A Must-Have For Canadian Families: A Guide To 72-Hour Emergency Backpacks

Considering the unprecedented rise in natural disasters, having a 72-hour emergency backpack has become essential for everyone. It includes food, bottled water, medication, a first aid kit, a battery backup for home, and other appliances needed to survive 3 days in emergencies.

Talking specifically about Canada, the country witnessed record-breaking wildfires this year. Natural disasters and other emergencies in Canada are highly unpredictable, especially during Autumn. Therefore, it is vital for Canadians to have a 72-hour emergency backpack that can help them survive emergencies effectively. So, let's talk deeply about the emergency kit, especially the generator for home. 

The Checklist of Essential Items for a 72-Hour Emergency Backpack

A 72-hour emergency backpack should include all the essential items and devices that you and your family need to survive the next three days during emergencies. Therefore, let's create a checklist of all the items that should be present in the emergency backpack:

1. Food

Arrange enough food supply for three days. Pick food items that don't spoil and can be cooked quickly, such as canned/dried food, energy bars, etc. Make sure you check the expiry date of the food and replace it with a fresh one if it expires.

2. Water

Store at least 4 liters of water bottles for every person per day. So, if there are three members in the house, then you should store 36 liters of water bottles for a 72-hour period. 

3. Shelter

Arrange essential shelter items, such as emergency blankets, compact tents, and others, to have a backup shelter plan in place. 

4. Medication

Store all the prescription medication you or any family member takes. This could also include commonly used pills for headaches, stomach malfunction, etc. You can also consult your doctor to get the list of medications you should arrange for emergencies.

5. Copy of Important Documents

Create a copy of important documents, such as identification, insurance, etc. It is better if you keep them in a waterproof case. 

6. Warmth

Arrange the necessary clothes, gloves, jackets, or other similar items to keep yourself covered, especially during worse weather conditions.

7. Battery Backup

Keep a battery backup in the form of a portable power station, which will help to power essential home appliances, serve as power backup for computers, charge smartphones, etc. It will lead you to have the necessary power when the grid supply is unavailable. 

However, do make sure the battery backup for the home remains charged. For that, you can choose a portable power station that offers ultra-long standby time, such as the Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro portable power station, which offers 100% capacity standby for over 365 days. (We recommend checking the remaining energy every three months.) 

8. First Aid Kit

The first aid kit should include all the items that can help to fulfill basic medical needs. The items that should be present in the kit include but are not limited to:

• Gloves
• Scissors
• Antiseptic
• Gauze pads
• Different types of bandages
• Needle and thread
• Tweezers
• And many more.

You can easily purchase a complete first aid kit from anywhere. 

9. Communication

Ensure you have a radio, a whistle, and a fully charged smartphone (or power bank) to call for help and get up-to-date information about the emergency situation. 

Importance of Home Backup Power Stations

All the items listed in the above checklist for a 72-hour emergency backpack are important, but one of the essential items/equipment is the "power station" in order to have a reliable battery backup for the home. 

During storms, snowfall, and other emergencies, the grid power supply gets cut most of the time. If the situation is worse, then it can take significant time to restore the grid power supply, even extending to days. However, there are many essential appliances in every house that are needed to survive emergencies. Below is the list of household devices that require backup power:

• Lighting
• Computer laptopsptop
• Smartphone and tablet
• Refrigerator
• Communication devices
• Sump pump
• Cooking appliances (electric stove, kettle, coffee machine, etc.)
• Heater or cooler
• Medical equipment
• Microwave

All the above appliances play a vital role in surviving the emergency situation until the grid supply gets restored. Therefore, it is essential to have a battery backup for homes in the form of a portable power station. 

A portable power station includes a battery that can be charged through solar panels or AC wall charging. This means that you can even charge its battery from solar energy when the grid supply is unavailable. Once charged, the portable power station is capable of powering multiple AC and DC appliances for hours until the battery drains out. So, Canadians can easily power all the appliances listed above with a portable power station until the grid supply is restored. 

The best thing about a portable power station is its solar-based charging. Even if the grid supply remains cut off, you can charge the station with solar panels and keep powering your appliances throughout the day and night. This way, you get an ideal home battery backup to deal with unexpected emergencies effectively. 

Best Portable Power Stations for Canadian Autumn Adventures

There are plenty of choices when it comes to picking portable power stations for backup purposes. However, the best one distinguishes itself based on long battery life, large battery capacity, extensive compatibility, and similar other aspects. All these and many more are accessible to you with Jackery portable power stations.

Let's quickly review two of our best portable power stations that are ideal picks for emergency battery backup at home:

1. Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro Portable Power Station

Jacker Explorer 2000 Pro Portable Power Station is a 2160Wh large battery capacity and 2200W output power portable power station that can handle most of the essential appliances in the home, such as kettle, coffee machine, air conditioner, Heater, etc. It is chargeable through solar panels, AC wall outlet, and DC port and provides multiple output ports to supply power to AC/DC appliances easily.

The main specifications/features of the Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro Portable Power Station include:

• Power Capacity:2160Wh
• Power Rating:2200W (4400W surge)
• Battery Life: 10+ years on weekly use
• Battery Standby:100% capacity standby for over 365 days
• Charging Time:5 hours with 6 SolarSaga 100W solar panels and 2 hours with AC wall charging
• Compatibility:Power 2x AC (120V, 2200W), 1x DC (12V, 10A), 2x USB-A (18W max power), and 2x USB-C (100W max power) devices 
• Operating Temperature:14~104°F (-10~40℃)
• Noise:Less than 53dB
• Warranty:3+2 years 
• Safety: Industry-leading Battery Management System (BMS)

In short, the Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro Portable Power Station includes all the top-notch features and battery backup capabilities you need for emergency situations. 

2. Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station

If you have larger backup power needs to fulfill, then the Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station is the better choice. 

Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station includes a gigantic 3024Wh battery capacity with 3000W power output in a very compact size. It is capable of powering 99% of appliances for extended hours during emergencies. Despite its gigantic battery capacity, it is fully chargeable in just 6-7.5 hours with 6 SolarSaga 100W solar panels and 24 hours with AC wall charging.

The main specifications/features of the Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station include the following:

• Power Capacity:3024Wh
• Power Rating:3000W
• Battery Life:2000 cycles at 70%+ capacity
• Battery Standby:100% capacity standby for over 365 days
• Compatibility:Power 3x AC output, 1x DC (12V, 10A), 2x USB-A (18W), and 2x USB-C (100W) devices 
• Operating Temperature:-4~104°F (-20~40℃)
• Portability:Portable suitcase design with two wheels and a pull rod
• Smart App:Dedicated smartphone app to control the power station remotely
• Noise:30dB quiet operation
• Warranty:3+2 years 
• Safety:Fully upgraded Battery Management System (BMS)

In short, the Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station is the perfect pick as a battery backup for home if you have extensive power needs to fulfill.

Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro – The Eco-friendly and Sustainable Backup Power Solution

Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro is a complete, eco-friendly, and sustainable backup power solution that comes with Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro Portable Power Station and our highly efficient SolarSaga solar panels. 

It is a full-fledged battery backup solution that provides continuous and uninterrupted power supply in emergencies, even if the grid remains disconnected for days. Our SolarSaga 100W solar panels offer a high conversion efficiency of around 24.3% and are able to harness solar power even in low sunlight. This way, they ensure that the portable power station gets charged effectively during the day and provides the needed power continuously during the whole day and night.

Importance of Regular Inspection and Maintenance of Emergency Kit and Power Station

Arranging a 72-hour emergency kit and power station is one thing, but you should also ensure regular inspection and maintenance. It involves testing the equipment, checking the supplies, and doing all necessary checks to avoid any delays or issues during the hour of need. There are many benefits of doing so, as follows:

1. Surety

Regular inspection and maintenance involves inspecting all equipment and supplies. It helps to detect expired supplies, faulty equipment, dead batteries, and more. This gives the surety that all components are in the working condition. 

2. Timely Response

When you have done proper inspection/maintenance, you can use the equipment immediately without any delays. For instance, if you have ensured that the battery backup for home power outage is fully charged, then you can use it immediately during power outages instead of getting frustrated with a dead battery backup. 

3. Cost-Effective

Setting up an emergency kit and battery backup for home power outage should be a one-time thing, not a recurring expense. For that, inspection and maintenance can be very beneficial. Regularly inspecting and addressing issues helps you avoid costly expenses, such as replacing the complete equipment. Therefore, you can achieve long-term financial benefits with frequent inspections.

4. Upgrading

Regular inspections also give you an opportunity to upgrade your kit according to the new scenarios. Different scenarios can require you to upgrade the emergency supplies, such as:

• Your locality is going to deal with a specific type of disaster or emergency
• You are traveling/moving to a different location
• Your medication requirements are changed
• Your family composition has altered
• You need a larger battery backup for home
• There is new and advanced equipment for emergency purposes

All the above scenarios and similar others urge upgrading the emergency kit or backup power station. Therefore, you can identify and upgrade such needs if you regularly inspect and maintain the emergency kit and battery backup. 

5. Satisfaction

Regular inspections of the emergency kit and APC battery backup for home give you the peace of mind that you are well-prepared for any possible emergency situation. This satisfaction will also keep you calm when you encounter any emergency. 

6. Safety

Another crucial benefit of a well-maintained emergency kit and battery backup for home is the safety and reliability you get for yourself and your family during emergencies. Moreover, your supplies can also be helpful for other people around you. 

Maintenance Checklist of Emergency Kit and Power Station

Now that we know the necessity and effectiveness of inspecting and maintaining emergency kits and power stations, the next question is how to maintain them effectively. So, let's create a checklist you can use for the maintenance process:

• Check Expiry Dates:Check the expiry dates of all the food, medications, and other supplies that can expire after some time. Replace the expired items with new ones.
• Check the Battery Level of the Power Station:Check the current battery level of the power station. Recharge the battery to recover the dropped percentage. 
• Change Food and Water:Rotate the food and water to ensure their freshness and avoid spoiling them. 
• Test Equipment:Test the functionality of all the equipment, such as the power station, radio, backup phone, etc.
• Upgrade: Look for any new items you want to add to the emergency backpack, depending on the changing conditions or seasonal adjustments. This also includes upgrading the battery backup for home if the power needs have increased.

Besides the above points, you can add more points to your maintenance checklist depending on your specific conditions. Therefore, create a full-fledged checklist and use it during regular inspection rounds.

Conclusion

Natural disasters and emergencies often come suddenly and give minimal time for preparation. Therefore, it is very important for Canadians to have a 72-hour emergency backpack and a battery backup for home in the form of a solar power station. With the top priority of quality products and user safety, Jackery portable power stations and solar generators are ideal picks for emergencies.

Our solar power stations offer large power capacity, ultra-long battery life, and exceptional performance under wide conditions. These attributes and other features of our power stations are best suited to fulfill emergency power needs. Therefore, we will wrap up the discussion by recommending you arrange a 72-hour emergency kit and pick one of our portable power stations or solar generators, depending on your backup power needs.