Storm prep
Emergency kit checklist
Everything worth having before a storm, from free steps to bigger projects. Check off what you already have.
This is the general list for any home. It doesn’t know your address, so it can’t say which hazards apply to you. Your checks stay in this browser.
Based on Ready.gov: Build a kit
Your checklist
Essentials
0 of 23 doneGet these first. Most people can pick up everything here in one trip.
Storms can damage water mains and treatment plants.
Pick things you’ll actually eat and that need no cooking.
Pharmacies close and roads flood. Ask your pharmacist about an emergency refill, not us.
For cuts and sprains during cleanup.
Outages during atmospheric rivers can last days.
Gets you emergency news when cell service is down.
Keeps phones alive for alerts and calls.
Card readers and ATMs may not work in an outage.
You’ll need these to file claims or evacuate.
Clothes, meds, chargers, water, snacks and copies of documents.
Staying dry matters during storms and cleanup.
Carries much farther than your voice if you’re trapped or need attention.
Seals a room against contaminated air if you need to shelter in place.
Basic sanitation when water and toilets aren’t working.
GPS and cell service can fail; a paper map still works.
Filters smoke, ash and drywall dust during cleanup.
You may need to shut off gas or water quickly.
Ready.gov recommends kits at home, at work and in the car in case you’re caught away from home.
Most shelters that take pets require a carrier.
Easier to pack now than to find during a storm.
Also register with your utility’s Medical Baseline program for extra advance notice before planned shutoffs. It does not restore your power first.
Evacuating is harder without them.
Keeps you mobile and able to communicate if your primary device fails or its battery runs out.
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More free steps
No cost. Do these when you have a few minutes.
Alerts give you the earliest warning when a storm turns dangerous.
You’ll need these photos to file an insurance claim quickly.
Water service can be cut off during a big storm. Tub water is for flushing and cleaning, not drinking, and keep young kids away from a filled tub.
Knowing your zone and route now means you won’t have to figure it out during a warning.
FEMA’s map is the source lenders and insurers use, and it can show more than our automatic check did.
Homeowners and renters policies usually exclude flood. A quote is free, and a new policy typically takes up to 30 days to start.
Decide how you’ll reach each other and where you’ll meet if you’re apart when a storm hits.
Local phone lines can jam, but a call or text to someone out of the area often still gets through.
Clogged drains send storm water into the house instead of away from it.
Ask them to show you the gas and water shutoffs while you’re at it.
Gives you extra advance notice before planned power shutoffs. It does not restore your power first, so plan backup power with your medical equipment provider.
Large storm waves can sweep people off rocks and jetties without warning.
A route you’ve actually driven is faster to follow under stress.
A digital copy survives even if the paper one doesn’t.
Most public shelters only take service animals, so you’ll want a backup plan.
Horses, goats and other large animals need much more lead time to evacuate than pets do.
Recommended
Worth buying if you can. These make outages and cleanup much easier.
Keeps your hands free.
Lights a whole room instead of one spot.
Charges phones and runs lights and small devices during an outage.
Recharges between storms.
Cover roof leaks and broken windows fast.
Cheap and useful for nearly every repair.
Pulls water out before it turns into mold.
Get belongings off the floor.
Store extra water when a big storm is forecast.
For backcountry or backup use. During a boil-water notice, follow the notice: boil your water or use bottled water.
Hot food during a long outage.
Safety: Never light this indoors, in a garage, tent or camper. Burning fuel gives off carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family and pets. Use it outdoors only, away from windows and doors, and keep a battery-backed CO detector running inside.
Easy to forget, hard to live without.
Saves food and cold medicines when the fridge is off.
Outages bring candles, stoves and generators, and more fire risk with them.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family and pets. Ready.gov recommends a detector on every level of your home.
Winter storms plus no power means cold nights.
Know how to turn off gas, water and power, and to make small repairs.
Floodwater and mud carry sewage and mold.
For disinfecting after water gets inside.
Keeps phones and papers dry if you leave in the rain.
Many counties fill sandbags for free — check your county’s program before buying any.
Help divert water away from doors and garages.
A 24-hour supply in case you can’t get home right away.
Nice to have
Comfort and convenience for a long storm season.
Catches leaks while you’re away.
Keeps low spaces from filling up.
Dries rooms out and prevents mold.
Quiet and lighter-weight power, safer for sensitive electronics than a standard generator.
Safety: Never run a generator indoors or in a garage. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family and pets. Run it outdoors only, at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages, and keep a battery-backed CO detector on in the home.
Keeps Wi-Fi up through short outages.
Texts go through even when cell towers are down.
Stay in touch with family nearby.
Check on your home if you evacuate.
Long shelf life, and ready with just water.
Long days indoors without power, especially with kids.
Helps dry wet areas and move air.
For documents and valuables.
Fewer clogs, less overflow.
Line up a friend, relative or hotel outside your area in advance, so you’re not searching during an evacuation.
Premium protection
Bigger projects, done by installers
Turns on automatically when the power goes out.
Safety: Standby generators are installed outdoors by a licensed electrician and vent exhaust away from windows and doors, but every fuel-burning generator produces carbon monoxide — a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family and pets. Keep a battery-backed CO detector on every level of the home.
Silent backup power for days, with no fuel or exhaust to manage.
Custom-fit walls you put up before a storm.
Stops sewer backups and sends water away from the house.
Engineered protection against slides and mudflows.
Internet that doesn’t depend on local lines.
Hold up against wind-driven debris better than standard glass.
