A home emergency kit should hold at least three days of drinking water (one gallon per person per day), food that needs no cooking, a flashlight and radio with spare batteries, a first aid kit, a supply of any medicines you rely on, a phone power bank, and copies of important documents. Check it every six months and rebuild it once a year.
The basic checklist#
This list follows Ready.gov's basic disaster supplies kit, with a few practical additions. Tick off what you have and buy the rest in one trip.
Water and food#
- Water: one gallon (about 3.8 liters) per person per day, for at least three days
- Ready-to-eat food your household will actually eat: canned beans and fish, nut butter, crackers, cereal bars, dried fruit
- A manual can opener, because an electric one is useless in the outage you're preparing for
- Food and water for pets
Light, power and news#
- A flashlight per adult, plus spare batteries
- A battery-powered or hand-crank radio (in the US, ideally a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert)
- A charged power bank and the right cable for each phone
- A whistle to signal for help
First aid, medicine and hygiene#
- A first aid kit
- Prescription medicines, and a written list of what everyone takes and the doses
- Glasses and contact lens solution
- Basic over-the-counter medicines: pain relievers, antacids, anti-diarrhea tablets
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for sanitation
- Soap, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and menstrual products
- Baby supplies if you need them: formula, diapers, wipes
Tools and paperwork#
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Dust masks, plastic sheeting, scissors and duct tape for sheltering in place
- Copies of IDs, insurance policies and bank details, in a waterproof bag or saved electronically
- Some cash in small bills
- A paper list of emergency contacts, because a dead phone takes your contacts with it
- Local maps
Ready.gov also suggests a sleeping bag or warm blanket and a change of clothes for each person, sturdy shoes, matches in a waterproof container, and books or games for children.
How much water do you need?#
The CDC says to store at least one gallon per person per day for three days, and to aim for a two-week supply if you can. Store more for anyone pregnant or sick, for pets, and if you live somewhere hot.
| Household |
3 days |
2 weeks |
| 1 person |
3 gallons (11 liters) |
14 gallons (53 liters) |
| 2 people |
6 gallons (23 liters) |
28 gallons (106 liters) |
| 4 people |
12 gallons (45 liters) |
56 gallons (212 liters) |
Those are US gallons. The UK government's preparedness guide frames it differently: 2.5 to 3 liters per person per day is the bare minimum for drinking, and 10 liters makes life more comfortable because it covers basic cooking and washing.
Storing water so it stays safe#
Unopened, store-bought bottled water is the safest option. Check the date on the pack and use it before then.
If you fill your own containers, use food-grade, unbreakable ones, never anything that held chemicals. The CDC's method for sanitizing them is to wash and rinse the container, then swirl in a solution of 1 teaspoon of unscented household bleach per quart of water, wait at least 30 seconds, pour it out and let it air-dry. Label the container with the date and replace the water every six months.
Where to keep the kit#
Somewhere everyone in the house knows, that you can reach in the dark, and that isn't the first place a flood would reach. A hallway closet or the bottom of a bedroom wardrobe works better than the back of the garage.
Ready.gov suggests smaller kits for work (enough to shelter there for 24 hours) and the car. The UK guide adds the idea of a separate grab bag with essentials, in case you're told to leave home quickly. Keep the grab bag light enough for the person who'll carry it.
One exception: if you're escaping a fire, take nothing. Just get out.
How often to check your emergency kit#
Every six months is a good rhythm, and it lines up with the CDC's timeline for replacing stored tap water. Each check:
- Swap out water you bottled yourself, and anything with a date in the next six months.
- Eat the food that's close to its date and replace it. That's the easiest way to keep stock rotating.
- Test every flashlight and the radio, and recharge the power bank.
- Check medicine dates. Our medication expiration guide explains what to do with old ones.
- Update the contact list and any changed policy numbers.
Once a year, rethink the whole kit. Ready.gov's advice is to update it as your family's needs change: a new baby, a new pet, kids who've outgrown the spare clothes, someone who now relies on powered medical equipment. For that last one, talk to the equipment supplier about backup power before you need it.
Two reminders in ChoreLists.com, one every six months for the check and one yearly for the rethink, are enough to keep it current. The six-month check is also a good moment to test the smoke alarms and look at the fire extinguisher gauge.