets for Safety

• Portable Satellite Wi-Fi Router
• Portable cell phone chargers or solar-powered chargers
• An emergency weather radio that receives signals from AM/FM/SW and NOAA are available for under $40. These compact devices often come with built-in solar panels, can run on backup batteries, or hand-cranking and serve multiple functions as a flashlight and power bank for your cell phone.
• Hand-cranked or solar-powered flashlights, many of which can also charge your phone or other devices.
• A large back-up power bank that holds enough energy to power numerous devices or can power your refrigerator or durable medical equipment for a number of hours.
• Solar panels that can hook up to a large power bank.
• A generator
• A satellite messenger
• Fire starter kit
• Portable water filter straws or purification tablets to make water safe to drink.
• Headlamps
• Waterproof containers for storing important documents and valuables
• Compact portable stove for cooking food and boiling water
• Compass
• Personal location beacon

Preparedness Courses and Workshops

• First aid and CPR classes: Gift a certification course in first aid and CPR, empowering your loved ones with lifesaving skills.
• Outdoor survival: Outdoor programs, like REI, have various survival workshops available that teach you everything from Wilderness Medicine to Outdoor Survival.
• Food preservation: The Oregon State Extension office offers a variety of workshops on food preservation and gardening.

Home Safety Upgrades

• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: These devices are crucial for early warning in case of fire or gas leaks. Consider gifting smart detectors that can be monitored remotely.
• Fire extinguishers: A fire extinguisher can make a critical difference in an emergency. Make sure to choose one appropriate for home use.
• Pay to have a home weatherized and prepared for winter.

Personalized Preparedness Plans

• Customized plans: Help them create a personalized emergency preparedness plan, including evacuation routes, communication strategies, and emergency contacts. Learn more about emergency planning with OEM’s Be2Weeks Ready toolkit.
• Document organizers: Provide a waterproof and fireproof document organizer to keep important papers safe and easily accessible.

Books and Resources

• Preparedness books: Choose from a variety of books on emergency preparedness, survival skills, and disaster response.
• Resource guides: Compile a guide with local emergency contacts, evacuation routes, and community resources. There is a free resource guide on OEM’s Be2Weeks Ready website that can easily be printed out.

Community Involvement Gifts

• Volunteer opportunities: Encourage participation the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program together. and sign-up for your local team. Also, learn how to become a Be2Weeks Ready program coordinator or find a program near you, by emailing:
  community.preparedness@oem.oregon.gov
• Learn about the statewide Search and Rescue (SAR) program: Connect with your local SAR coordinator by googling your county name and Search and Rescue to find out how to sign-up to volunteer as a family.
• Donations: Make a donation in their name to a reputable organization focused on disaster relief and preparedness. Many local organizations are currently accepting donations to support wildfire recovery in Eastern Oregon.

Giving the gift of preparedness is not only practical but also shows that you care about the safety and well-being of your loved ones. By choosing thoughtful gifts that help them be ready for any situation, you can provide peace of mind and make a lasting impact. This holiday season, consider giving gifts that keep on giving—the gift of preparedness.

More Resources:

• Preparedness Gifts for Kids and Pets
• Make Preparedness Fun: Engaging Kids in Emergency Readiness
• Ready Kids | Ready.gov
• Prepare with Pedro | Red Cross
• Build a Pet Disaster Preparedness Kit | Healthy Pets, Healthy People | CDC
• Prepare Your Pets for Disasters | Ready.gov
• Pet Disaster Preparedness & Recovery | American Red Cross
• Emergency Supply List | Ready.gov
• Use the Be2Weeks Ready Toolkit to Get Prepared for Any Emergency
• Budget Friendly Emergency Preparedness
• Use OEM's Pocket Planner for more ideas