How to make a home emergency kit
A natural disaster or other emergency can leave individuals, neighborhoods, or whole cities without necessary supplies like food, water, and power. Taking the time to make a home emergency preparedness kit can help keep your family safe and minimize your discomfort in the wake of the unexpected. This kind of emergency kit for your home contains enough supplies to help you and your loved ones meet basic needs for several days to a week while you wait out the emergency or look for information on severe weather.
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What do you include in your home emergency kit checklist?
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends 10 items to include in your home emergency kit. Some of these items have clear, practical applications in a disaster, but others like toys and books for your children are just as important:
Several days' worth of food and water for your family
Several days' worth of food and water for your pets
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit, N95 masks
Disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer
Basic tools like a shovel, hammer, knife, axe
Dust masks to protect from environmental contamination
Local maps in case of an evacuation
Hand-crank radio and whistle
Books, games, and activities
FEMA's public disaster preparedness campaign, Ready.gov, has a list of additional home emergency kit contents that you can add to your kit. The items you add will depend on your family's needs and the disasters you might expect to face.
How to maintain your home emergency kit
Making an emergency preparedness kit isn't a one-and-done activity. Check your kit's contents regularly to ensure that flashlights and radios work, that food and medicine aren't expired, and that the batteries work. The Red Cross recommends including a power bank or other device charger. Even solar and hand-crank chargers are available if your power bank runs out. Replace any expired or non-functional items as part of your regular home emergency kit maintenance.
Also, check the kit and ensure that whatever container you've used — a waterproof backpack is a good choice — is in good shape and doesn't show signs of wear or damage. You can also purchase ready-made go bags pre-filled with almost everything on your home emergency kit list. You can then add in other personal items that you know you'll need.
Pro tip:
Have more than one home emergency kit. The standard kit outlined above is a great starting point. Emergencies can happen anytime, so it's a good idea to keep smaller versions of a home emergency kit in places you commonly go, like the office or in the trunk of your car.
What do you need at home for an emergency?
If you're facing shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders, your home emergency kit will also be helpful to have on hand. Ideally, you'll have the non-perishable food and water for you, your family, and pets in those kits. FEMA has instructions and guidance for sheltering in place whether you find yourself at home, in the workplace, and in different types of structures.
What should I take from my house in an emergency?
If you're facing evacuation orders, your customized home emergency kit would be the first thing you'd grab. You can customize it by adding the personal items you don't want to be without for long or if your house becomes damaged. This list will, by its nature, vary, but here are some suggestions to consider when you're facing imminent evacuation orders when there's a wildfire or tornado warning:
Cash
Essential medications
Portable chargers for phones and laptops
Insurance policy information
Important documents like birth certificates, titles, etc.
Changes of clothing for each person evacuating
Other home emergency preparedness tips
Preparing for a disaster is about more than just having the right supplies. It's about knowing what to do in an emergency scenario. Here are a few more tips to help you be prepared for emergencies:
Consider taking a first aid or CPR course
Learn essential home maintenance operations
Know how to use a fire extinguisher
Learn how to turn off utilities in case of an emergency
You might also consider learning about which disasters are most common in your area and creating a plan if a disaster hits while you are away from your family.
Preparing for the unexpected
Preparing for disasters takes some time but the result could be lifesaving. In the event of a natural disaster, once everyone is safe, sound, and accounted for, you can begin picking up the pieces and getting back on track. Remember that rebuilding may take time.
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