You’ll need one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation. Include small bottles.
Are you prepared for an emergency? It's easy to procastinate if you're not sure what emergency supplies you need and where to get them from. To make it easier, I've compiled a list of FEMA-recommended items for emergency preparedness, with links to popular items on Amazon so you can easily buy the missing items for your kit.
You’ll need one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation. Include small bottles.
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You’ll need a three-day supply of food per person that won't spoil such as canned food, energy bars, or dried good. Check expiry dates and replace once a year.
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Battery-powered or hand crank radio allows you to get weather and disaster alerts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), so you'll be ready for and aware of anything happening in your area. Our recommended radio also has a built-in flashlight and whistle.
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The radio we have suggested above comes with a built-in flashlight, but having a reliable separate flashlight in your kit is not a bad idea, specially if you're preparing for more than yourself.
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The first-aid kit linked here has essential first aid items for the most common emergency situations. FEMA recommends including at least a week-long supply of prescription medications in your kit as well.
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You'll want to pack extra batteries for any battery-powered essential items in your kit, or any medical battery-operated medical devices you might have. Our recommended radio uses AA batteries and so that's what we've linked to, but make sure to find the right types for your devices.
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If you bought the radio that's on our list, you may not need a whistle as it comes with it. Otherwise, having a whistle in your kit can help you signal for help.
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Fema recommends having dust masks to help filter contaminated air.
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In case of airborne contamination, duct tape and plastic sheeting allow you to seal the room you are in as a temporary protective measure to create a barrier between you and the air outside. Read more about guidelines for sheltering on ready.gov.
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Fema recommends including awrench or pliers in your emergency supply kit for turning off utilities. A solid multi-tool that can perform other functions can be an even better alternative.
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Moist towlettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties are recommended by FEMA for personal sanitation.
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If your emergency food supplies contain canned food, then making sure a can opener is handy is a good idea. If you purchased our recommended multi-tool it already comes with a can opener so you don't need to buy anotehr one.
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The final item on the essential emergency preparedness kit is printed local maps to help you navigate in case you need to leave.