How to Build an Emergency Kit for Hurricanes, Tornadoes and Power Outages

When severe weather hits, help may take days to arrive. Here's the official checklist for a home emergency kit and a simple family plan.

From Atlantic hurricanes and Midwest tornadoes to winter storms, wildfires and heat waves, every part of the United States faces some kind of severe weather. Power and water can be cut off for days, stores can close and roads can become impassable. A basic emergency kit and a family plan make those days safer and far less stressful.

Know your risks

Start by learning which hazards are most likely where you live. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30. Tornadoes can strike in any state but are most common in the central and southern U.S., especially in spring. Many areas also face flooding, winter storms, wildfires or earthquakes. Your local emergency management office and Ready.gov have hazard-specific advice.

The basic emergency kit

Ready.gov, the federal government's preparedness site, recommends these basic supplies:

• 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, plus a manual can opener
• 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 masks, plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter in place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

Add what your family needs

• Prescription medicines and glasses or contact lenses
• Infant formula, bottles, diapers and wipes
• Pet food, water and supplies
• Copies of important documents — insurance policies, IDs, bank records — in a waterproof container or saved securely online
• Cash, since card readers and ATMs may not work during outages
• Sleeping bags or warm blankets, and a change of clothes and sturdy shoes for each person
• Fire extinguisher and matches in a waterproof container
• Hygiene items and hand sanitizer

Keep kits in more than one place

Keep your main kit at home in an easy-to-carry container, such as a plastic bin or duffel bag. Consider smaller kits for your car and workplace, too. Check your kits once or twice a year: replace expired food, water and medicine, test batteries, and update supplies as your family's needs change.

Make a family emergency plan

1. Sign up for alerts. Make sure Wireless Emergency Alerts are on in your phone settings, and sign up for your local alert system.
2. Know the difference between a watch and a warning. A watch means conditions are favorable for a hazard such as a tornado or hurricane — get ready. A warning means the hazard is happening or imminent — take action now.
3. Pick a safe place to shelter. For tornadoes, that's a basement or an interior room without windows on the lowest floor. For hurricanes, it may mean evacuating.
4. Know your evacuation zone and routes. Coastal residents should check whether they live in a hurricane evacuation zone and plan where they would go.
5. Choose meeting places near your home and outside your neighborhood in case you're separated.
6. Pick an out-of-town contact everyone can call or text. Long-distance calls and texts often get through when local lines are busy.

During a power outage

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. A closed refrigerator generally keeps food cold for about four hours; a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours.
• Never use a generator, grill or camp stove indoors or in a garage. They produce carbon monoxide, which can kill. Keep generators well away from doors and windows.
• Unplug appliances and electronics to protect them from power surges when power returns.
• Have a plan for medical devices that need power.

After the storm

Stay away from downed power lines and floodwater, which can hide hazards and carry electrical currents. Photograph damage for insurance claims before cleaning up. Be wary of contractors who show up uninvited, demand full payment upfront or pressure you to sign quickly — storm repair scams are common after disasters.