1. PRE-POSITION THE KIT: Store the backpack in a climate-controlled, dry location on the ground floor that is immediately accessible to both users. Ensure all household members know the exact storage location before any emergency occurs.
2. CONDUCT SELF-CHECK AND HOLD POSITION: Immediately after impact, check yourself and your partner for injuries and remain in your secure shelter location until the storm threat has fully passed. Do not move until the immediate threat is over.
3. DON INITIAL PPE: Before any movement inside or near damaged structures, put on the gloves and safety goggles to protect against broken glass, exposed nails, and sharp debris. This step is non-negotiable and precedes all other movement actions.
4. ESTABLISH ILLUMINATION AND COMMUNICATIONS: Activate the crank flashlight for directed light or a light stick for passive area lighting if visibility is low. Tune the crank radio to local emergency broadcasts or NOAA Weather Radio and do not rely on cellular networks for situational awareness.
5. ASSESS THE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE EXITING: Before moving through or out of the structure, scan for downed power lines, the smell of gas, unstable walls or ceilings, and debris fields. Maintain a minimum distance of 35 feet from any downed power line and treat all downed lines as energized and lethal.
6. DON FULL PPE BEFORE ENTERING DEBRIS FIELDS: Add the dust mask to your already-donned gloves and goggles before moving through any dust-filled or debris-laden area. The PPE triad of mask, goggles, and gloves must be complete before entry.
7. SIGNAL RESCUERS AND MANAGE MOVEMENT: Use the whistle with three short blasts as the international distress signal to alert rescuers to your position. Keep the backpack on during movement to keep both hands free for balance and obstacle clearing.
8. ADDRESS INJURIES: Use the personal first aid kit and eyewash for minor wounds and eye debris, prioritizing eye flushing as a high-urgency action post-tornado. Activate the cold pack by squeezing and shaking, then apply it to sprains or impact injuries.
9. ESTABLISH SHELTER-IN-PLACE: Use duct tape and ponchos to seal broken windows or structural gaps and deploy emergency blankets for thermal regulation, particularly during overnight periods. Designate a sanitation area away from the primary shelter and use biohazard bags for all human waste containment.
10. INITIATE THE RATIONING PROTOCOL: Limit consumption strictly to one food bar and one to two water packets (4 to 8 oz.) per person per meal period across morning, mid-day, and evening periods. This discipline is required to sustain both users through the full 72-hour operational window.
11. MAINTAIN COMMUNICATIONS WATCH: Conserve crank power by monitoring the radio at scheduled intervals, such as 15 minutes at the top of each hour, rather than running it continuously. Reserve cell phone charger use for a single emergency text or a 1 to 2 minute call on a fully powered-off device.
12. CONDUCT SEMI-ANNUAL INSPECTION: Every six months and after any use, inspect all expiration dates on food, water, medications, and medical supplies, test the crank electronics, check consumable seals, verify component integrity on ponchos, blankets, and gloves, and conduct a full inventory against the kit contents list.
