Step 2. Build Your Kit
The squirrels are onto something - put aside some supplies safe and sound just in case! Building an emergency supply kit is easier than you think and will only take a couple of hours to do. Make it a Saturday afternoon project!
Your Impact
Action Steps & Tips
Introduction
Putting together a supply kit will help you and your family have everything you need to stay safe and healthy until help arrives or services resume. It only takes a few hours and is a great Saturday afternoon project. Or make it more affordable by building up your supplies slowly over time! If you want a hard copy list to work from, print out a copy of this Supply List from Ready.gov.
How to do this action:
Read this action and complete the following tasks:
-
Choose containers to store your supplies
-
Prepare and store several days of food and water
-
Gather and store basic emergency tools and supplies
-
Prepare or purchase a first aid kit
-
Create backups of any important documents
-
Maintain your kit and familiarize everyone in your household with the contents of your kit and where it is stored.
Be sure to check the Disaster-Specific actions that apply to your area to find recommendations for additional items to add to your kit!
Then make sure to complete the Find Local Risks & Resources, Make a Plan and Resilience for Homeowners or Renters actions to cover the basics of emergency preparedness.
1Step 1: Choose containers to store your supplies
Everyone in your household can help to carry bags, so choose bags that can hold a good amount of supplies, but also be manageable for everyone to carry. Be sure to have everyone test out the bag they are responsible for and know where they are stored!
Be Ready While You're Out and About: Emergencies could happen at any time, and you may not be able to get home right away. It is recommended to assemble a smaller version of your emergency kit to keep in your car or at work or school so you’ll be ready no matter where you are! After you prepare your main kit (in the steps below), use the same basic list but prepare less - enough food and water for at least a day, plus a small first aid kit, comfortable walking shoes, a day’s supplies of medications, and a copy of your emergency contact list from the Make a Plan action.
Action: Gather or purchase the bags you will use for both your main “Go Kit” and your “Car/Travel Kit.” As a general rule, have one backpack or container per person for your main Go Kit and one smaller container per car (or per person if you don’t have a car).
2Step 2: Store several days of food and water
During an emergency, having a supply of food and water ready is very important to being prepared!
Action: Prepare food and water for at least 3 days. If possible, prepare for 7 days or more, especially if you live in a remote area or somewhere where you think supplies will take longer to reach you. Tips on preparing supplies are below.
Food: When gathering food for your supply kit, the best choices are foods that your family likes to eat! Choose non-perishable foods that don’t require much preparation, like canned foods, energy bars, or peanut butter & jelly (make sure to include a can opener in your kit!). For a healthy food supply be sure to include a good portion of protein rich foods like canned tuna, canned beans or ready to eat (prepared) high protein grains like quinoa and a good assortment of canned vegetables and fruits. Be sure to take into account any dietary needs or restrictions, and include food or formula for infants. Tip: Remember, you know best what you will need to feel comfortable after a disaster. Considering the stress and uncertainty you may feel, include foods that are comfortable and familiar. Throw in some comfort foods like candy or instant coffee!
Water: The water supply can get contaminated or be shut off during a disaster, so it’s important to store a supply of clean drinking water. Gather a minimum of 1 gallon of water per person per day (for drinking and sanitation). So if four people total live in your household, plan for 4 gallons per day, or at least 12 gallons of water total. Also, water needs can be higher for children, pregnant or nursing parents, people with certain medical conditions, anyone living in warmer climates and other special circumstances. Be sure to consider storing extra water if needed. There are two options for preparing your water supply:
Commercially Bottled Water: One of the safest options is to buy commercially bottled water, which is prepared to last and be safely stored. Commercially bottled water should be replaced every two years.
Prepare Your Own Water Supply: To prepare your own water supply, you can either:
-
Purchase large food-grade water storage containers ($20-75), or
-
Reuse plastic containers such as soda or sparkling water bottles (Look for the triangular recycling symbol with a number 1 in the triangle, as these have been approved by the FDA for reuse). Opaque containers are preferred, if you are using clear containers store them out of direct sunlight in a cool location.
Before you fill your containers, make sure to thoroughly clean the container with dishwashing soap and sanitize the bottles by cleaning with a solution of one teaspoon non-scented liquid household chlorine bleach to one quart of water. Then add tap water or chlorinated water and store. Self-stored water should be replaced every six months.
Store your emergency food and water in a cool, dry place that you can easily and quickly access. If possible store at least some of your water in smaller containers that will be easy to carry if you need to evacuate quickly on foot. Don’t forget to add food and water for your pets!
3Step 3: Gather tools and supplies
Action: Gather the supplies on the essentials list below first, then consider adding in items from the additional items list as needed. Also, make sure to add in a few comfort items like games or books that will help keep everyone calm, comfortable - and entertained!
The essentials:
-
Flashlights and extra batteries
-
Extra cell phone battery and charger or portable charger/external battery
-
Battery-powered or hand crank radio that can receive NOAA Weather Radio tone alerts and extra batteries ($15-35). You can also program your NOAA Weather Radio to specific frequencies.
-
Dust/N95 masks to help filter contaminated air (two for each family member)
-
Plastic sheeting (4-6 mil thickness) and duct tape in case you need to seal off outside air for shelter in place
-
Moist towelettes or hand sanitizer, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
-
Tools: Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities and a multipurpose tool
-
Manual can opener
-
Local maps (printed)
-
Whistle to signal for help
-
A printed copy of your emergency contact list (from the Make a Plan action)
Additional items to consider adding to your kit:
-
Medical needs: 7 day supply of medications (3 day minimum) and other necessary health or medical supplies including glasses or contact lenses and masks to reduce spread of disease
-
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person (more as needed if you live in a cold-weather climate)
-
Sanitary and personal hygiene items like sanitizing wipes/hand sanitizer, soap, disinfecting wipes, feminine supplies, diapers, a roll of toilet paper and a few small towels
-
A complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants, sturdy and comfortable shoes and hat for each family member (add additional clothing for cold-weather climates)
-
Cash - at least $20-100 in small bills (in case electricity is down and ATMs and electronic payment options aren’t available)
-
Rain gear like umbrellas, ponchos, or rain jackets for each family member as needed for your climate
-
Insect repellent and sunscreen as needed for your location
-
Matches in a waterproof container
-
Cups, plates, utensils and paper towels
-
Paper, pencil/pen, and a permanent marker
-
Books, games, coloring books and crayons, and other activities
-
Printout of the one page info sheets from the Disaster Specific actions
-
Small container of liquid household bleach for disinfecting water and surfaces and ⅛ tsp measuring spoon. (regular, non-scented, household disinfecting bleach). See the Food & Water Safety action for information on how to use bleach to sanitize water
-
Camera for photos of damage in the event you are unable to charge your cell phone
-
An extra set of car and house keys
-
Fire Extinguisher
No need to have double sets of sleeping bags or tools at home - just keep all emergency supplies together in a safe, dry, easy-to-access spot. Whenever you use this equipment for a camping adventure or a home project, just remember to return it to your emergency storage spot!
Cooking: We can all probably go a few days without cooked meals, but if you would like to be able to heat food during a disaster, it is recommended to add a small camping cook stove, a pot and pan, and a fuel supply to your cooking kit. Be sure to follow the cookstove safety instructions and use only outside or in a well-ventilated space.
It is recommended to practice using the camp set up so you know how to use the equipment prior to a disaster. It is important to know how long your fuel will last and plan how much fuel you need if you plan on cooking multiple meals.
4Step 4: Assemble a first aid kit
Action: Purchase or assemble your first aid kit
The easiest and most cost effective option is to purchase a first aid kit from the local drug store for ($20-50). You can also assemble your own. If you do purchase a ready-made first aid kit, be sure to open it up and check that it includes the following items:
-
Bandaids in a variety of sizes
-
Alcohol wipes
-
Gauze
-
Antibiotic ointment
-
Burn ointment
-
Thermometer
-
Gloves (non-latex if anyone has an allergy)
-
Tweezers
-
Over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen, etc.
-
Sunscreen
Extra credit: Know how to use it! Take a first aid course and get certified! Learn more on our First Aid action.
5Step 5: Backup your important documents!
Make sure your important documents are safe and secure in an emergency! It’s easy - just scan or take photos of your documents and store them on a flash (“thumb”) drive! You can also store a backup to the cloud (online document storage), but make sure to have that flash drive copy as well. Also make a hard copy of your documents as well.
Include government documents like driver’s license, passports and social security cards, important non-government documents like medical and insurance records, wills, mortgage or rental agreements, current photos of family members, and your emergency contact list.
Action:
-
Make two Survival Flash Drive copies of your documents. Store one in a waterproof container in your emergency kit and one somewhere safe and away from your house like your purse, safe deposit box, at work, or at a friend or relatives house out of the area.
-
Make a paper copy of your documents and put them in your emergency supply kit in a waterproof container.
Bonus: Protect the original hardcopies of important documents
Depending on the hazards your home may face, consider storing the original copies of your important documents (and other valuables) in a fire and/or water-proof container at home. These can range from a special fire and water-proof envelope to a lockable safe, and can cost $25-100.
6Step 6: Maintain your kit
Great job - you’ve assembled your emergency supply kit. All you need to do now is maintain your kit over time and make sure everyone in your household knows what’s in your kit, where to find it and when to use it.
Action: Maintain your Kit! Every six months, check your kit and replace any food, medication, or first aid supplies nearing their expiration date. You can set a calendar reminder, or if you live in a place that observes daylight savings, plan to check these supplies whenever you change your clocks! Create a checklist of the supplies in your kit or the Supply List from Ready.gov to help you review and update your supplies.
Action: Familiarize everyone in your household with the contents of your kit, where it is stored and when to use it! See the Step #3: Make a Plan action for more information on when to use your kit.
Bonus: Label each container with the supplies, quantities and expiration dates inside - then you’ll know exactly what’s where, and what needs replacing if it gets used!
Remember that you know best what you will need during a disaster, and that you need to consider everyone in your household, including pets, when making a kit. Consider building a kit for your home, your vehicle and your workplace, given the possibility that you may not be at home when a disaster occurs.