Emergency Kits

Three kits, three jobs

1. Home kit — 2 weeks of supplies to ride out an outage or storm at home.
2. Go-bag — 72 hours of supplies, in a backpack per person, for a fast evacuation (wildfire, flood, gas leak).
3. Car kit — for getting stuck or stranded, especially in winter.

Build them slowly. Add a few items every grocery trip, and you'll be well stocked in a few months without a big bill. Checkmarks on this page save on your device, so you can track progress.

Home kit (2 weeks)

Water & food

• Water: 1 gallon per person per day (14 gallons per person)
• Two weeks of no-cook and easy-cook food (see Food)
• Manual can opener (two)
• Pet food and water

Light, power & information

• Headlamp for each person, LED lanterns, flashlights
• Spare batteries for everything
• Battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio
• Power banks (charged), car charger cables
• Generator or power station with fuel/cords (optional — see Backup power)

Warmth & shelter

• Sleeping bags or extra blankets for every person
• Warm layers, hats, gloves, wool socks
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape (windows, leaks)

Cooking & sanitation

• Camp stove + fuel (outdoor use), matches/lighter
• Paper plates, cups, utensils, foil, zip bags
• Two-bucket toilet supplies (see Sanitation)
• Toilet paper, wipes, soap, hand sanitizer, unscented bleach
• Garbage bags

Health & safety

• First aid kit with tourniquet (see First aid)
• 2-week supply of prescription medications, glasses, hearing aid batteries
• CO alarm and smoke alarms with fresh batteries
• Fire extinguisher
• Wrench for gas shutoff, work gloves, multi-tool
• N95 masks (wildfire smoke, dust)

Paperwork & money

• Cash in small bills
• Copies of IDs, insurance, medical info (see Family plan)
• Paper map of your area and contact list

Go-bag (72 hours, one per person)

Keep it in a backpack by the door, in a closet, or in the car. Every person gets one, sized for what they can carry.

• Water: 3 liters minimum, plus a filter or purification tablets
• 3 days of no-cook food (bars, jerky, nuts, nut butter packets)
• Headlamp + spare batteries
• Phone charging cable and a charged power bank
• Change of clothes, rain jacket, warm hat, sturdy shoes
• Emergency blanket or lightweight sleeping bag
• Small first aid kit + personal medications (7 days)
• Glasses / contacts and solution
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, wipes, sanitizer, toilet paper
• N95 masks
• Whistle, multi-tool or knife, lighter
• Copies of IDs and contact card, cash
• Paper map with meeting places marked
• Something comforting: a book, cards, a kid's favorite toy

Car kit

• Blankets or a sleeping bag, warm hat and gloves
• Water and snacks
• Flashlight or headlamp with lithium batteries (cold-proof)
• Jumper cables or a portable jump starter
• Ice scraper, snow brush, small shovel
• Traction aid: sand, kitty litter or traction mats
• Tire chains (required on some mountain passes)
• First aid kit
• Phone charger
• Road flares or reflective triangles
• Paper road map
• Tow strap
• Hand warmers

Stranded in winter? Stay with the car. Run the engine about 10 minutes an hour for heat, with the tailpipe clear of snow and a window cracked. Tie bright cloth to the antenna and turn on the dome light at night so rescuers can see you.

Keep kits fresh

Set two reminders a year — for example at the time changes in March and November:

• Swap stored water and rotate food
• Check batteries and medication dates
• Refit clothing for growing kids, switch summer/winter gear
• Test radios, flashlights, the generator

Sources: Ready.gov — Build a Kit · American Red Cross — Survival Kit Supplies · FEMA — Are You Ready?