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If one of your New Years Resolutions is to keep you and your family safe and healthy then you may want to consider working on your emergency survival kit. There are several websites to help you with this somewhat daunting task.
BC’s Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) www.pep.bc.ca
Find out how to be self sufficient for up to 5 days www.jibc.bc.ca/emergency/programs/EM_NEPP/howToGetStarted.htm
Emergency preparedness Canada www.ocipep.gc.ca
www.redcross.ca

It is recommended that you keep enough supplies to last you 5 days on your own. For your survival kit, consider having the following items in a waterproof box:
Flashlight and batteries, radio, candles and matches, first aid kit and handbook, extra car and house keys, cash (both bills and coins for pay phones), copies of important documents like insurance papers and bank info, a change of clothes for each member of the family, blankets or sleeping bags, work gloves, toilet paper, (diapers), body soap and dish soap, detergent, whistle, games or cards, duct tape, family photo album, basic tools like hammer, saw, screw driver, prescription medications.

In terms of food and eating there are some key things to think about. Number one is fluid. Aim to have stored 4L of water per person per day. This should cover drinking water, cooking water and hygiene.

Next on the list is food. Non-perishable foods that don’t need any cooking, some that do and some that will require can openers, scissors or knives. If they need cooking you will need a camp stove, matches, pots and pans, serving utensils and the list goes on. Below is a list of some items you can plan to keep aside in your garage or shed if an emergency does arise. Just remember that you should replace the food items again next year and every year after.
Food:
Water, powdered milk, powdered juice crystals, juice boxes
Canned foods such as soups, stew, pasta, beans, lentils, salmon, tuna, tomato sauce, tomatoes, chicken, turkey, vegetables and fruit
Crackers, cookies, pasta, granola bars, energy bars, nuts, dried fruit, cereal, peanut butter
Jam, syrup, sugar, honey, salt and pepper
Coffee, tea, hot chocolate powder
Freeze dried or foil pouch foods (used for hiking)
Supplies:
Coleman stove, waterproof matches
Pots, plates, cutlery, knife, bottle and can opener
Aluminum foil, plastic wrap, plastic bags
Garbage bags

You could even go as far as to get a generator that will power your home refrigerator and a few lights.

Other things to consider are:
1. Your family plan (who to contact, where, someone out of town to use as a home base contact)
2. Securing your home ( turn off electricity and gas, watch for live wires etc)
3. Your neighborhood plan (where to go for additional supplies, first aid and shelter such as community centres)
4. Organize a car emergency kit (first aid kit, water, road flares, blanket, axe, matches and candle, energy bars or other food, fire extinguisher, extra clothes or walking shoes)