Build an Emergency Kit That Works When You Actually Need It

ByDwell Fix · Home Safety Specialist

Organizing

• FEMA recommends every household maintain at least 72 hours of water, food, and supplies — fewer than 20% of U.S. households meet this baseline.
• Water is the most critical and most underestimated supply: one gallon per person per day means a family of four needs 12 gallons for 72 hours.
• The six most commonly missed items are: cash in small bills, copies of key documents, prescription medications, a manual can opener, a local paper map, and a whistle.

What Emergency Preparedness Actually Means

Emergency preparedness is not about surviving a disaster movie scenario. It is about maintaining household function for 72 hours when utilities fail, stores close, or evacuation is required. Power outages from storms, water main breaks, wildfire evacuations, and winter weather events all fall into this category — and all are more likely than most people account for. The 72-hour baseline covers the vast majority of residential emergencies.

The goal is not to be the most prepared household in the neighborhood. The goal is not to be the one calling 911 for a water shortage three days after a winter storm.

Tier 1: Water — the Non-Negotiable First Priority

Water fails more often in emergencies than food supply does, and dehydration becomes critical faster than hunger. The standard is one gallon per person per day, which covers drinking and basic sanitation. A family of four needs 12 gallons minimum for 72 hours. Store-bought sealed water jugs last 2 years sealed. Tap water stored in clean food-grade containers should be rotated every 6 months. WaterBOB bathtub liners fill from a standard tap in 20 minutes and hold 100 gallons for emergency storage.

Tier 2: Food — Three Days Without Cooking

Emergency food does not need to be specialized — it needs to be shelf-stable, calorie-dense, and usable without power. Canned beans, tuna, and vegetables, peanut butter, crackers, dried fruit, and nuts cover nutrition without cooking. For households with infants, elderly members, or dietary restrictions, build a two-week rotation of familiar foods rather than unfamiliar emergency rations. A manual can opener is not optional — check your kit has one before trusting any canned supply.

Tier 3: Light, Power, and Communication

A battery-powered or hand-crank LED flashlight per person, with spare batteries stored separately. A battery bank charged to 100% and rotated every 3 months to maintain charge capacity. A weather-band radio — battery or crank-powered — that receives NOAA emergency broadcasts when cell networks are down. A simple paper road map of your region for navigation if GPS fails. Store all electronics away from heat and in waterproof bags inside the kit.

Tier 4: Medical Supplies and Key Documents

A first aid kit with bandages, antiseptic, gauze, medical tape, pain relief medication, and any prescription medications for all household members — at minimum a 7-day supply stored separately from the daily supply. A waterproof folder containing copies of identification, insurance cards, medication lists, and important contact numbers for every household member. This folder is the most replaced item after emergencies — people grab everything except the documents.

Complete 72-Hour Kit Checklist

Go-Bag vs Home Shelter-in-Place Kit

A go-bag is a backpack or duffel containing 72 hours of essentials for rapid evacuation — water, food, documents, first aid, cash, phone charger, and a change of clothes per person. A home shelter-in-place kit is a larger supply stored in one designated location for extended home use during utility failures. Both serve different scenarios — most households need both. The go-bag should be reviewed and repacked every 6 months to account for seasonal clothing, medication changes, and expiration dates.

Store the shelter-in-place kit in a cool, dark location away from flood risk — a high shelf in a ground-floor closet, not a basement in flood-prone areas. Keep the go-bag near the primary exit. Run a 5-minute grab drill once per year with everyone in the household so the location and contents are known under stress, not discovered during the emergency.