First 72 hours
This is the 3-day step. The Red Cross calls a carry-with-you kit about 3 days. Big print is the default.
Site: https://yourfriendlyneighbor.org
Before
- Water: 1 gallon per person per day for these 3 days (Ready.gov). Three gallons per person before any heat or cooking assumption.
- Food you will eat, a manual can opener, and a flashlight for each person.
- Medicines you take daily. The Red Cross kit page lists a 7-day supply, which is longer than 72 hours. Start there if your pharmacist agrees.
During
- Follow county alerts and a radio. If your zone is told to leave, take the go-bag and go.
- Keep the refrigerator closed. About 4 hours of cold, then use a cooler (Ready.gov and CDC).
- Generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from doors and windows. Call 911 for a medical emergency.
After
- Wait for officials before you travel home or start cleanup.
- Throw out perishable food that was warm. Do not taste it to check.
- Write down what you ran out of. That list is the start of the 14-day step.
Checklist
- 3 gallons of water per person
- 3 days of food you eat
- Radio, lights, and a phone charger
- Medicine bag and a printed list
- Copies of IDs, cash in small bills
- Pet food, carrier, and infant supplies if you need them