Household readiness checklist

Energy

• List every emergency device and the battery size it uses guide
• Stock spare AA, AAA, 9-volt, CR123, and coin cells you actually need guide
• Lock coin cells away from children guide
• Look up your generator's gallons-per-hour in its manual guide
• Decide how many hours a day and how many days you'd run it guide
• Keep vehicle tanks at least half full in storm season guide
• Choose a siphon, hand, or battery transfer pump labeled for your fuel guide
• Add a water-separating inline filter to the pump outlet guide
• Keep a spare filter element and spare pump batteries guide
• Put a recurring generator test day on your calendar guide
• Test under a small load in the spot you'll actually use guide
• Mark a spot at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and vents guide
• Keep spare oil matched to each engine's manual guide
• Stock one spare spark plug and air filter per engine guide
• Keep spare fuel filters where your engines use them guide
• Fill or exchange every cylinder at the start of storm season guide
• Keep at least two separate cylinders guide
• Store tanks outdoors, upright, valve closed guide

Supply

• Find total calories on any kit: calories per serving × servings guide
• Divide total calories by 2,000 to get adult-days guide
• Divide the price by adult-days to get cost per day guide
• Buy one extra of a food you already eat on every grocery trip guide
• Aim for 2 weeks of food at home and 3 days in your go-kit guide
• Add a bag of white rice or dry pasta to your next order guide

Reserve

• Walk your home and check that every door and window locks guide
• Add battery or solar lights at entrances guide
• Confirm security bars, if you have them, open from inside without a key or tool guide
• Pick two meeting places and one out-of-area contact guide
• Make wallet contact cards for everyone at home guide
• Sign up for local emergency alerts guide

Water, medicine and safety

• Test smoke alarms monthly guide
• Install battery-backup CO alarms on every level guide
• Keep an ABC extinguisher on each floor and learn PASS guide
• Ask your pharmacist about an emergency medicine supply and early refills guide
• Write a medicine list for each person, including doses and allergies guide
• Keep a copy of prescriptions with your emergency supplies guide
• Count the people and pets in your home guide
• Store 3 days of water first (1 gallon × people × 3) guide
• Build up to a 2-week supply at home guide

Communications

• Check that emergency alerts are switched on in every phone's settings guide
• Sign up for your county or city's text alerts guide
• Get a battery or hand-crank radio that also tunes NOAA Weather Radio guide
• Pack a go-bag for each person with 3 days of supplies guide
• Put copies of key documents in a waterproof bag in the go-bag guide
• Add a 7-day supply of medications and your device chargers guide

Household contacts

Out-of-area contact: ______________________ Phone: ______________

Meeting spot near home: ______________________________________

Meeting spot outside the neighborhood: _________________________

Doctor / pharmacy: ___________________________________________