How many days should my kit last?

While there’s no way to know how long you’ll need to survive on your own after a natural disaster or other emergency, planning for a minimum of three days of survival is a good starting point. Once you have a three days’ supply, try to build up to a full week. If you’d like to have enough to be able to help others if the need arises, consider adding enough for two or more weeks.

How should I store my emergency kits?

A watertight container like a large storage tub is a good option for most kits. It keeps everything in one place and it’s fairly easy to move if you have to evacuate. For a kit in your car, you may still want to use a storage container, but it’s also a good idea to include a backpack in case you have to grab essentials from your kit and go. For a personal office kit, a backpack is ideal.

Where should I store my emergency kits?

Where you store your kits will depend on your lifestyle and the type of emergency you’re planning for.

Kits designed for sudden events like earthquakes and tornadoes should be placed in the area in your home or office where you’d go in case of such an emergency, like inside a cabinet near a kitchen table for an earthquake, or in an interior room with no windows for a tornado. If your home is at risk of flooding, store your kit on a high shelf or on a second floor. For other emergencies, just keep it in an easily accessible spot so you won’t have to dig for it if you need to get it in a hurry.

If possible, store your kit in a climate-controlled environment, as extreme temperatures can spoil food faster and damage water containers.

Final word

Emergency preparedness can feel like a daunting task, but taking a few simple steps now can save you a lot of headaches later on. Check Ready.gov for more ideas about things you may want to include in your emergency kit.