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In times of natural disasters, extreme weather events or other emergency situations, it’s hard not to immediately think of the most vulnerable among us, particularly the older folks in our lives that might have a more difficult time accessing aid.
For occasions like these, it’s never a bad idea to stock up a loved one’s home or car with emergency preparedness items and safety tools that offer potentially lifesaving benefits. If you’re looking to gift a parent, grandparent or friend with such a supply, but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve done extensive reporting on emergency preparedness by utilizing global aid sites and speaking with various safety experts and other emergency-coordination officials regarding the items that everyone should have in case of an emergency.
In the list ahead, you can find some of the best products among these recommendations and findings that may be able to help older adults safely navigate everything from winter-related power outages to roadside problems to hurricanes and every emergency in between.
HuffPost may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
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Amazon
An indoor-safe space heater
Powered by propane, this radiant portable heating system by Mister Heater can safely heat indoor spaces of up to 225 square feet for over five hours on the lowest setting. For added protection, a built-in safety sensor automatically shuts off the heater if it has been tipped over or if low oxygen levels are detected in the room.
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Amazon
A high-lumens tactical flashlight
Perfect for stashing in a night stand, a grab-and-go emergency bag or in the car, this compact and high lumen tactical flashlight is incredibly bright, compact and durable enough to withstand a number of environmental conditions. It also has a zoom feature so you can focus on a single spot or flood an entire area, and three AAA batteries are included.
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Amazon
An emergency hank-crank weather radio
A number of survivalist and safety experts previously told HuffPost that crank weather radios are a must for emergencies. For instance, in situations where cell service is down or batteries are depleted, this NOAA-official hand-crank and battery-powered emergency radio can keep users up to date with weather advisories in their area. There's also a USB charging cable to keep phones charged, a loud SOS alarm for emergencies and a handy LED lamp to light dark areas.
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Amazon
A passive gravity water filtration system
Riccardo Zennaro, coordinator for the UN's Global Wastewater Initiative, previously told HuffPost that in the event of flood, you might not know whether your water has been contaminated by sewage or chemicals. Most likely, however, it's been contaminated by both. In this case, he recommends passive gravity water filtering systems to get the cleanest and safest water possible.
This gravity fed water system, like all gravity systems, requires no electricity or running water to work. It has a capacity over 2 gallons and uses the process of reverse osmosis, in addition to two carbon filters, to effectively filter out a number of impurities.
This gravity fed water system, like all gravity systems, requires no electricity or running water to work. It has a capacity over 2 gallons and uses the process of reverse osmosis, in addition to two carbon filters, to effectively filter out a number of impurities.
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Amazon
A large quantity of non-perishable food
Charlotte Fadipe, a California Earthquake Authority representative, previously told HuffPost that households should ideally stock at least a three days’ supply of food and water for each person and pet.
When stocking up on heavy, cumbersome cans of food isn't ideal, this non-perishable food variety pack by ReadyWise contains 124 servings of ready-to-eat meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and even includes beverages. Just add hot or cold water to enjoy items like savory beef stroganoff and apple cinnamon oatmeal.
When stocking up on heavy, cumbersome cans of food isn't ideal, this non-perishable food variety pack by ReadyWise contains 124 servings of ready-to-eat meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and even includes beverages. Just add hot or cold water to enjoy items like savory beef stroganoff and apple cinnamon oatmeal.
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Amazon
A 24-pack of electrolyte-infused water
As Fadipe previously mentioned, keeping a stocked water supply is imperative and this 24-pack of easily accessible water bottles can be a simple solution for anyone that doesn't want to bother with countertop water filters. Essentia's water is also infused with trace amounts of electrolytes to provide a better taste.
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Amazon
A multi-tool
Seismologist Peggy Hellweg previously told HuffPost that having easy access to tools in the event of natural disaster-related emergencies is important — preferably a multi-tool like this set of pliers that features 12 different integrated tools within one butterfly design. Users can access everything from scissors to flathead screwdrivers, wire cutters to a plain edge blade.
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Amazon
A wildly popular portable power station
With the Jackery 240 portable power station, you can charge important electronic devices like phones and tablets on the go or during a power outage. It uses a completely silent rechargeable lithium battery or it can be charged with Jackery solar panels (sold separately).
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Amazon
A portable personal water filter
This portable filtering straw has stood up to rigorous lab testing protocols for water filters and is a must-have for frequent hikers and campers, too. The micro-filtration membrane removes 99.99% of all waterborne bacteria, parasites and micro-plastics and will provide 4,000 liters of fresh drinking water in its lifespan.
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Amazon
A pair of LED headlamps for hands-free lighting
With a runtime of 10 hours or more on low, you don't have to worry about stumbling around a dark house to go to the bathroom or otherwise finding your way around in the middle of a power outage. Each of these AAA battery-operated LED headlamps has seven different light modes, including a red nightlight and a strobe setting that can be useful for capturing attention during an emergency.
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Amazon
A solar-powered charging bank
Jon Gudel, a California state emergency services coordinator, previously explained to HuffPost that utilizing phone apps to receive guidance during an emergency can be incredibly important, so he suggested having back-up chargers in your emergency kit.
This portable power bank can be charged using either solar power or an electric socket and can even double as a flashlight. It has enough ports to support rapid charging of three devices simultaneously and can fully charge an iPhone 14 Pro twice on a single charge.
This portable power bank can be charged using either solar power or an electric socket and can even double as a flashlight. It has enough ports to support rapid charging of three devices simultaneously and can fully charge an iPhone 14 Pro twice on a single charge.
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Amazon
A pair of emergency seat belt cutters and window hammers
When in a potentially dangerous situation inside of a car, this type of emergency safety tool — an item previously recommended to us by a Philadelphia-based mechanic — can be vital to have. It has a razor-sharp stainless-steel blade that can quickly slice through a jammed seatbelt, and a metal double-head hammer that can break through tempered glass. This set of two from Amazon Basics has a 4.7-star rating.
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Amazon
A digital tire pressure gauge
HuffPost previously spoke to mechanics Cheyenne Ruether and Bogi (who goes by her first name) about everything you need to fix a flat tire. They suggested using a digital pressure gauge to check tires monthly in order to help stop tire-related accidents before they happen. This particular easy-to-use tool has four settings to check pressure on a variety of tires and a built-in LED flashlight to make it easier to take readings in the dark.
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A portable tire inflator
When a tire is low on air, this portable air compressor can save a driver the trouble of having to deal with the often-broken coin-operated machines at the gas station. It simply connects to a car's 12V outlet while the hose nozzle attaches to the tire valve to inflate most standard tires. The compressor also has an automatic shut-off feature so there's never any risk of over-inflation. Simply enter the desired tire pressure and let it work! It has a digital tire gauge so you'll always know if you need to top off before a road trip.
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A set of anti-skid traction devices for tires
Slick, wet or frozen roads are not the safest for anyone to drive on, but these anti-skid devices can add an element of safety. These durable textured straps fit tire sizes of 175-296 and can also help free a vehicle that's stuck in the snow or mud.
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Amazon
A portable gas-powered stove
To boil hot water or heat up a meal in instances when electric ranges are unusable, a portable gas-powered stove like this top-rated option by Gas One can be a lifesaving essential. This high-output stove comes with a carrying case, four cans of butane and an automatic safety shutoff.
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Amazon
A pair of emergency whistles
Wilderness self-reliance educator and traditional skills practitioner Donald Dust recently recommended having a whistle handy in any emergency to-go bag. This pair of double-tubed emergency whistles can be heard at a long distance, are made with strong aluminum alloy material, and are lightweight and water-resistant.
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Luminaid
An easy-to-hang indoor LED lamp
This lightweight and collapsable LED lamp can light up rooms when power has gone out. It can be charged by both the sun or a USB port to provide up to 24 hours of run time per charge.
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Amazon
A rechargeable waterproof lighter
This electric, wind- and waterproof lighter is easily recharged via USB so you never have to worry about having a back up source of lighter fluid in an emergency situation. It also comes attached to paracord lanyard so it can be worn around the neck or tied onto a backpack strap.
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Amazon
An all-purpose first aid kit
Disinfect wounds, bandage cuts and soothe burns with this 312-piece first aid kit. Clear plastic interior compartments keep everything organized and the soft sided zip case makes storage and transportation a breeze.
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Amazon
A four-pack of emergency mylar blankets
The Red Cross recommends emergency blankets, which can be useful in situations in which electrical heating systems aren't operational. These dual-sided mylar blankets come packed in waterproof storage bags, are 52 by 82 inches and are designed to retain body heat and block rain, snow and moisture.
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Amazon
A portable and rechargeable jump starter
In times of dangerous inclement weather, the last thing you want is for your loved one to be stranded due to car troubles. Instead of relying on AAA, this handheld device can be used to revive a full-sized car or SUV using the included jumper cables. It also has a powerful LED floodlight and two USB ports for charging your essential electronics.
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An 84-count assorted battery pack
During any kind of power outage, it's more than likely your loved one will be pretty reliant on battery-powered items such as flashlights and radios. This deluxe variety pack of batteries has an impressive shelf life and will ensure that they have the correct battery size for all needs. This assortment includes AA, AAA and 9-Volt batteries.
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Amazon
A three-pack of of long-burning emergency candles
Keep a home safely lit while also adding a touch of ambience with these liquid oil emergency candles by SDS. Each candle can burn for 14 days straight without creating overpowering scents, smoke or messy soot burnoff. When they're no longer needed, users can simply replace the cap and store them for next time.
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