What Should I Keep in a Home Emergency Kit?

Storms, power outages, and other emergencies can arrive with little warning, and the hours right after are not the time to shop. A well-stocked emergency kit keeps your household fed, hydrated, informed, and safe through the disruption, whether it lasts a few hours or a few days.

The kit does not need to be elaborate. A few basic categories of supplies, gathered once and refreshed occasionally, turn a stressful event into a manageable one.

Start with the four fundamentals: water, non-perishable food, light, and warmth. Store at least a gallon of water per person per day for several days, plus easy-to-eat food that needs no cooking. Keep flashlights and extra batteries, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio for updates. Include blankets or warm layers for heating outages in colder months.

Remember pets, if you have them, with their own water, food, and any medications. A kit that covers everyone in the household, including the four-legged members, is complete.

Your emergency kit should include a first-aid kit and any prescription medications anyone in the home relies on. Keep a week's supply of critical prescriptions if possible, along with over-the-counter basics like pain relievers, bandages, and antiseptic. Rotate medications so nothing expires.

Add hygiene essentials: hand sanitizer, moist wipes, toilet paper, and personal care items. In an extended outage, the small comforts matter more than you expect.

Keep copies of key documents and some cash where you can grab them quickly. A simple folder with identification, insurance policies, mortgage and utility contact numbers, and medical information can be invaluable if you need to evacuate or file a claim.

Cash matters because card readers and ATMs may be down in an outage. A few days of cash in small bills, plus phone chargers and a portable power bank, keep you functional when the grid does not cooperate.