Your Essential Emergency Kit

Submitted by Managing Editor on November 6, 2012 - 3:26am

By Amanda Ferrara, Student at New York University

This past week, many college students on the East Coast were faced with a hurricane, which caused them to lose electricity in their dorm rooms and to be stuck without basic amenities for days.

Whether it be from rain or snow, power outages are not unusual events on college campuses.

Below are some items that should be kept in your dorm rooms in case of emergencies and some alternatives to make those common emergency items a bit more fun.

What you need: Flashlights with extra batteries
The alternative: Flameless candles
These flame-free candles are great room accents; they create the same flickering light as candles but are safe and allowed in dorm rooms. Enjoy them all year long; just make sure you have extra batteries for when you really need them!

What you need: Water bottles
The alternative: Self-filtering water bottle
In the case of a power outage, you might not have bottled water or clean tap water constantly available. This water bottle ensures that you will always have clean, filtered water.

What you need: An extra cellphone battery
The alternative: An external battery
Instead of buying another battery that you will rarely ever use, get this cool gadget which allows you an additional two hours of battery life for your cellphone. You can keep it charged and use it on multiple occasions, not just when you lose electricity.

What you need: Saved water to wash your face
The alternative: Cleansing wipes
No electricity often means limited water. While people often save water in jugs when a storm is anticipated, this is not a logical solution for college students. Keep these wipes on hand so the lack of electricity doesn’t take a toll on your face!

What you need: An extra blanket
The alternative: A travel blanket and inflatable pillow
You never know when you will need another blanket and pillow or when you will have to pack for a quick evacuation. This set is compact enough to fit in the back of your closet and then be put into a small bag when you are ready to go.