🎒the emergency go-bag, straight from ready.gov

word for word off ready.gov, not my own guesses about what you need

Never miss an update

This list changes over time. Get a short email when it does.

At most one short email a week. Unfollow in one click.

Water, one gallon per person per day

sounds like a lot until you're also using it to wash hands. buy more than you think

Non-perishable food, several days worth

Battery-powered or hand-crank radio with NOAA weather alert

(learned this one late) the crank kind means you're not the one draining the battery stash

Flashlight

First aid kit

check the expiration on anything inside. ours had expired tylenol in it for two years

Extra batteries

Whistle to signal for help

do this first, actually. cheapest thing on this whole list and everyone forgets it

Dust mask

Plastic sheeting, scissors, and duct tape

shelter-in-place kit, not for a leaky roof. don't mix those up like i did

Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

one wrench, size doesn't matter much, you're just turning a gas valve

Manual can opener

Local maps

paper ones. your phone maps are useless with no signal and a dead battery

Phone chargers and a backup battery

a battery brick, not just a cable. the cable alone assumes you have power to plug into

Or start a list of your own. Free, it takes a minute.

Related lists