An office emergency kit will keep you safe, warm, and in contact with your family during an emergency

Scenario: You drive to work every day and your car is in the parking structure across the street from the office. There is an earthquake and it has destroyed your car and the car kit in your trunk. What will you do for supplies as you make your way home? Good thing you packed an office emergency kit!

Scenario: You take public transportation to work and there is an earthquake. After the shaking stops, you grab your backpack office emergency kit and head out of the building.

My husband works about 25 miles from our home. If there is a serious disruption in his ability to commute back home, like an earthquake – 25 miles pretty much rules out walking to get home. He will need the ability to shelter in place at the office. I’ve recently been impressed to make an office emergency kit for him, a specific kind of survival kit he can use in an urban setting.

I packed a simple office emergency kit because he will have access to his vehicle and the kit there. Plus there are no structures that could fall on his vehicle. He may not be able to drive home because of the fallen bridges that may be damaged in an earthquake.

These items are in a backpack in his office at work. Another option would be to store all this in a plastic tote. I chose the backpack because I wanted him to have the ability to be mobile with his kit and a tote is pretty hard to move over long distances.

Consider these items as you pack a simple office emergency kit:

•  Large Maglight Flash Light – don’t forget extra batteries!
•  N95 Respirator and Surgical Mask Box of 20 (or at a minimum dust masks)
•  Datrex Emergency Survival 2400 Calorie Food Ration Bar (Pack of 4), 48 Bars
•  Emergency Water Packets  – easy to pack and transport
•  Water Purification Tablets
•  Mylar Emergency Blanket
•  Ambient Weather WR-111B Emergency Solar Hand Crank AM/FM/NOAA Digital Radio, Flashlight, Cell Phone Charger with NOAA Certified Weather Alert & Cables
•  Metal Whistle w/ Lanyard
•  Pocket First Aid Kit
•  Light Sticks – 12 Hour Duration

These are the basic items I want him to have immediate access to. They are in a backpack in his office. He will have food, water, light, a way to stay warm, and a radio to learn about the disaster. The NOAA radio is multipurpose with a solar hand crank and cell phone charger. That way he will have a way to at least keep his phone charged and send out text updates.

I have packed enough for seven days, but your kit should be enough for at least three days.

Additional items you should add if you think you will not have your car kit available:

• Multi-tool (like a Leatherman)
• Pry Bar
• Duct Tape
• Leather palm work gloves
• Nitrile gloves
• Poncho
• Handwarmers
• Wet wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Women should add feminine hygiene items, if needed

Of course this only a basic kit and as I sit and run the scenario through my head, I can come up with many other items that he might need if he gets stuck at the office.

Hiking boots will be useful if he has to walk out of the area. He might need some form of protection – other than his MagLight! Reading materials and a headlamp will help keep the boredom away at night.

And finally how about a stash of chocolate or gummy bears to brighten his mood until he can get home.

Do you have an office emergency kit? What other items would you recommend putting in one?

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