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Preparedness

Build a kit for the people at home.

Water, food, light and backup charging. Choose a starter kit, then add supplies for your household.

Find your starting kit Make a household checklist
Preparedness topics

Build your household kit

Build your own kit from these recommendations. Add the quantities, food and personal supplies your household needs.

We may earn a commission from these links, at no extra cost to you.

Small-space essentials

A compact starting point for an apartment or a room with limited storage.

  • BioLite AlpenGlow 500 Lantern

    Shared light

    BioLite AlpenGlow 500

    Keep a rechargeable lantern by the table or in the room you will use most.

    This model charges by Micro-USB. Keep its cable with the kit.

    Buy on Amazon
  • Nitecore NB10000 Gen4 carbon fiber power bank with its yellow lanyard charging cable

    Phone charging

    Nitecore NB10000 Gen4

    A separate USB power bank keeps a charging option ready for compatible devices.

    Both ports are USB-C. Match the cable and charging profile to your device.

    Nitecore Store listed a backorder on Nov 2. Check the delivery date before ordering.

    Buy at Nitecore StoreBuy on Amazon
  • Nitecore NU25 MCT UL Ultralight Headlamp

    Hands-free light

    Nitecore NU25 MCT UL

    A headlamp frees both hands for finding supplies or carrying a bag.

    Choose the MCT UL model shown and keep its USB-C charging cable nearby.

    Nitecore Store listed a backorder on Nov 2. Check the delivery date before ordering.

    Buy at Nitecore StoreBuy on Amazon
  • BAND-AID Brand Travel Ready Portable Emergency First Aid Kit, 80 Piece

    First aid

    BAND-AID Travel Ready, 80-piece

    A small first-aid kit keeps basic supplies together.

    Check the contents and add household-specific supplies.

    Buy on Amazon

Plan with the Red Cross supply list and CDC water storage guidance.

Product sources

Manufacturer documentation checked November 2, 2026.

Prefer a ready-packed starter?

A prepacked starting point to supplement for your household.

We may earn a commission from these links, at no extra cost to you.

Ready America 70280 Emergency Backpack

Included

  • Two food bars and twelve 4.225 fl oz water pouches
  • A 33-piece first-aid kit, two lightsticks, two ponchos and two blankets
  • Two dust masks, four nitrile gloves, a whistle, tissues and a backpack

The twelve pouches hold 50.7 fl oz total, not per person.

Add to it

  • More drinking water and familiar ready-to-eat food for your household
  • A weather radio, suitable batteries and phone charging
  • Hygiene supplies, medications, document copies and an evacuation plan
Shop pantry suppliesShop household supplies

Food and water have a stated five-year shelf life from manufacture. Check dates and contents when received; packaging and contents may vary.

Buy on Amazon

Stock a no-cook pantry

Choose a variety and quantities for your household. Plan to finish opened portions when refrigeration is unavailable.

We may earn a commission from these links, at no extra cost to you.

Illustration of beans and vegetables served with tortillas
Meal illustration; choose ready-to-eat foods and follow package instructions.

Simple combinations

  • Peanut butter, crackers and fruit
  • Tuna, crackers and fruit
Open the pantry meal planner PDF

  • Beans

    Bush's Original Baked Beans, 16 oz

    Fully cooked beans can be eaten without heating.

    Contains bacon. Open with a can opener and refrigerate leftovers.

    Buy on Amazon

  • Tuna

    StarKist Tuna Creations Lemon Pepper, 2.6 oz

    A ready-to-eat pouch needs no draining.

    Contains fish. Refrigerate leftovers after opening.

    Buy on Amazon

  • Spread

    Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, 16 oz

    A familiar spread for crackers or a spoonful on its own.

    Contains peanuts. Follow the package date and storage instructions.

    Buy on Amazon

  • Crackers

    RITZ Fresh Stacks Original Crackers, 11.8 oz

    Individually wrapped stacks pair with pantry foods.

    Contains wheat and soy. Check the package date.

    Buy on Amazon

  • Fruit

    Dole Diced Peaches in 100% Juice, 12 cups x 4 oz

    Twelve ready-to-eat peach cups provide individual portions.

    May contain pits or fragments. Follow package storage and date instructions.

    Buy on Amazon

  • Manual opener

    OXO Good Grips Soft-Handled Can Opener

    Keep an opener with cans that need one.

    Check that it opens the cans your household stores.

    Buy on Amazon
Product and planning sources

Weather alerts and sanitation

Choose supplies that work for your home and local conditions.

We may earn a commission from these links, at no extra cost to you.

  • Weather alerts

    Midland WR120B Weather Alert Radio

    A home radio receives NOAA weather alerts for your area.

    Set the county and channel, check reception, and add three AA backup batteries.

    Buy on Amazon

  • Portable toilet

    Reliance Products Luggable Loo Portable 5-Gallon Toilet

    A bucket toilet is one option when plumbing is unavailable.

    Check the exact model and weight limit before purchase. Bags are separate.

    Buy on Amazon

  • Toilet waste bags

    Reliance Double Doodie Waste Bags, No Gel, 6 Pack

    These six bags are compatible with the Luggable Loo.

    This pack has no gel. Follow local disposal rules and add hygiene supplies.

    Buy on Amazon

Plan your water and food

Water, food & cooking

Start with supplies you can use without electricity, a working tap or a hot meal. Familiar groceries and accessible water storage are more useful than a collection of unfamiliar emergency products.

  • Count the people at home. CDC recommends at least one gallon of water per person per day for three days, and trying for two weeks if possible. Plan extra for pets and individual needs.
  • Build ready-to-eat meals from shelf-stable foods that fit your household's diet. Include a manual can opener and check what needs refrigeration after opening.
  • Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed during an outage. Use official time-and-temperature guidance, never a taste test. Do not bring a grill or camping stove indoors, into a garage or into a tent.
Plan your water supply Build a no-cook pantry

Sources: CDC water storage; FoodSafety.gov outage guidance; CDC outage safety.

Power, lighting & communication

Keep enough light to move around, a way to charge essential devices and more than one way to receive warnings. A charged phone or battery does not guarantee a working mobile network.

  • Put battery-powered lights where they can be reached in the dark. Keep the correct batteries or charging cables with them, and check that everyone can operate the controls.
  • Enable emergency alerts, check your local warning channels and consider a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio where reception is available. NWS recommends receiving warnings in multiple ways.
  • Keep an out-of-area contact and meeting places on paper. For equipment that must keep working, check the exact device requirements; medical backup plans need the care team's advice, not a generic battery estimate.
Power bank or power station? Lantern, flashlight or headlamp?

Sources: NWS warning and family planning guidance; Red Cross family plan.

Heating & cooling

Decide where to go if the home becomes too hot or too cold. Blankets and clothing are useful supplies, but owning them is not proof that staying home will be safe.

  • Identify an accessible heated or air-conditioned place and a way to reach it. Check local shelter or cooling-center information before transport becomes difficult.
  • Keep warm layers and blankets accessible. Check on people who live alone or need assistance; a household member's clinician can help plan for heat, medication and powered equipment.
  • Never use a gas range or oven to heat the home. Portable generators must never run indoors or in a garage, even with doors open. CDC says to keep them outdoors, more than 20 feet from doors, windows and vents. Follow the equipment instructions and local requirements; do not assume a balcony or shared area is suitable.
  • An electric fan is not reliable protection from extreme heat and can increase body temperature in a very hot room. Follow CDC heat guidance and plan for access to air conditioning.
Add a relocation plan to your checklist

Sources: CDC power outage safety; CDC CO and generator precautions; CDC heat guidance.

Weather, flood & fire

Plan around the hazards where you live and the building you live in. Local warnings and a usable escape plan matter more than buying a generic weather kit.

  • Check working smoke alarms inside bedrooms, outside sleeping areas and on every level, plus CO alarms appropriate to the home. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and ask your local fire authority about placement or accessible alerts.
  • Know the exits, keep routes clear and practice with the household. In an apartment, coordinate building-specific and accessible evacuation arrangements before an emergency.
  • Follow evacuation orders and stay out of floodwater. Do not enter standing water where electricity may be present, even if you cannot see a submerged cord or outlet. Never enter water to reach electrical equipment or a breaker; get qualified help. Leave electrical and structural work to professionals.
Plan around your building

Sources: USFA smoke alarms; NWS flood safety; CDC CO prevention.

Health, hygiene & daily essentials

Include the ordinary items people rely on every day. A travel first-aid pouch is not a substitute for a household's medication, accessibility or hygiene plan.

  • Check a basic first-aid kit and replace used or expired supplies. Include soap, personal hygiene items, glasses, infant supplies and other daily essentials that apply to your household.
  • Arrange prescription, refrigerated-medication and powered-device plans with the clinician, pharmacist or equipment provider. Keep their instructions and contact details privately on paper as well as in your phone.
  • If water or sewer service is interrupted, follow local health and utility instructions. A camping toilet or water filter is not automatically a suitable household sanitation system.
Check the supplies you already have

Sources: Red Cross supply checklist; CDC individual and medical planning.

Your household, your space

Include roommates, children, people who need assistance and pets in the plan. Shared responsibilities need a backup when the person who normally handles them is away.

A person carrying a household disaster supplies bag through a doorway
A manageable bag for leaving. Photo: PEO ACWA, CC BY 2.0, unchanged.
  • Agree on contacts, meeting places and who can help. Check school, care-provider and building plans instead of assuming everyone will follow the same procedure.
  • Store manageable supplies without blocking exits. If space or lifting is limited, choose smaller units and keep essential items where they can be reached.
  • Plan a carrier or leash, food, water and necessary records for pets. Check the destination's current pet arrangements in advance; service animals and pets can have different shelter arrangements.
Read the apartment preparedness guide Make your household checklist

Sources: Red Cross household planning; Red Cross pet preparedness.

Evacuation & recovery

Prepare to leave as well as to stay. Choose a destination, transport and another route, and keep a bag that household members can actually carry.

  • Keep lights, charging cables, essential personal supplies, paper contacts and protected document copies together. Store identification, insurance details and medical information privately, not in a public online checklist.
  • Follow official routes and instructions. Do not delay an evacuation to finish packing, and do not drive through flooded roads or around barricades.
  • Return only when local officials say it is safe. Avoid wet electrical equipment and floodwater; contact the insurer or relevant assistance service and document damage only when it is safe to do so.
Plan what you can take

Sources: Red Cross family plan; NWS flood and evacuation guidance; CDC returning home safely.

From the camping library

These resources cover camping equipment and camping power estimates. They are not household water-treatment certification, home electrical design or medical-device backup advice.

Camping water containers Camp power calculator

General U.S. planning guidance, reviewed November 2, 2026. Follow current local emergency instructions and get individual medical or building advice when needed. How we research.

Photo credits