Build for the realistic scenario: no power for days, no water pressure, no open stores, roads blocked. Aim for at least seven days, not three.
Water and food
- One gallon of water per person per day, plus pets. Seven days minimum.
- Non-perishable food you will actually eat, and a manual can opener.
- A camp stove or grill for outdoor use only — never indoors, never in a garage.
- Coolers and ice. Frozen water bottles do double duty.
Power and light
- Flashlights — one per person. Not candles. Open flame after a storm is a fire risk when water and gas lines may be compromised.
- Batteries in the sizes your devices use, plus a power bank for phones.
- A battery or hand-crank radio. When cell networks fail, radio still works.
- Headlamps. They free both hands, which matters more than you expect.
Health
- Seven days of prescriptions, in original labelled containers.
- First aid kit, plus any medical supplies for devices.
- Insect repellent. Standing water breeds mosquitoes within days.
- Hand sanitiser, soap, and disinfectant.
Documents — the part people forget
- Photo ID, insurance policies, deed or lease, birth certificates, prescriptions.
- In a waterproof bag, and also photographed on your phone. Both. Paper can be lost and phones can die.
- Cash in small bills.
Tools
- Work gloves, dust mask (N95 or better), sturdy shoes — debris after a storm is full of nails and glass.
- Tarps, rope, duct tape, plastic sheeting.
- A basic tool kit and a manual can opener.
- Trash bags and buckets.
The two items that most often cause injury are the ones people improvise: running a generator indoors or in a garage (carbon monoxide — see Generator Safety), and walking outside in sandals through debris. Plan for both.