The emergency kit checklist
Skip the 200-item lists. This is the kit that covers the first 72 hours, in the order it matters.
Do this now
- Water: one gallon per person per day, three days minimum. A family of four = 12 gallons. Don't forget pets.
- Food: three days of things you'll actually eat that need no cooking — and a manual can opener.
- Light and news: flashlight or headlamp per person, spare batteries, and a battery or hand-crank radio.
- First aid kit + a 7-day supply of every prescription in the house.
- Cash in small bills. When the power's out, so are the card readers.
The forgotten five
- A power bank you keep charged — the phone is your radio, map, and lifeline
- Sturdy shoes and work gloves by the bed — after storms and quakes, the ground is glass and nails
- A wrench or shutoff tool where the gas meter is, and everyone knows where
- Copies of documents — IDs, insurance, medical lists — paper, in a zip bag
- Comfort for kids and pets: a toy, leash, carrier, litter, familiar food
Where it lives
One place, everyone knows it, nothing borrowed from it without being replaced. A duffel or bin near the exit beats a perfect kit in a crawlspace. Check it twice a year — daylight-saving weekends are the classic reminder — and rotate the water and food.
The part no store sells
Your family's own information: rally points, the out-of-area contact, utility shutoff locations, medical notes, policy numbers. That's the half of the kit that has to be written down — paper cards in the kit, and a copy on each phone that doesn't need signal to open.
Do not
- Don't store the kit where you can't reach it in the dark.
- Don't let the kit's water and food expire unrotated.
- Don't keep the only copy of documents in a phone that can die.
- Don't buy gear you've never practiced using.
Common questions
How much water goes in an emergency kit?
One gallon per person per day, for at least three days — half for drinking, half for hygiene. Add more for children, illness, pets, or hot weather.
How much cash should be in an emergency kit?
Enough small bills to cover fuel, food, and a night's stay — card readers and ATMs fail with the power. Many households keep $100–$300 in fives and tens.
How often should I check the emergency kit?
Twice a year: rotate water and food, test flashlights, refresh medications, and re-check that documents and contact cards are current.
Sources — official guidance
Before you lose signal
Save the whole kit to your phone.
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