Create an Emergency Supply Kit

You could lose your electricity, gas or drinking water during the next emergency, and you may have to live without these basic services for days. This is why you need an emergency supply kit and an emergency plan.

Your kit should have enough food and water for everyone in your household, including pets, for at least three days. Everyone also should know where the kit is stored, and you can take this checklist with you when you shop for your emergency supply kit.

A basic emergency supply kit should include:

• Water, at least three gallons per person
  
  
• Food, at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food
  
  
• Pet supplies for at least five days
  
  
• Manual can opener for food
  
  
• Radio and a weather alerting radio with tone alert
  
  
• Flashlight
  
  
• Extra batteries for the radio and flashlight
  
  
• First aid kit
  
  
• Prescription medicines and eyewear

Additional items to consider adding to your emergency supply kit:

• Baby formula and diapers
  
  
• Copies of important documents, such as insurance policies, identification and bank account records, in a waterproof, portable container
  
  
• Cash in small denominations or traveler’s checks and change
  
  
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper (when diluted in water, bleach can be used to kill germs)
  
  
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
  
  
• Paper cups, plates and plastic knives, forks and spoons, paper towels
  
  
• Paper and pencil
  
  
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

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