The Importance of Being Prepared Disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes can strike with little or no warning. To ensure that you and your family are prepared, there’s no time like the present to create emergency kits: one for use if you need to evacuate your home and one for use if you get trapped in your home for several days. To help you evacuate quickly, keep the following items in an emergency backpack so you can grab it and go:

• First aid kit
• Gallon of water per family member and nonperishable foods
• Can opener, plastic cups and eating utensils
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Battery-operated radio
• Change of clothing and personal identification cards for each family member
• Personal hygiene items and hand sanitizer
• Medications that are needed regularly

Place the following items in an area of your home to be ready for an emergency that prevents you from leaving your home:

• First aid kit
• Three gallons of water per family member
• Canned food for at least three days and can opener
• Toilet paper and extra personal hygiene items
• Books, games and other forms of entertainment
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Battery-operated radio and television
• Pet foods and supplies for three days, if applicable

Safety First

By having these kits in place, you and your family can focus on remaining safe during a disaster and keeping each other calm. Consider preparing these kits together as a family so that kids understand the importance of being prepared. For more ideas on how to prepare your entire family for an emergency situation, visit: www.ready.gov/make-a-plan.