An emergency kit helps when the power goes out, roads close, or a storm forces you to stay put. It gives you the basics before stores, water, or power become hard to reach.
Keep the kit simple. Pack what your family will really use. Store it where you can reach it fast, and check it often.
Start With Water and Food
Water comes first. FEMA’s Ready.gov emergency kit guidance says to keep water and nonperishable food for several days. A common starting point is one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days.
- Bottled water
- Food that needs little or no cooking
- A manual can opener
- Food and water for pets
Choose food your household already likes. Bars, nuts, dried fruit, canned meals, peanut butter, and crackers are easy choices. Rotate them into normal meals before they expire.
Add Light, News, and Power
A power outage gets harder after dark. Pack a flashlight or headlamp, spare batteries, and a way to charge a phone. A battery or hand-crank weather radio can help you hear alerts when cell service is weak. A compact emergency weather radio is a useful option for a home or vehicle kit.
Keep a whistle in the kit too. It is small, light, and useful for calling attention to your location.
Pack First Aid and Medicine
Include bandages, gauze, tape, antiseptic wipes, gloves, tweezers, and other basic first-aid supplies. A ready-made first aid kit can give you a simple base. Add the items your family needs.
Do not forget prescription medicine, glasses, hearing-aid batteries, or other daily health items. Check dates often. If you spend a lot of time outside, practice the basic first-aid and survival skills every outdoorsman should know before you need them.
Stay Warm and Dry
Weather can turn a small problem into a serious one. Pack a rain layer, warm clothes, dry socks, gloves, and a hat when the season calls for them. An emergency blanket and small tarp take little room.
If your plan may take you outdoors, know how to use your gear before an emergency. Fire can help in some places, but only when it is legal and safe. Our guide to building a safe campfire covers the basics for outdoor use.
Keep Navigation and Documents Ready
Phones are useful, but batteries die and networks fail. Keep local paper maps in the kit. If your emergency plan includes trails or back roads, learning how to read a topographic map gives you a backup when a screen cannot help.
Store copies of key phone numbers, identification, insurance details, and other important records in a waterproof pouch. Small bills can also help if card readers or ATMs are down.
Add Hygiene and Family Needs
- Hand sanitizer and moist wipes
- Trash bags and plastic ties
- Toilet paper
- Baby supplies when needed
- Pet food, leash, medicine, and records
- Comfort items for children
Preparedness does not need to feel dramatic. This real-world emergency preparedness guide makes the same point in a fun way: ordinary supplies, a family plan, and simple habits matter more than movie-style survival gear.
Build a Smaller Car Kit
Keep a smaller kit in your vehicle. Add water, snacks, a flashlight, first aid, a phone charger, jumper cables, and a blanket. In winter, add warm clothes, an ice scraper, and a small shovel.
Check the Kit Twice a Year
Set two dates each year to inspect the kit. Replace old food, water, medicine, and batteries. Change clothing as the seasons change. Make sure every person in the home knows where the kit is stored.
A good emergency kit is not about fear. It is about making a hard day easier. Pack the basics, learn how to use them, and keep the kit ready to grab.