Emergency Kit Checklist for Families: What to Pack and How to Keep It Ready

When the power goes out, a storm cuts off the roads, or water service stops, the questions come fast. Where is the flashlight? Do we have batteries? Is there enough water for everyone? An emergency kit answers those questions before they are asked. It is one of the simplest, calmest things a household can do to care for the people inside it.

Ready.gov puts it plainly: after an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days, and being prepared means having your own food, water, and other supplies to last for several days. This guide walks through the official checklists from Ready.gov and the American Red Cross, explains why each item matters, and shows you how to build a kit in stages without panic or overspending.

We do not prepare to hide. We prepare to serve. A ready household is steadier under pressure, and more available to help a neighbor when it matters.

Start with the basic supplies

Both Ready.gov and the Red Cross publish a core list. They overlap heavily, which is good news: if you cover the items below, you have the foundation most households need.

The core list (Ready.gov “Basic Disaster Supplies Kit”)

Ready.gov’s basic kit includes:

Water: one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation
Food: at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food
A battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask to help filter contaminated air
Plastic sheeting, scissors, and duct tape to shelter in place
Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Manual can opener for food
Local maps
Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

What the Red Cross adds

The Red Cross list is similar, with a few helpful specifics. It recommends water and food for a 3-day supply for evacuation and a 2-week supply for home, medications for a 7-day supply plus medical items, a multi-purpose tool, sanitation and hygiene items, copies of personal documents, family and emergency contact information, extra cash, an emergency blanket, and maps of the area.

That difference in timeframes is worth noticing. A kit you grab on the way out the door has to be light enough to carry. Supplies for sheltering at home can be larger and last longer. Many families build both: a “go” bag and a home supply.

Add what your household uniquely needs

The basic list is a starting point, not the finish line. Ready.gov encourages families to consider their own needs, and both organizations list additional items worth adding.

Health and personal care

Prescription medications. Ready.gov notes that about half of all Americans take a prescription medicine every day, and that an emergency can make it hard to refill a prescription or find an open pharmacy. Organize and protect prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, and vitamins ahead of time.
Non-prescription medicines such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids, or laxatives.
Glasses and contact lens solution, hearing aids with extra batteries, and other medical supplies.
Soap, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes, plus feminine supplies and personal hygiene items.

Children, elders, and pets

Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream if you have a baby in the home.
Books, games, puzzles, or activities for children. A calm child makes a calmer household.
Pet food and extra water, plus a collar, leash, ID, carrier, and bowl, as the Red Cross suggests.

Documents and money

Important family documents, such as copies of insurance policies, identification, and bank account records, saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container.
Cash. Card readers and ATMs may not work when the power is out.
Family and emergency contact information written on paper, not only stored in a phone.

Comfort and shelter

A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person.
A complete change of clothing suited to your climate, and sturdy shoes.
A fire extinguisher, and matches in a waterproof container.
Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels, and plastic utensils.
Paper and pencil.

Depending on the disasters common where you live, the Red Cross also suggests items such as N95 or surgical masks, rain gear, work gloves, and tools for securing your home. Its list of family-specific additions also includes two-way radios and an extra set of car and house keys.

How to pack and store your kit

Ready.gov recommends storing items in airtight plastic bags and putting the entire kit in one or two easy-to-carry containers, such as plastic bins or a duffel bag. Keep it in a designated place, and make sure every member of the family knows where it is.

Because you do not know where you will be when an emergency happens, Ready.gov suggests preparing supplies for three places:

Home: a kit kept ready in case you need to leave quickly.
Work: be prepared to shelter at work for at least 24 hours, with food, water, medicines, and comfortable walking shoes in a “grab and go” case.
Car: a kit of emergency supplies in case you are stranded.

Build it in stages, not all at once

A complete kit can feel like a big project, and for many families the budget is real. You do not need to buy everything this weekend. A staged approach keeps it calm and doable.

1. Start with what you already own. Walk through the house with the checklist. Flashlights, a can opener, a first aid kit, blankets, and a radio may already be in a drawer somewhere. Gather them into one bin.

2. Add water and food next. These matter most. Add a few gallons of water and a few days of non-perishable food your family will actually eat.

3. Fill the gaps one item per shopping trip. Batteries this week, a whistle and duct tape next week. Small, steady additions add up.

4. Finish with documents and contacts. Copy your insurance and ID information and write down phone numbers. This costs almost nothing and is often what families wish they had.

If money is tight this month, see our Budget Readiness section for a calm way to map the paycheck before adding new purchases.

Keep your kit ready

A kit only helps if it still works when you need it. Ready.gov recommends:

Keep canned food in a cool, dry place.
Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers.
Replace expired items as needed.
Re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your family’s needs change.

A simple habit helps: check the kit twice a year, such as when you change your clocks in spring and fall. Test the flashlights and radio, rotate food and water, and update medications and documents.

A kit is supplies plus a plan

Supplies are only half of readiness. Ready.gov’s Make a Plan page encourages every household to talk through five questions:

1. How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?

2. What is my shelter plan?

3. What is my evacuation route?

4. What is my family/household communication plan?

5. Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?

Then write the plan down and practice it. Ready.gov offers a fillable family emergency plan form for exactly this purpose.

Frequently asked questions

How many days of supplies should my emergency kit have?

Ready.gov says to plan for several days on your own. The Red Cross is more specific: a 3-day supply of food and water for evacuation, and a 2-week supply for home. Start with three days and build toward two weeks.

What is the difference between a go-bag and a home kit?

A go-bag is the portable kit you carry if you have to leave, so it needs to be light. A home kit holds larger supplies for sheltering in place, such as more water and food. Ready.gov also recommends smaller kits for work and the car.

What do people most often forget?

Paper copies of contact information, cash, a manual can opener, and medications are easy to overlook. Children’s comfort items and pet supplies are often forgotten too. Walk through a normal day in your home and ask what each person truly depends on.

How often should I check my kit?

Ready.gov recommends replacing expired items as needed and re-thinking your needs every year. A twice-a-year check is an easy rhythm to keep.

Your one faithful step this week

Pick one bin or bag, put it in a closet everyone can reach, and place three things inside: a flashlight with fresh batteries, a gallon of water, and a written list of family phone numbers. That is a real beginning. Next week, add one more item from the list above.

“The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.”
Proverbs 21:5 (KJV)

The Good Shepherd