Review of Judy Emergency Kits For Disaster Preparedness
More Than Half of Americans Are Unprepared For Emergencies, But I Changed That With 1 Purchase
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More than 60 percent of Americans have no emergency plan. Yet with natural disasters happening more frequently, and with bigger impact, having a plan is paramount. Our current public health crisis – in which our entire nation is under a weeks-long state of emergency while the coronavirus continues to spread – served as a wake-up call for my family that we can no longer assume everything is simply going to be OK. We need to take action to make sure it will be.
Judy does more than sell ready-made first-aid bags. It arms you with actionable next steps to be prepared for any disaster.
Enter Judy. The bright-orange emergency preparedness brand launched just two weeks before the current pandemic made its way to the US, and it offers customised kits for whatever your personal needs are (do you want a waterproof bag you can grab in an evacuation or a fully-loaded safe you can hunker down with at home?), whatever your family size is (are you solo, do you have a partner, or are you a family of four?) and whatever your likely disaster scenario will be (are you in a region with earthquakes or tornados or flash floods?).
I, for one, opted for the comprehensive Judy Safe ($250), and although a wave of calm washed over me when it arrived at my doorstep, I haven't had to crack it open yet. Surprisingly, though, I've already put it to good use.
That's because Judy – the first digitally connected emergency kit – does more than sell ready-made first-aid bags. It arms you with actionable next steps to be prepared and offers real-time information, for free, whether you've bought one of its products or not.
Judy's Emergency Ready-Kits
Judy has a range of kits, depending on your preferences:
First, there's the Starter ($60), a small fanny pack outfitted with the bare essentials one person would need. Then, there's two versions of a waterproof go-bag – the Mover ($150, for two people) and the Mover Max ($180, for four people). These backpacks are a smart choice for those living in areas where they might need to evacuate quickly and carry gear themselves. Finally, there's the Safe ($250, for four people), which contains everything that the Mover Max does, but it's stored in a plastic, air-tight crate.
I opted for the Safe over the Mover Max because my family lives in a region where we're more likely to hunker down at home versus make a quick exit. And if we had to do the latter, we have a car.
Tools
The Tools cartridge comes with multipurpose bags, a roll of duct tape (so many uses), a flashlight along with AAA batteries, a multi-tool, a hand-crank radio that doesn't require external power, and a pre-charged single-use phone charger.
First Aid
The First Aid package includes a biohazard bag, quick-drying towel, pocket-sized tissues and wet wipes as well as hand sanitizer. It also comes with a separate bag of first-aid essentials, like bandages, scissors, and sterilizing alcohol.
Food
Warmth
The Warmth box comes with rescue blankets, hand warmers, candles, and waterproof matches.
Safety
The Safety box comes with gloves, dust masks, ponchos, glow sticks, and emergency whistles – crucial in the event of a building collapse or whenever you need help being located.
Water
The Water cartridge comes with plenty of drinking water pouches that each have a five-year shelf life.
