One of the most basic ways you and your family can be ready for local disasters is by building emergency supply kits.  These kits, filled with certain essential items, will give your family the ability to be self-sufficient during all types of emergency situations.

Basic Emergency Supply Kit 

Every family needs to have a basic emergency supply kit filled with all of the items necessary to care for their basic needs for a minimum of three (3) days.  Make building your kit a family activity and when complete make sure and store it in a place where everyone can access it.  In the event that you need to evacuate, make sure your kit is also portable.

Every family is different and your kit will be too.  There are, however, a few items that every kit should have:

• Water (1 gallon of water per day per person with enough for at least 3 days)
• Non-perishable food (enough for at least 3 days)
• Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
• NOAA weather radio with extra batteries
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Filter mask or cotton t-shirt to help filter the air
• Moist towelettes or hand sanitizer (alcohol based) for sanitation
• Wrench and/or pliers needed to run off utilities
• Manual can opener if kit contains canned food items
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Cell phone with a car or solar charger
• Family specific items (i.e. prescriptions medications, infant formula and diapers, clothing, important documents)

Remember that this list covers just the bare minimum. For a list of additional items you should consider including in your family’s emergency supply kit go to ready.gov and click on “Build a Kit.”

Pet Kit

Plan for your pets before it's too late! Building a kit with food, water, extra leashes and collars toys and waste disposal bags can help ease post-disaster stress. For more information on building a pet preparedness kit, click here.

Special Needs

Emergency preparedness is especially crucial for families with individuals with special needs. Our area can be affected by multiple hazards, including severe weather events like tornadoes or flooding, which can create dangerous situations for those who may need some type of assistance. When creating your emergency supply kit, consider adding items such as extra batteries for hearing aids, specific medicine or any other items you may need. Make sure that you and your family have multiple ways to receive warnings and know the safest place for shelter in your home. For more information, please click here. 

Car Kit 
Every family should also build a car kit for everyday road emergencies, and evacuation scenarios.  A basic car kit should include the following:

• Jumper Cables
• Road flares
• Food (i.e. granola bars or energy bars)
• Local maps
• Extra clothing and sturdy shoes (seasonal)
• Rain gear
• Gloves
• Blankets
• Duct tape
• Small tarp
• Basic tools and small shovel
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Filter mask or cotton t-shirt to help filter the air
• Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
• Emergency contact list