What is on the home emergency checklist
- Water
- At least one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and basic washing, plus extra for pets and hot weather.
- Out-of-area contact
- A relative or friend in another city. After a disaster, long-distance calls and texts often get through when local ones do not, and everyone reports to one person.
- Meeting places
- One just outside your home (for a fire) and one outside the neighborhood (if you cannot get home).
- Utility shut-offs
- Where the water, gas and electricity shut-offs are and how to use them. Only turn off gas if you smell it or are told to; the gas company must turn it back on.
- Food safety
- Refrigerated food that has been above 40°F (4°C) for more than two hours should be thrown away.
Building an emergency kit
Emergency agencies, including FEMA's Ready.gov in the US, recommend supplies for at least several days: water, food that needs no cooking, light, a radio, first aid, medicines, documents and cash. Keep it all in one or two bins that you can grab and carry to the car. Put a note in your calendar to check it twice a year: replace water and food before they expire, charge power banks, update children's clothes and medicines. A smaller kit for the car is on the vehicle emergency kit page, and the full first aid list is on the first aid kit checklist.
Making a family plan
Sit down together and fill in the plan. Decide on an out-of-area contact and make sure children know the number by heart or carry it. Walk to the meeting places so everyone knows them. Show older children and adults where the water shut-off and main breaker are. Find out the emergency plans at school and work, and sign up for local alerts. Give everyone a copy, keep one in the kit, and take a photo of it on each phone. Add the numbers to your phone list.
Power outages and storms
When a storm is forecast, charge everything, fill the car and turn the fridge to its coldest setting. During an outage, the most serious dangers are carbon monoxide from generators, grills and heaters used indoors or in garages, and fallen power lines. A full freezer usually keeps food frozen for about two days if the door stays shut. Afterwards, photograph damage before you clean up and call your insurer early; a home inventory makes claims much easier.
Editing the files
The PDFs are fillable. Change the lists in Word or Excel for your area's risks, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires or heat.
Questions
What should be in a home emergency kit?
Water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, a radio, first aid supplies, medicines, copies of documents, cash, tools, hygiene items, clothing and pet supplies.
How much water should I store?
At least one gallon per person per day for several days; more for hot climates, nursing mothers and pets.
What is a family emergency plan?
A written plan with contacts, meeting places, utility shut-offs, medical needs and evacuation routes that everyone in the household knows.
How long does food last in a fridge without power?
About four hours if the door stays closed. A full freezer holds for about 48 hours, a half-full one about 24.
How often should I check my emergency kit?
Twice a year: replace expired food, water and medicines and charge batteries.
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