1. Water and Food
Keep at least 1 gallon of water per person per day and make sure you have enough for 3 to 7 days.
Keep enough dry, non-perishable or canned food for 3 to 7 days, make sure to stock up on specific food elderly or very young family members might require.
Remember to pack a can opener, as many people who survived Andrew will tell you, canned foods aren’t much use when you can’t open them.
Also remember to pack any utensils and fuel you might need to cook the foods you’re storing.
Snacks and paper plates are also a good idea.
2. First Aid and Prescription Medication
Keep a two week supply of any prescription medication you need in your kit, as you may not be able to renew your prescription immediately after the storm.
3. Baby items
Remember to pack baby supplies such as diapers, wet naps, pacifiers, lotions and anything else your baby might need for at least the first week after the storm.
4. Personal toiletries
Anything you many need to maintain your personal hygene for the first two weeks after the storm, for example, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine hygene products, etc.
5. Blankets, pillows, clothing, etc.
Make sure to pack sufficient clothesfor the members of your family, include rain gear and tough shoes.
Blankets, pillows and similar items may go a long way towards providing comfort, especially in shelters as they are meant to keep you alive, but not necessarily comfortable.
6. Flashlight, radio, batteries and phones
Pack a battery operated radio that can keep you informed of the current weather forecast.
Keep a flashlight in case the power goes out, a spare batteries for both the radio and flashlight.
A fully charged cell phone is also important for emergencies, as well as an extra battery if that’s possible.
For your home, make sure you have acorded phone in case the power goes out and renders cordless phones useless.
7. Important documents and insurance information
Keep important documents such as medical records, insurance policies, social security documents, bank account numbers, etc. in waterproof containers
Take pictures or video of your belongings in case you need to make an insurance claim after the storm.
8. Tools
Pack tools to help you make immediate temporary repairs after a storm.
9. Fuel
Keep your vehicle’s tank filled up as fuel may go quick before a storm and not be immediately available after.
10. Generator
If you have a generator, keep plenty of fuel for it too and never, ever run it indoors.
11. Your pets
Make plans for your pets beforehand, most shelters, hotels and motels won’t take pets, so if you have them make sure you know how to keep them safe before any storm looms over the horizon.
Also, keep an extra supply of water for your pets, as well as pet food, identification documents, a leash and a carrier for them.
12. Communications plan
Plan a communications strategy to let your family know you’re ok after a storm if possible, and to let them know before a storm where you are going and what you’re doing.
13. Cash!
After a storm ATMs may not be working, you should make sure you have plenty of cash money to cover any expenses you may have immediately after a storm hits.
Make sure you have enough for at least a few days after the storm in case power is not immediately restored (and those who went through Wilma a few years ago know it may not be).
14. Entertainment
Another consecuence of the power going out is: no tv, no video games, no computers.
Make sure to pack board games, playing cards, or other type of non-electronic games to entertain your family until things return to normal.