(Intro)

Squeaks and I have something a little different planned for today.  We're going to prepare an important package.  Oh, we won't be sending the package to anyone.  It's just for us in case we need it someday.  It's called an emergency kit, and everyone should have one.  Oh, you're right, Squeaks.  An emergency is a big deal.  It means there's something unusual happening that needs to be taken care of right away, but it doesn't have to be scary. 

Think about what happens when you spill something all over the floor, let's say orange juice.  I did that yesterday, remember?  The juice would be a problem if you just left it there.  Someone could slip and fall while it's wet and even after it dries, the smell might attract bugs that want to eat it.  But you know what to do when you spill something?  That's exactly right.  You clean it up.  When I spilled my juice yesterday, it needed to be taken care of right away, but since I had a plan for what to do, I was able to fix it.  

Well, emergencies are a lot like that.  Squeaks and I have talked about a few things that count as emergencies before, like hurricanes and floods.  You might know of some others, too.  Most of those emergencies will probably never happen to us, but we always want to be prepared for anything.  It's kind of like how we keep band-aids at the Fort.  I probably won't fall and scrape my knee today, but it's always good to be prepared by having some band-aids around.  

For emergencies, one of the most important parts of preparing is having an emergency kit, which is what we're making today.  We want our kit to have everything we might need if we're stuck in the Fort for three days.  That's because sometimes, during an emergency, it's not safe to go outside, like if the roads get blocked off during a flood or if there's too much rain and wind during a storm.  So we want to be prepared in case we have to stay inside while we wait for the emergency to be over. 

Can you guess one of the things that we might be putting in our emergency kit, Squeaks?  I'll give you a hint: I was just talking about one.  You got it, band-aids, as well as some other things we'll need in case someone gets hurt.  We also want to be prepared if the power goes out for a while or if the water gets shut off so that the sink doesn't work. 

How do you think we should prepare if we can't get water out of the sink?  Ooh, good idea.  We can keep bottles of water with our emergency kit.  But we need a lot more than you might think.  People need to drink plenty of water, plus, we'll want some for washing up, too.  Check out this huge bottle of water.  We'll need to keep one of these for each of us per day.  So there are two of us, and we'll each need one bottle every day for three days.  How many bottles is that?  You're right, we'll need six bottles.  

Oh, and speaking of washing up, we'll also want some fresh toothbrushes, some toothpaste, and of course, some soap.  Besides water, we'll also want some food that won't go bad for a very long time.  This way, we can just leave the food in our kit and it'll be ready to eat if we ever need it.  One type of food that stays fresh for a very long time is anything that comes in a can.  That's because the metal can is closed very tightly, so no air or germs can get in and make the food spoil.  We'll need to make sure we have a can opener though, or we won't be able to get any food out of the can.  

Dried fruit and snack bars also last for a while, so we'll put some of these in, too.  We'll also prepare some compostable bowls and cups and utensils like forks so we can still eat, even if we can't wash any dishes, and don't forget the paper towels in case something spills. 

Okay, so far, we've prepared things that would help if someone gets hurt or if we need food and water, but what happens if the power goes out?  That means we won't be able to turn on any lights, and if my phone runs out of battery, we won't be able to charge it.  How do you think we should prepare for that?  Oh, that's a good idea.  We'll put in my portable battery so we can use it to charge the phone.  We'll also put in a flashlight because we'll want to be able to see.  Let's add some matches, too, so we can also use candles for light, and in case it gets cold and we can't turn on the heat, we'll put in some snuggly blankets.  

We'll also probably want something to do if we can't go outside.  How about we prepare some books and a deck of cards so we have something to do together.  The grown-ups in your life might prepare some other things, too, but I think we're done with our emergency kit for now.  We'll probably never need to use it, but I feel really prepared.  How 'bout you, Squeaks?  You know, there doesn't need to be an emergency for us to read together, and I really like this book, so how about you grab some popcorn and I'll meet you in the library?

Thanks for joining us.  If you want to keep learning and having fun with Squeaks and me, hit the subscribe button and don't forget to check us out on the YouTube Kids app.  Thanks, and we'll see you next time here at the Fort.  

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