West Pierce Fire & Rescue is dedicated to ensuring the community is prepared in the event of a disaster. During major disasters, such as an earthquake, firefighters may be delayed in their response to 9-1-1 calls and the community will need to rely on each other to assist until help arrives.

Each month, WPFR is sharing tips from the Washington Emergency Management Division’s Prepare in a Year series, available here in both English and Spanish. This process breaks down disaster preparedness into smaller tasks that can be accomplished month to month.

This month’s disaster preparedness tip is about creating a Grab & Go Kit.

Everyone in your family should have their own go kit that they can quickly grab in case of an emergency. Your go kit should be lightweight and easy to carry. It should have enough supplies to last you at least two or three days.

Some items you will want to include in your kit are:

• a water supply that can last two to three days
• food that that does not require refrigeration or cooking
• little to no water for consumption (high energy foods, comfort foods, and dry meats are a good choice).

Other items you might want to include: flashlight, extra batteries, battery or crank radio, whistle, toiletries, first aid kit, medications, multi-purpose tool, extra clothes, waterproof blanket, comfort items, and important documents.

Prep tip: Don’t forget, your pets need a grab and go kit too! It can include: water, their food, any medications, and leashes.