The two most asked questions in our house are, “Did you feel that?” and “Was that an earthquake, or did a truck just drive by?”
This story is part of Amazon Prime DayCNET’s guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.
I’m about a mile from the San Francisco Bay Area fault, which experts say is probably the region’s most dangerous. It’s hard to forget I live so close, with small shakes every few days. I know I probably won’t get much of a warning before a big quake, so that is why I’m preparing for it.
My family and I are getting ready. We have an emergency plan: keep our car fueled up, have portable chargers and know how to shut off our gas. But maybe the most important things we have are our go bags, also called bug-out bags.
One item I’ve included in all our go bags is this multitool by Gerber that includes pliers, scissors, screwdrivers, wire cutters and a knife. You can drop a lot of money on a multitool — and some are absolutely worth it — but because both price and weight were important to me, I chose the Gerber Dime 12-in-1 Mini multitool.
Normally priced around $30, this multitool is worth grabbing whether it’s on sale or not. And even though Prime Day has come and gone, you can nab it at a 20% discount right now.
![My Favorite Affordable Multitool Is Still Nearly 20% off Post Prime Day My Favorite Affordable Multitool Is Still Nearly 20% off Post Prime Day](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/a1743ef1016132aec6e2beae97b3ca4795387959/hub/2024/07/04/83cc6a61-0ced-4f75-82be-641ac22ee4df/30-000469-gerberamericas-dime-nn-black-s2-jpg-copy.jpg?auto=webp&precrop=1288,582,x0,y88&width=1200)
It’s also a great tool to have in general, like in your car or your desk drawer at work.
In addition to having bug-out bags at the ready, we keep an extensive earthquake kit in a big toy chest. With the big kit, weight isn’t really an issue, and we can store enough food, water and whatever else we need to make it through a few days or even weeks. But in a go bag, each item has to be portable and essential, because weight adds up quickly. (This is the mini lantern I’m going with.) The Gerber Dime 12-in-1 Mini weighs just a few ounces and fits into the palm of my hand when it’s folded up.
For more, check out the Govee floor lamp that’s still only $80 after Prime Day.
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Watch this: Amazon Prime Day 2024: Shopping Tips and Special Deals