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Build your kit around three days of basic needs, then add supplies for the people, pets, devices, and risks specific to your home. FEMA’s baseline is one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation, plus at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food. A power or fuel disruption also calls for a plan to charge phones, support electrically powered medical equipment, keep food safe, and avoid carbon monoxide and fire hazards.
Start with a three-day household supply
Use FEMA’s basic emergency supply checklist as a starting point, not a complete prescription for every household. Its water recommendation is one gallon per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation; its food recommendation is at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food. These are general recommendations, so account for your household’s actual needs and circumstances.
- Water: Store drinking and sanitation water in clean containers intended for potable water. Include extra for household members or circumstances that require it.
- Food: Choose shelf-stable foods household members can eat. If you store canned food, include a manual can opener.
- Light and information: Keep a flashlight with spare batteries and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio. Check which alert bands the radio receives and make sure the controls are practical for the people who may use it.
- First aid and signaling: Include a first-aid kit and a whistle.
- Sanitation and shelter materials: Pack moist towelettes, garbage bags with ties, a dust mask, plastic sheeting, and duct tape.
- Basic tools: Keep a wrench or pliers with the supplies.
For each item, consider who will use it, how much is needed, and whether it remains usable without household electricity. The official checklist does not prescribe a specific brand or model.
Plan for phones and electricity-dependent needs
List the devices your household relies on, including phones, medical equipment, and assistive technology. Decide how each will be powered if the electricity fails. Keep phones charged when severe weather or another disruption is likely, and have a way to recharge them without household power, such as a compatible, charged power bank. Check the pack’s connector and charging compatibility with your devices before relying on it.
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If life-sustaining equipment or assistive technology depends on electricity, ask the clinician or equipment provider about backup power and when relocation may be necessary. Make a practical plan in advance rather than assuming a battery or generator will cover every need. FEMA also recommends battery-powered smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, or electric alarms with battery backup. Use flashlights instead of candles, which create a fire hazard. See FEMA’s FEMA App: Take Charge of Disasters for its power-outage preparedness information.
Use generators and cooking equipment safely
Carbon monoxide is a potentially deadly risk during an outage. FEMA’s February 2025 power-outage fact sheet says to use generators, camp stoves, or charcoal grills outdoors at least 20 feet from building openings such as windows, doors, or garages. Follow the equipment manufacturer’s instructions and store generator fuel safely. Never use a gas stovetop, oven, grill, or clothes dryer to heat your home.
Before an outage, decide which devices need backup power most. Keep any fuel supply and generator use within the manufacturer’s safety instructions; do not assume a generator can safely or practically power every household device.
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Prepare for a fuel disruption
Before severe weather or a likely outage, keep your vehicle’s fuel tank adequately fueled, as FEMA advises in its power-outage fact sheet. Do not count on being able to refuel during a disruption: a station may be closed or unable to operate when it lacks power. Think through essential trips and how household members would reach a safer location if needed.
Protect food and water when service fails
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed during an outage. FEMA’s in-depth preparedness guide says a refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours and a full freezer for about 48 hours when kept closed; these are guidance figures, not guarantees for every appliance or situation. The guide advises discarding refrigerated food that has been at 40°F or higher for more than four hours. Monitor food temperatures when possible and follow official food-safety advice for your circumstances.
For water, follow local advisories. Use bottled water or boil water when officials instruct you to do so. FEMA’s Are You Ready? guide covers outage preparedness and food and water precautions.
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Tailor and maintain the kit
A household kit works only if it matches the people who may need it. Add supplies for pets, medication, dietary needs, infants, older adults, and anyone with a disability or assistive-device needs. If someone may need to leave home for powered equipment or other support, identify a destination and transportation option in advance.
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- Check expiration dates and replace used or expired food, medication, and batteries.
- Keep radios, flashlights, power banks, and alarms in working order; recharge battery packs before they are needed.
- Confirm the water containers are clean, suitable for potable water, and accessible.
- Store the kit where household members can find it quickly, and make sure more than one person knows where it is.
When choosing equipment, focus on fit rather than a preassembled kit’s label: check a radio’s supported alert bands and power options, a power bank’s compatibility and recharge state, a flashlight’s battery availability and ease of use, and a water container’s capacity and potable-water suitability. The cited authorities do not test or rank specific products.
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