Emergency Storm Kits
5/21/2025
Mother Nature can be wildly unpredictable, whether you live in an area prone to storms or not. With that said, the climate you live in should be used as guidance for customizing an emergency kit. When creating a storm kit, you’ll also need to consider all household members (e.g. babies, seniors, people with specific health issues, and pets). In addition to kits, experts recommend having a contingency plan in place. It’s important to identify a safe place to go if power or heat goes out during storms, as well as a few people you can rely on. This is even more important for individuals with chronic health and mobility issues. Establishing a personal network is as integral to surviving severe weather as keeping all the right supplies in a convenient place. Here in Emerado, our fine school is our designated storm shelter, and will be open during certain events. Listen for the sirens, and watch for the Police and Fire Departments for guidance!
Non-Food Emergency Essentials Kit
You likely already have most of these items in your house, but when a storm hits, you certainly won’t have the time to gather all of them. A portable generator isn’t a basic necessity, but it can come in handy during power outages. If you own one, it’s crucial that you follow all safety precautions.
- First aid kit with assorted sterile bandages and gauze pads, antiseptic, latex gloves, tweezers, scissors, soap, disposable hand wipes, and thermometer
- Water, one gallon per person, per day—enough to last three to five days
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Candles, matches, and disposable lighters
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and batteries (NOAA weather radio, if possible)
- Whistle to signal for help
- Multipurpose tool
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Medications (one-week supply) and other medical items
- Disposable hand wipes and sanitizer
- Personal care items (e.g. toothbrushes, soap, deodorant, shampoo, etc.)
- Cell phone(s) with chargers
- Copies of personal documents
- Family and emergency contact information
- Face masks to filter contaminated air
- Sleeping bags and blankets
- Garbage bags with plastic ties
- Local maps
- Spare clothing
- Extra cash (Access to banks and ATMs may be compromised)
Food for Storm Preparation
If you lose power for more than two hours, food inside your refrigerator will start to spoil. Bacteria can grow rapidly at temperatures between 40° and 140° F. If you eat spoiled foods, you are putting yourself at risk of contracting a food-borne illness. That’s why it’s vital to store a supply of nonperishable food that will last three to five days. Choose foods your family will eat, avoid those that increase thirst, and remember the special dietary needs of all family members.
If properly made, packaged, and stored, dehydrated food can last a year or two, while freeze-dried foods can last as long as 30 years. These foods weigh 50 to 75% less than their non-dried varieties, don’t require refrigeration, and retain their nutritional benefits. And with proper storage, powdered milk has a 25-year shelf life, is versatile, provides a healthy dose of protein and calcium, and is ideal for an emergency food kit.
- Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and a can opener
- Protein or fruit bars
- Dry cereal or granola
- Peanut butter
- Dried fruit
- Canned juices
- Powdered milk
- High-energy foods
- Dehydrated or freeze dried meals
Emergency Preparedness Kit for Babies
- Formula (even if breastfeeding)
- Diapers
- Sterilized bottles
- Powdered milk
- Medications
- Baby wipes
- Diaper rash ointment
Emergency Preparedness for Seniors
Studies have found that nearly one in six adults aged 50 and older would need help evacuating their homes in an emergency, and nearly one in 10 would require outside help to do so. Despite these risks, a 2014 study found that less than 25% of seniors had created emergency plans for natural disasters. Seniors are especially vulnerable to natural disasters, for the following reasons:
- Being wheelchair bound or having other functional impairments that limit the ability to evacuate, especially when elevators aren’t working
- Medical oxygen supplies being cut off due to power outages
- Fleeing in cars and getting swept away by rising floodwaters
- Not having enough medicine on hand for chronic, serious conditions
If your older relative lives in a retirement or nursing home facility, ask the administrator about their disaster and evacuation procedures. If your loved one has mobility issues, these needs must be incorporated into an emergency preparedness plan. And if they require wheelchair-accessible transportation, make sure you know how to access these services in their community.
If they don’t live with you, keep an extra set of residential keys, copies of relevant emergency documents, evacuation plans, and health insurance and physician information for senior family members. In addition to the items listed in the emergency essentials kit, here are other items to include, if applicable:
- Extra glasses, hearing aids, and hearing aid batteries
- Spare dentures
- Equipment for monitoring blood sugar and blood pressure
- Spare oxygen tanks
Emergency Kit for Pets
You adore your Labrador Milo and tabby cat Luna and treat them like members of your family, but have you considered how to protect them in a natural disaster? Although pets don’t need nearly as much water as you, keeping an extra gallon on hand is useful in case they’re exposed to chemicals or flood waters and need to be rinsed. Here are pet essentials to include in a kit:
- Enough food and water for a minimum of five days for each pet
- Bowls and a manual can opener for canned pet food
- Medications, medical records, and a pet first aid book stored in a waterproof container
- Cat litter box, litter, litter scoop, and garbage bags to collect your pets’ waste
- Sturdy leashes, harnesses, and carriers to transport pets safely and to ensure they can’t escape
- Blankets or towels for bedding and warmth
- A few of their favorite toys
- Current photos of you with your pets and descriptions of them to help with identification in case you become separated—and proof of ownership once you’re reunited
- Written information about your pets' feeding schedules and medical conditions, with the name and number of your veterinarian, in case you need to board them
Bottom line, knowing what to do in a storm can be lifesaving, and in addition to creating emergency storm kits, this includes how to properly handle power outages. If the outage is storm-related, make sure you’re sheltering in a safe place, then report the outage to your local power company!
Stay Safe!