Core guide · updated Oct 2026
Hurricane emergency kit list
Two kits, two jobs. The go-bag keeps you alive for 72 hours if you evacuate. The stay-home kit keeps the household running through a week-plus outage. Build both before June.
The go-bag (per person, grab-and-go)
- Water: 3 liters + water filter or purification tablets
- 3 days of no-cook food (energy bars, nuts, dried fruit)
- First-aid kit + 7 days of prescription meds
- Flashlight + headlamp, batteries
- Power bank (20,000mAh+), charging cables
- Change of clothes, rain poncho, sturdy shoes
- Copies of IDs & insurance (waterproof pouch)
- Cash in small bills
- Whistle, dust mask, moist towelettes
The stay-home kit (per household)
- Water: 1 gallon per person per day × 14 days (or 5-gallon stackable jugs + gravity filter)
- Food: 14 days shelf-stable; manual can opener; camp stove + propane
- Power: generator or power station, flashlights (one per person), lanterns, batteries (AA/AAA/D)
- Comms: NOAA weather radio (hand-crank), battery-powered phone chargers
- Health: full first-aid kit, prescription meds, hygiene supplies, baby/pet supplies
- Tools: multi-tool, duct tape, plastic sheeting, wrench (to shut off utilities)
- Documents: waterproof pouch with IDs, policies, medical records, home inventory photos
What people always forget
- Cash. Card readers die with the grid.
- Entertainment for kids. A dead tablet on day three is a crisis of its own — pack cards, books, coloring.
- Pet supplies. 14 days of food, water, meds, carriers, vaccination records.
- Rotation. Check expiration dates every June 1 (start of hurricane season). Batteries corrode, food expires, meds lose potency.
Common questions
One gallon per person per day for drinking and basic hygiene — that's the FEMA/Red Cross figure. A family of four needs 56 gallons for 14 days, which is why stackable 5-gallon jugs plus a filter beat cases of bottles.
A hand-crank NOAA weather radio with USB charging and a flashlight — it works when the grid and cell towers don't, and it receives official alerts directly.