They were next to the “blood stopper,” labeled as dressing for wounds and trauma, and a “survival tin,” which included a sewing kit, fishing hooks and condoms. That last item also is included to protect supplies from the elements.
“They help keep things dry,” said John Caine, manager of new business development for Quake Kare, a company that touts itself as the country’s “leading source of emergency survival kits.”
For its first 30 years of operation, the company was based in California. But for the past two years, Quake Kare has been housed in Overland, in the headquarters of Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis.
In 2013, the nonprofit that creates employment opportunities for those who are visually impaired had to take a painful step — lay off about 25 percent of its staff, which included 20 legally blind and four sighted workers.
Lighthouse for the Blind had worked almost exclusively with the federal government in packaging orders for the military including first aid and other medical kits for soldiers in areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
But as missions shifted and military budgets shrunk, Lighthouse business dropped.
The nonprofit began looking for other business opportunities that would be a good fit for the agency’s workers. Initially, Lighthouse sought to fill the orders for Quake Kare but ended up buying the company.
In 2014, the new acquisition accounted for $2.1 million in revenue. But last year, it dropped to $1.7 million.
“There were fewer events,” said Brian Houser, director of sales and marketing, referring to earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, terrorism and school lockdowns.
Caine said the sad reality was that profit is tied to misfortune.
“It’s unfortunate that our business depends on catastrophic disaster,” he said.
But it does, and with natural and man-made disasters certain to continue, companies such as Quake Kare want as many people as possible to be prepared.
The company attended the Governor’s Hurricane Conference in Florida the past two years and has ramped up marketing across the country.
Growth potential
Last May, Quake Kare advertised in Los Angeles and San Francisco during screenings of the summer blockbuster “San Andreas,” a movie about an earthquake fault in California. About 70 percent of sales for Quake Kare remain in California, where most of the company’s competitors are based.
With Quake Kare now based in the Midwest, company officials see great potential for growth, as tornadoes, floods and severe storms cut off residents from basic services for days at a time.
And beyond San Andreas, another closely watched earthquake zone is the New Madrid Fault Line, named after the small Missouri town in the top of the bootheel and the most active seismic area in the U.S east of the Rocky Mountains.
But outside of California, buy-in has been tough, Houser said.
“If people don’t see it or feel it, they don’t think about it,” he said.
Lighthouse continues to come up with various types of kits, with about 50 options in inventory now. One under development is a kit for school lockdowns.
It includes a set of red, yellow and green flags to wave from inside the building alerting emergency crews to the condition of those inside. Markers also are included to write on windows. And portable toilets, a staple in emergency kits, are essential when it comes to keeping children confined in a space for several hours, Caine said. The toilet is basically a five-gallon plastic bucket with a seat and lid.
“I have a 1-year-old and a 5-year-old. It used to be you had to deal with bullies. Now you have to deal with this. It turns my stomach,” Caine said.
All emergency kits made by Quake Kare come with at least 72 hours of water and food. The company also makes bags for “preppers,” a slang term for those actively preparing for emergencies, often referred to as survivalists. Their bags can include hatchets with multiple attached tools such as an outsized Swiss Army knife, and larger supplies of food and water.
Television shows such as “The Walking Dead” about a zombie apocalypse and “The X-Files” about alien abductions help keep a steady stream of such orders coming.
“They want to fill up a backpack and get out of town,” Caine said. “But that’s not where our primary focus is.”
For now, the company’s best-sellers include the “1 Person Basic Bagged Survival Kit,” retailing for $8.95. It includes one food bar (six squares) and six pouches of water, considered enough to sustain life for three days.
The kit also includes a Mylar blanket. It all comes in a one-gallon resealable plastic bag. Another popular seller is the much more substantial four person “Ultimate Deluxe” kit. It includes a tent, solar-powered light, weather radio, waterproof matches, a USB charger that never needs batteries, a can opener and duct tape. It’s advertised “as seen on Emmy Award winning daytime talk show ‘The Doctors’” and designed “to prepare a family of four at home for any disaster.” It sells for $169.
‘Who really needs it?’
Emergency preparedness is a growing business trend. At REI in Brentwood, an outdoor adventure retailer, emergency-preparedness kits are for sale. On Wednesday night, the store will host the popular “Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse” course.
“You are invited to attend the Zombie Preparedness class at REI, where you will learn valuable survival techniques that could save your life,” the retailer states on its website. “These same techniques could be invaluable in the event of any natural disaster in an urban environment.”
The course is taught by the St. Louis chapter of Zombie Squad, a nonprofit.
Helping prepare for the Big One or a weekend without electricity due to flooding or a severe thunderstorm is not restricted to small nonprofits such as Lighthouse or popular retailers such as REI. At the website www.ready.gov, the Department of Homeland Security has a “Build a Kit” page.
“Try to assemble your kit well in advance of an emergency,” the federal government offers up. “You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You will probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.”
In several states, including Missouri, February is recognized as Earthquake Awareness Month. It comes with a series of events aimed at educating the public about what do in the event of a tremor. On Saturday at Onondaga Cave State Park, the Missouri Geological Survey will present a program on the science behind earthquakes.
Last week, the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission met at the St. Louis Science Center. The board advises the governor about the state’s earthquake readiness.
John Savisky of O’Fallon, Mo., works at Quake Kare assembling emergency preparedness kits. He was initially a bit skeptical about the kits, which have been sold to schools and companies including Pepperdine University and Pfizer.
“My first thought was, ‘Who really needs it?’” he said, as he was putting together a 20-person kit this month. Then he remembers talking with a friend in Oklahoma shortly after he started work at Quake Kare. He suggested it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a kit. Just in case.
“She gets one, and then a tornado hit her home,” Savisky said. “I helped save a friend’s life.”
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