The following items should be included in a hurricane or disaster kit:
Water
- At least one gallon of water per day per person for 3-5 days, two quarts a day for drinking and two quarts for food preparation and sanitation.
- Water purification tablets
Food
- Enough for 3-5 days.
- Non-perishable dry or canned food such as ready-to-eat meats, fruits, vegetables, soups, juices and milk
- High energy snack foods such as protein or fruit bars, trail mix, peanut butter and crackers
- Comfort foods such as nuts, cookies, sweetened cereals, instant coffee, tea and hard candy
- Special dietary and baby foods
- Vitamins
Kitchen Supplies
- Manual can opener
- Eating and cooking utensils, mess kits, plates and cups
- Matches or lighters in a waterproof container
- Emergency cooking/camping equipment
- Liquid detergent and household chlorine bleach
- Plastic bucket and lid
- Hand sanitizer
- Ice and cooler
Tools and Supplies
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Battery operated AM/FM radio and extra batteries
- Toilet paper, soap, personal hygiene items, feminine supplies and toiletries
- First aid kit
- Mosquito/insect repellant
- Special needs items such as prescription medications, eyeglasses, contact lens solutions, hearing aid batteries and other personal items
- Hat
- Extra clothing for one week
- Rain gear
- Heavy duty plastic garbage bags
- Whistle
- Specialty items for infants, such as formula, diapers, wipes, bottles and pacifiers, and for elderly relatives and pets
- Important documents such as passport, copies of credit cards, identification cards and insurance papers
- Other items to meet your unique family needs such as games or books
- Blankets and/or sleeping bags
- Keys to house
- Cash, traveler's checks
- Extra charger for cell phone and power cord for laptop computer
- Lightweight folding chairs or cots
- List of important phone numbers
For more information on disaster supply kits, visit:
Ready America: Disaster Supply Kit
For information on how to store and purify water, visit:
Guidelines for managing water supplies