What to Keep in a Basic Home Emergency Kit for US Households

A basic home emergency kit helps your household cope when severe weather, wildfire smoke, flooding, a power outage, or another emergency interrupts normal services. The most useful kit is not a one-size-fits-all box: it reflects the people and pets in your care, the hazards where you live, and whether you may need to shelter at home or evacuate quickly.

You do not need to buy everything at once. Begin with the supplies that protect health and safety in the first few days, then add items as your budget allows. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends preparing to be self-sufficient for several days after a disaster, when stores, roads, power, water, and emergency services may be affected (Ready.gov).

Start With Water, Food, and Essential Health Supplies

For most households, water is the first priority. FEMA advises storing at least 1 gallon of water per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation. A common starting target is a three-day supply for evacuation and a longer supply for staying at home, when space and local risks allow (Ready.gov: Build a Kit).

Plan for more water when you have infants, older adults, people who are ill, pets, or hot-weather conditions. Keep stored water in food-safe containers, away from heat, direct sunlight, chemicals, and potential contamination.

Build your initial kit around these essentials:

• Water for drinking and basic sanitation
• Shelf-stable food that your household can eat with little or no cooking
• A manual can opener
• Essential prescription medications and necessary medical supplies
• A first-aid kit
• Flashlights or headlamps, spare batteries, and charging cables
• A battery-powered or hand-crank radio
• Charged power banks for phones and essential devices
• Hygiene and sanitation supplies
• Copies of important documents and a written contact list

Choose foods that household members already eat and that meet dietary, allergy, cultural, and medical needs. Useful options may include canned meals, beans, nut butters, crackers, shelf-stable milk, cereal, dried fruit, and ready-to-eat snacks. Include infant formula, feeding supplies, or medically necessary foods where needed.

Avoid depending on foods that require refrigeration, large amounts of water, or lengthy cooking unless you have a safe, realistic way to prepare them during an outage. Rotate food and water supplies before they become expired, damaged, or unusable.

Tailor the Kit to the People in Your Home

Before adding supplies, consider everyone who may be present during an emergency: household members, frequent visitors, caregivers, and pets. A kit designed only for healthy adults can leave serious gaps.

Include or plan for:

• Prescription medicines, medical equipment, and backup supplies
• A current medication list with names, doses, allergies, prescribing providers, and pharmacy contacts
• Mobility aids, assistive devices, backup batteries, or charging arrangements
• Dietary restrictions, food allergies, and medically necessary nutrition
• Hearing, vision, sensory, communication, or cognitive support needs
• Diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, and comfort items for babies and children
• Pet food, water, medications, carriers, leashes, and veterinary records
• Important care instructions if a regular caregiver may be unavailable

If possible, ask a pharmacist or health care provider how to maintain an emergency supply of essential medicines. Store medications according to their label instructions; do not assume that all medicines can safely be kept in a hot car, garage, or portable bag.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends keeping a list of medications, medical conditions, allergies, and health care contacts available for emergencies (CDC: Emergency Preparedness).

Add Light, Power, and Communication Tools

Power outages can affect lighting, phone charging, refrigeration, internet access, and the ability to receive emergency alerts. Keep low-fire-risk lighting and communication tools where household members can find them in the dark.

Include:

• Flashlights or headlamps for each household member where practical
• Compatible spare batteries
• A battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather Radio
• Power banks and charging cables for phones and medical devices
• A written list of phone numbers, addresses, and meeting locations
• Paper maps if you may need to travel without GPS or mobile data

Use flashlights or headlamps instead of candles as your primary emergency lighting. Candles and other open flames can cause fires, particularly when people are tired, distracted, or moving through dark rooms.

Sign up for local emergency alerts and know how to receive weather warnings. The National Weather Service provides weather alerts and preparedness information, while NOAA Weather Radio can deliver warnings even when cellular service is limited (National Weather Service).

A paper contact list remains valuable if a phone is lost, damaged, out of battery, or unable to connect. Include household members, neighbors, schools, workplaces, medical providers, insurers, and an out-of-area contact who can help family members communicate if local networks are overloaded.

Include First Aid, Hygiene, and Sanitation Supplies

Keep a first-aid kit that capable household members can locate and use within their training. Replace used or expired items, and seek professional medical care for serious injuries or symptoms rather than relying on home supplies alone.

Personal care and sanitation needs can become urgent if water, plumbing, waste pickup, or store access is disrupted. Pack supplies appropriate to your household, such as:

• Soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Toilet paper and menstrual products
• Toothbrushes, toothpaste, and basic hygiene items
• Trash bags, disposable gloves, and paper towels
• Diapers, wipes, and related care supplies
• Cleaning and disinfecting products
• N95 respirators or other protective equipment when appropriate for local hazards and individual needs

Keep cleaning products in their original, labeled containers and out of reach of children and pets. Never mix household cleaning chemicals unless the manufacturer’s instructions specifically say it is safe.

Protective equipment should fit the hazard. For wildfire smoke, debris cleanup, flooding, or infectious-disease concerns, follow current advice from local public-health agencies. A mask that is useful for one situation may not be appropriate for another person or hazard.

Pack Basic Safety Tools

A small set of practical tools can help with minor cleanup, signaling, and safe movement around the home. Include only tools that household members know how to use.

Consider adding:

• Work gloves
• Sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots
• A multipurpose tool or basic toolkit
• A whistle for signaling
• Duct tape and simple repair materials
• A home fire extinguisher
• Protective clothing suited to local weather and hazards

Make sure household members know where the fire extinguisher is located and understand its basic operation. Do not attempt to fight a fire if it is spreading, producing heavy smoke, blocking an exit, or otherwise unsafe. Leave immediately and call 911.

Do not handle downed electrical lines, suspected gas leaks, or damaged utility equipment. Follow instructions from local authorities and utility providers. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, leave the area and contact the utility or emergency services from a safe location.

Keep Documents, Cash, and Records Protected

Emergencies can require you to prove identity, obtain medical care, file an insurance claim, or pay for essentials while card readers and ATMs are unavailable. Keep copies of important records in a waterproof container, encrypted digital storage, or both.

Keep secure digital backups where appropriate, protected by strong, unique passwords and multifactor authentication. Avoid carrying unnecessary original documents in an evacuation bag when protected copies will meet the need.

Review insurance coverage before an emergency. A home inventory, photographs of belongings, and accessible policy details can make recovery and claims tasks easier.

Prepare for Local Hazards

Your emergency kit should reflect the risks most likely in your area.

• Flood-prone areas: Store supplies in waterproof containers, keep documents protected, and prepare for rapid evacuation.
• Hurricane, tornado, and severe-thunderstorm areas: Maintain reliable alert access, portable chargers, and supplies for sheltering safely.
• Wildfire areas: Keep evacuation supplies portable and follow local guidance on smoke, evacuation routes, and clean-air measures.
• Winter-weather areas: Add warm layers, blankets, waterproof outerwear, and supplies appropriate for cold conditions.
• Extreme-heat areas: Increase water planning, include sun protection, and identify places to cool down if home air conditioning fails.
• Earthquake areas: Secure heavy household items, keep sturdy shoes near beds, and consider supplies for broken glass and temporary shelter.

Local emergency management agencies often publish hazard-specific guidance, evacuation routes, shelter information, and alert-registration instructions. Check these resources before an emergency rather than waiting for a warning.

Make a Grab-and-Go Kit

A home supply kit supports sheltering in place, but evacuation may require you to leave with little notice. Keep a smaller, portable kit in a backpack, rolling bag, or other container near a practical exit route. Do not block doors, hallways, or stairs.

A grab-and-go kit may include:

• Water and ready-to-eat food
• Essential medications and medical information
• Phone charger and power bank
• Flashlight, radio, and batteries
• Basic first-aid supplies
• Identification, insurance details, cash, and keys
• Weather-appropriate clothing
• Masks or other hazard-specific protective equipment
• Baby, child, pet, or accessibility supplies

Keep daily-use items separate when possible so the bag stays ready. Update clothing and seasonal supplies as weather changes.

Store and Maintain Your Emergency Kit

A kit is useful only when it is accessible and functional. Store it in a cool, dry location that household members can reach. Keep essential evacuation items portable, and make sure everyone knows where the kit is located.

Set a recurring reminder to review the kit at least once or twice a year, and after any major household change. During each review:

• Check expiration dates on food, water, medications, and first-aid supplies
• Test flashlights, radios, power banks, and batteries
• Replace used, damaged, or expired items
• Update medication lists, contact information, and document copies
• Adjust supplies for new pets, children, health needs, or household members
• Refresh seasonal clothing and local hazard supplies

Pair the kit with a household emergency plan. Decide how you will receive alerts, where you will meet if separated, which routes you may use to evacuate, and how you will contact one another. FEMA’s planning resources can help households create and practice that plan (Ready.gov: Make a Plan).

Build It Over Time

A well-prepared home emergency kit does not have to be expensive or assembled in one trip. Start with water, food, medications, light, communication tools, first aid, hygiene supplies, and important records. Add items gradually based on your household, pets, budget, and local hazards.

The goal is not to predict every emergency. It is to make the first hours and days safer, more organized, and easier to manage while you follow guidance from local authorities and reconnect with normal services.

Sources

• FEMA Ready.gov, Build A Kit
• FEMA Ready.gov, Make A Plan
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emergency Preparedness
• National Weather Service, Weather Safety