Gear we recommend from Survival Frog for the hazards we plan for across Pierce County: earthquakes, Mount Rainier lahars, winter storms and power outages, wildfire smoke, and evacuation.
Survival Frog is an online store for emergency and outdoor gear. Below are the categories we point people to first, with notes on what to look for so you can choose for your own household. Links open survivalfrog.com in a new tab. Higher Vantages doesn’t sell these products; Survival Frog sets its own prices and stock, so check them on its site.
Independent recommendations. Read our disclosure.
Western Washington has a few hazards worth planning for. Each one points to the same short list of gear: a ready kit, light and a radio, and a way to keep things dry.
The region sits above the Cascadia Subduction Zone and other faults. A large quake can cut power, water, and roads for days or longer, so a packed kit, lights, and a radio carry you through the first stretch while you wait for help and information.
Lahars follow river valleys, and a warning means moving to high ground right away. A grab-and-go kit by the door or in the car means you leave with supplies instead of nothing.
Wind, snow, and ice can knock out power for days. Flashlights, spare batteries, a battery or crank radio, and a way to charge a phone matter most when the grid is down.
Smoke can settle over the Puget Sound region in summer and fall. Keep well-fitted N95 respirators with your kit, stay indoors on smoky days, and check air quality on AirNow.
If you have to leave, it will probably be wet. Dry bags keep documents, spare clothes, electronics, and first aid supplies usable in rain, flooding, or a leaky car trunk.
Three places to start. Each card lists what to look for, whichever product you pick.
A pre-packed kit is the quickest way to go from nothing to a working go-bag for the house or the car.
What to look for
Also: Car kits · First aid kits
The pieces that get you through an outage or the days after an earthquake.
What to look for
Also: Lights · Emergency radios · Fire starters · Water purification · Portable power
Rain is a given here. Soaked documents, clothes, and electronics don’t help anyone.
What to look for
Also: Water storage containers
Gear is only part of it. Use this short list to check what you have, then work through the full checklist in the Preparedness Guide. Start with three days of supplies, then work toward being 2 Weeks Ready. (Checks are not saved.)
Higher Vantages is independent and not owned by Survival Frog. Some links on this site may be affiliate links, and Higher Vantages may earn a commission on purchases at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we’d use ourselves. Survival Frog sets its own prices, stock, shipping, and returns. Survival Frog is a trademark of its owner.