Pack an emergency kit with one gallon of water per person per day, nonperishable food, and supplies for at least 72 hours.
An emergency kit is your household’s lifeline when disaster strikes and help isn’t immediately available. The official Ready.gov guidance is clear: build a basic kit that sustains every member of your household for several days, then customize it for your family’s specific needs and local hazards. Here’s exactly what belongs inside and how to pack it right.
What Goes in a Basic Emergency Kit
Start with the essentials that cover survival basics — water, food, light, communication, and first aid. Ready.gov lists these core items for every kit:
- One gallon of water per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation
- At least a several-day supply of nonperishable food
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio with NOAA Weather Radio tone alerts
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- First aid kit and a whistle to signal for help
- Dust masks, plastic sheeting, scissors, and duct tape for sheltering in place
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for sanitation
- Wrench or pliers to shut off utilities
- Manual can opener, local maps, and a cell phone with chargers and backup battery
The radio is a non-negotiable item — NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts official alerts that standard radios miss. The plastic sheeting, duct tape, and dust masks serve a specific purpose: sealing a room against contaminated air if authorities instruct you to shelter in place.
How to Pack a Kit for Your Household
Ready.gov stresses that your kit must reflect the size of your family and pets, the ages and abilities of household members, and your family’s unique needs. The one-size-fits-all list above is only the starting line.
Add prescription medications and a copy of each prescription, plus eyeglasses and contact lens solution if anyone wears them. Infants need formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream. Pets need their own food and extra water. Pack a complete change of clothes and sturdy shoes for each person, sleeping bags or warm blankets, and a fire extinguisher.
Documents are the item people forget most. Keep copies of insurance policies, identification, and bank account records in a waterproof container, alongside cash or traveler’s checks. Add matches in a waterproof container, mess kits and paper goods, feminine and hygiene supplies, paper and a pencil, and activities for children.
If you’re looking for a ready-made container rather than assembling items loose, our tested roundup of the best backpack emergency kits shows durable options that keep everything organized and portable.
Choosing the Right Container
Your kit’s container matters as much as its contents. A waterproof, portable backpack or plastic bin keeps supplies dry and lets you grab everything in one trip if you need to evacuate.
| Container Type | Best For | Key Trade-Off |
|---|---|---|
| Sturdy backpack | Evacuation on foot | Hands-free but limited capacity |
| Plastic storage bin | Sheltering at home | Holds more but awkward to carry far |
| Rolling duffel | Car evacuation | Easy to move but needs smooth ground |
Whichever container you choose, store the kit in a known, accessible spot and tell every household member where it lives. Check it twice a year — when clocks change is a reliable reminder — and rotate expired food, water, and medications out.
Customizing for Local Hazards and Special Needs
FEMA’s preparedness guidance reinforces that kits must be customized for your household’s circumstances. Households in hurricane or flood zones need more water and waterproofing; those in cold climates need extra blankets and cold-weather clothing. Households with members who have disabilities or medical conditions should add specialized supplies and plan for power-dependent equipment.
The same guidance covers special-diet foods alongside infant and pet supplies, which means your kit should match what your family actually eats — not just what a generic list suggests. If someone relies on electricity for medical devices, plan a backup power source and note it in your kit.
For a family-focused take on assembling these supplies, our backpack emergency kit recommendations help you compare pre-assembled options against building your own from scratch.
References & Sources
- Ready.gov. “Build A Kit.” Official U.S. government guidance on basic emergency supply kit contents and customization.
- Ready.gov. “Emergency Supply Kit Checklist.” Printable checklist dated September 2024 with the full itemized kit list.
- FEMA. “Are You Ready? Appendix B: Disaster Supply Kits.” Detailed guidance on kit contents for special needs, pets, and household-specific supplies.
