After a natural disaster, it can take up to three days for the emergency services to arrive. A family emergency kit is the best way to make sure you and your family stay safe and well until then. We can survive for days without food, but we need water to stay alive, so you don’t want to run out! You need two litres for each person for each day: 1.5 litres to drink and 500ml to add to food or use for washing. Choose food that you can keep for a long time, such as meat, fish and vegetables in tins, and dried fruit. You need a small camping stove to heat up food and keep warm in case it’s cold. Pack bandages and painkillers to deal with injuries. Don’t forget any medicine you usually take. Illnesses can spread quickly during a disaster, so it’s important to stay clean. Pack soap and hand sanitiser, gloves and masks. The lights don’t often work after a disaster, so pack some torches. Remember blankets to keep warm. Buy a radio that works with batteries or solar energy to listen and find out what is happening. Also pack an extra phone in case you lose or break yours. It’s a good idea to buy some extra batteries, too. After a disaster, cash machines don’t work, so have some money in your emergency kit. It can take days for help to arrive, so bring something to do. Board games and books are good ideas. Remember, disasters can happen at any time. Always be prepared!