72-Hour Emergency Kit with Wheels - The WheelDeal

• 72-hour emergency kit for one person, packed in a rolling bag you pull instead of carry
• A 3,600-calorie food bar divided into 18 individually wrapped pieces, with a shelf life of up to five years
• Six 4 oz water pouches, ten water treatment tablets, and a 1-liter hydration bag with straw
• Hand-rechargeable flashlight that needs no batteries
• AM/FM radio with batteries included
• An emergency blanket, a poncho, and a hand and body warmer
• First aid kit for minor cuts and scrapes
• 5-in-1 emergency whistle
• 52 survival playing cards for long hours without power
• A starter water supply, not a full three days, so store additional water at home alongside it
• Hand-assembled in the USA, designed with advice from emergency preparedness experts

The WheelDeal is a good fit for an older adult who lives independently and wants the basics handled. It's also a thoughtful choice for adult children planning for a parent's home, because it covers three days of essentials in a bag that doesn't need to be lifted. If you're buying it for someone, open it together when it arrives so they know what's inside and where it lives.

It suits anyone recovering from an injury, living with a bad back, or simply done with heavy backpacks, too. There's no age requirement for preferring wheels.

Choosing the right number

• One person: one WheelDeal.
• Two people: one each, so both people have their own food, water, and warmth, and neither bag has to carry double.

Looking for more options for an older adult? Browse our senior emergency kits.

Organization

• 1 Rolling Bag

Food & Water

• 1 Food Bar, 3,600 calories
• 6 Water Pouches, 4 oz each
• 10 Water Treatment Tablets, each treats 1 liter
• 1 Hydration Bag with Straw, 1 liter

Light & Communication

• 1 AM/FM Radio (batteries included)
• 1 Hand-Rechargeable Flashlight (no batteries required)
• 1 Deck of Survival Playing Cards (52 cards illustrating survival skills)

Shelter & Warmth

• 1 Emergency Blanket
• 1 Emergency Poncho
• 1 Hand/Body Warmer

Tools & First Aid

• 1 5-in-1 Emergency Whistle
• 1 Fire Starter
• 1 First Aid Kit with adhesive bandages, gauze pads, alcohol cleansing pads, and cotton swabs

Hygiene

• 1 Pack of Pocket Tissues
• 9 Wet Wipes
• 3 Disposable Face Masks

• Power outages. A flashlight, a radio, and food that needs no cooking cover the basics. The blanket and warmer help if the heat goes out too.
• Winter storms. An emergency blanket and a hand and body warmer, plus food that needs no stove.
• Evacuation. Everything rolls out the door together, whether you're heading to a relative's home or a neighbor is giving you a ride.
• Water service disruptions. The tablets drop into the hydration bag with no pumping or tools. Follow your local utility's instructions and the tablet package directions together.
• A kit for a parent who lives alone. Three days of essentials in one place, with no heavy lifting required.

Make It Yours!

Not included: a full three-day water supply, sanitation supplies, medications, or first aid gloves and tape.

Consider adding:

• Water. Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness campaign, recommends one gallon per person per day. That's three gallons for one person over three days.
• Medications. The American Red Cross recommends a seven-day supply, along with any medical items you rely on.
• A written list of medications, allergies, and doctors' phone numbers.
• Glasses, contact lens supplies, and hearing aid batteries.
• Spare batteries or a backup charger for any medical device.
• A phone charger and backup battery.
• Copies of important documents.

Tips:

• Store it on the floor. Keep it on a closet floor or near the door it would leave through, so it rolls straight out without lifting.
• Check the dates when it arrives. The food bar and water pouches carry a shelf life of up to five years. Note the dates and set a reminder for the year they're due.
• Store water beside it. Three gallons covers one person for three days. Keep it in the same closet so it's easy to find.
• Read the tablet directions now. Knowing the steps and wait time ahead of time makes the tablets easy to use when you need them.
• Test the flashlight and radio twice a year. Pair the check with the spring and fall clock changes, and replace the radio batteries as needed.
• Know your radio. This is an AM/FM radio, not a NOAA weather radio. If severe weather is common where you live, a NOAA weather radio brings watches and warnings directly.
• Know what the first aid kit covers. It's built for cuts and scrapes. It has no gloves, tape, cold pack, or burn supplies, so add those if you want them on hand.
• Check the food bar for allergens. It's made with wheat and barley flour, so it's not gluten-free, and it's made without peanut products. Add foods that fit any dietary needs.
• Buying for a parent? Write your phone number on a card and tuck it inside, and add their medication list while you're there.

Is a rolling emergency kit a good choice for seniors?

Often, yes. Food and water make any emergency kit heavy, and lifting a loaded backpack off a shelf or carrying it to the car is the hardest part for many older adults. A rolling bag turns that into a pull. It also means a kit can live on the floor, where it's easy to reach, instead of on a high shelf.

Wheels have limits, though. They won't help much on stairs, snow, or gravel, and pulling a bag isn't practical for someone who uses a walker. If that sounds like your situation, think about who would help move the kit, and keep it near the door they'd use.

That's where a plan matters as much as the kit. Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness campaign, encourages older adults to create a support network of family, friends, and others who can help during an emergency. Who would check on you, or on your parent, if the power went out tonight?

What should an older adult add to an emergency kit?

• Medications. The American Red Cross recommends at least a seven-day supply.
• A medication list. Names, doses, allergies, and doctors' phone numbers, written down in case a phone isn't available.
• Glasses and hearing aid batteries. An older pair of glasses is perfect for an emergency kit.
• Medical device power. Spare batteries or a backup charger for anything that runs on power.

Sources: Ready.gov, Older Adults. American Red Cross, Make a Kit.

The WheelDeal is a rolling 72-hour emergency kit for one person, a practical choice for seniors and anyone who would rather roll their supplies than carry them. It covers the first three days of an emergency, with three days of emergency food rations, about 1,200 calories per day, and supplies to help with water.

In this kit: 24 oz of drinking water, 10 water treatment tablets (each treats 1 liter), and a 1-liter hydration bag.

What you'll still need to add. Stored water is what rounds out an emergency kit for seniors or anyone on their own. Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness campaign, recommends one gallon of water per person per day. That's 3 gallons for three days. Add that, along with medications, personal necessities, and anything else you rely on.

About water supplies. Purification tablets and filters treat water you already have; they don't create it, and tablets don't remove chemical contamination. A storage container only helps if it's filled ahead of time. None of these eliminate the need to plan for a safe drinking-water supply.