6 Things Every Montanan Should Have On Hand. Do You?

With the floods affecting many communities throughout the beautiful state of Montana, it is so important to know what types of things you should always have on hand in case of a natural disaster.

Whether you are in an apartment, camper, or house, there are things that you should always have on hand—either for your own well-being or to help neighbors in need.

First Aid Kit/Toiletries/Sanitizer

Having these things on hand will help you handle minor cuts and scrapes. With flooding comes extremely dirty water full of all sorts of things. The last thing you want is to have an open wound and nothing to clean it with, which could ultimately lead to serious infection. It seems obvious, but make sure you have one of these around.

Jack Knife/Swiss Army Knife

You may come across situations where you need to cut open food, cut open a screen, whatever the case may be—a Swiss Army Knife is useful for so many things. Will it be a life-saving tool against a bear? Most likely no. But trust me, there will be a situation where it will come in handy.

Non-Perishable Food

You don't need to have a crazy amount on hand, but you should have some high-protein foods that will also fill you up with small portions. Things like tuna, canned chicken, canned stew, pasta, rice, formula, and some dehydrated fruit. You can throw all of this in a backpack, and keep it in the closet or somewhere that is easy to access.

Water/Water Filter

You can have a couple of bottles of water in your "survival" backpack or you can purchase a high-quality filter that is less weight and less space. I prefer the filter route, as having canned goods AND bottled water all in one pack can get a bit heavy.

Flashlight/Radio

In the world we live in now, you may be able to find a flashlight that has a radio ON it. That would be ideal. We know that with natural disasters come power outages, having a form of light to see is absolutely a must, especially if you have small children. Having a radio to keep up with emergency announcements, breaking news, and the status of the situation you are in will be a life-saving tool.

Medications

Most of America is on some type of medication whether it is for your heart, your blood pressure, diabetes, or some other illness. You want to make sure that your medications are easily accessible.

Hopefully, you find this list useful and of course, you can add whatever else you find essential to it.