Buy an Emergency Kit and Help People in Japan

Now's a great time to prepare for a disaster.

Why now?

If not now, when? Don't put it off until a catastrophe is imminent.

Here's a little extra incentive:

Ready Set Go Kits is an online store specializing in ready-made emergency preparedness kits. They have kits for several different types of disasters - hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, etc. - plus special kits for children, pets, and workplaces.

I compared the earthquake kit for 1 person and the hurricane kit for 1 person. They contain exactly the same things. I'm not surprised. The basics of an emergency kit are pretty much the same, whether you're facing a natural disaster or a man-made event. I suppose some people wouldn't buy a generic "disaster survival kit" where they might buy one that's supposedly specific to the kind of disaster most likely to hit their area.

The dog and cat kits are also pretty similar. The dogs get a bonus of 2 chew sticks. I assume that the included food would be specific to a dog or a cat and not just "pet food."

You can buy all these things separately, and it may even be a better deal to do so, depending on what's included (are they plastic bandage strips or flexible fabric, for example). What's great about these kits is they save you time. Click on the buy button, and when the package arrives, you just put it in your hall closet or wherever you'll remember to look for it, and you're done for at least a year. Some of the items, like the boxes of water, have a 5-year shelf life, but eventually you will have to replace the food, water and batteries.

You may be wondering how all this can help people in Japan or maybe you think I'm going to suggest buying a kit and having it sent to the tsunami zone. Not at all. Just buy yourself an emergency kit in March 2011, and 10% of the purchase price will be donated to the Red Cross for disaster relief in Japan. Simple, huh?

If you don't have an emergency kit, do yourself and the tsunami victims a favor and order from Ready Set Go today.

In case you're wondering, I receive no compensation for this post. I read about the kids and the donation to Japanese disaster relief, and I thought it was appropriate for this blog.