Emergency preparedness

Ready.gov and FEMA guidance for the boring work that pays off once: a kit, a plan, and documents you can reach when the power is out.

One gallon of water per person per day, for three days minimum — two weeks if you can store it.

Pick an out-of-state contact everyone texts. Local lines jam first; long-distance texts often get through when calls don't.

Photograph your IDs, insurance policies, and prescriptions and store them somewhere you can reach from a phone.

Keep a battery bank charged and a flashlight per person. Candles cause house fires during outages every single winter.

Know your evacuation route and where you'd go before you're told to leave. Decide once, calmly, in advance.

Sourced from public guidance published by the FTC, CISA, FEMA/Ready.gov, the National Weather Service, NHTSA, CPSC, the U.S. Fire Administration and CDC. Federal works are in the public domain; summaries and checklists on this page are original.

• Watch Kids Around Water — Always — Designate a Water Watcher whose only job is supervising swimmers. Drowning is the #1 cause of accidental death in kids 1-4. CDC
• Never Leave Kids or Pets in a Car — A car's interior can hit 125°F in minutes, even with windows cracked. Look before you lock — every trip, every time. NHTSA
• Swim Where a Lifeguard Watches — Drownings happen fast and silently. Swim only at beaches and pools with lifeguards on duty whenever possible. Red Cross
• Rip Currents: Swim Parallel to Shore — If caught in a rip current, don't fight it. Swim parallel to the beach until you're free, then swim back to shore at an angle. NOAA
• Life Jackets: Wear, Don't Just Pack — In 86% of boating fatalities, victims weren't wearing a life jacket. Federal law requires one per person — but wearing it saves lives. US Coast Guard
• Hurricane Season: Know Your Evacuation Zone — Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 – Nov 30. Look up your evacuation zone now — not when a storm is forming. NHC
• Check the Back Seat Every Time — Place your phone, bag, or left shoe in the back seat as a reminder to check before walking away from your car. NHTSA
• Pool Drain Covers: Replace Old Ones — Modern anti-entrapment drain covers prevent suction injuries. If your pool's cover is cracked or missing, don't swim — replace it first. CPSC
• Boat Sober — BUI Is Illegal in Every State — Sun, wind, and waves multiply alcohol's effects. Operating a boat while intoxicated carries the same penalties as a DUI. US Coast Guard
• Bike Helmets Cut Head Injury Risk 60% — A properly fitted helmet — 2 fingers above the eyebrows, straps snug — is the single best protection for any rider. CDC
• Power Outage in Heat? Find a Cooling Center — During heat waves, cities open free cooling centers. Check 211.org or your city's website for the nearest one. Ready.gov
• Mow in the Morning or Evening — Avoid mowing during peak heat (10am-4pm). Wear sturdy shoes, eye protection, and keep kids and pets indoors while you mow. CPSC
• Hot Pavement Burns Paws — If pavement is too hot for your hand for 7 seconds, it's too hot for your dog's paws. Walk pets early morning or after sunset. ASPCA
• Hike With Water and a Map — Carry at least 1 liter of water per 2 hours, plus a paper map. Cell service vanishes fast on trails. Tell someone your route. National Park Service
• Make a Family Emergency Plan — Choose a place to meet outside the home and another outside your neighborhood. Memorize an out-of-state contact everyone can call if local lines are down. Ready.gov
• Build a 3-Day Emergency Kit — Store one gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, a first-aid kit, and copies of important documents in a waterproof container. Ready.gov
• Button batteries can burn through a child's throat in two hours — Keep coin-cell batteries and the devices holding them out of reach. If a child may have swallowed one, go to the ER immediately — do not induce vomiting. CPSC
• Earthquake: Drop, Cover, Hold On — During shaking, drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck under a sturdy table, and hold on until shaking stops. USGS
• Carbon Monoxide: Install Detectors — Install CO detectors on every level of your home. Never run a generator, grill, or car engine inside a garage or near windows. CDC
• Active Threat: Run, Hide, Fight — If safe, run from the area. If you can't, hide behind something solid and silence your phone. As a last resort, fight back with anything available. FBI
• Build a three-day emergency kit — Ready.gov recommends one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, a three-day supply of non-perishable food, a battery or hand-crank radio, flashlight, first aid kit, extra batteries, whistle, dust mask, wrench to shut off utilities, manual can opener, local maps, and a backup phone charger. Ready.gov
• Make a family communication plan — Pick an out-of-town contact everyone can call, since long-distance lines often work when local ones are jammed. Save the number in every phone and write it on a card each family member carries. Ready.gov
• Sign up for local emergency alerts — Wireless Emergency Alerts reach your phone automatically, but county and city opt-in systems deliver evacuation and boil-water notices that WEA does not. Check your county emergency management page to enroll. Ready.gov
• Anchor TVs and dressers to the wall — Tip-overs send thousands of children to emergency rooms each year. Free or low-cost anti-tip kits attach furniture and televisions to wall studs. CPSC
• Pool safety: layers of protection — Four-sided isolation fencing at least four feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate, plus constant adult supervision and swim lessons, prevents most child drownings. CPSC
• Never charge lithium-ion e-bikes or scooters overnight — Charge on a hard surface away from exits and bedrooms, use only the manufacturer's charger, and stop using any battery that swells, hisses, or smells. CPSC
• Call 811 before you dig — Two to three business days before any digging project, call 811 and utilities will mark buried lines for free. Hitting a gas line is both dangerous and expensive. Common Ground Alliance / DOT
• Never touch a downed power line — Assume every fallen line is live. Stay at least 35 feet away, keep others back, and call 911 and the utility. Ready.gov
• Report an unsafe product — SaferProducts.gov lets anyone file a report about a hazardous product. Reports feed CPSC investigations and public recall notices. CPSC
• Power outage food rule: four hours and 48 hours — A closed refrigerator keeps food safe about 4 hours; a full freezer about 48 hours. When in doubt, throw it out — never taste-test to check. FoodSafety.gov
• Photograph your home for insurance now — FEMA advises documenting rooms, serial numbers, and valuables and storing the photos in the cloud. Claims move faster when you can prove what you owned before the damage. Ready.gov
• Know your evacuation routes before you need them — Plan at least two ways out of your neighborhood and keep your gas tank at least half full during hurricane, wildfire, or flood season. Ready.gov
• Median US Household Income — Real median household income in the United States is roughly $74,580, per the most recent American Community Survey. US Census Bureau
• US Population Surpasses 333 Million — The Census Bureau estimates the resident US population at over 333 million, with growth driven primarily by international migration. US Census Bureau
• A Birth Every 9 Seconds — According to the Census Bureau Population Clock, the United States adds one birth every 9 seconds and one international migrant every 28 seconds. US Census Bureau
• See Something, Say Something — Report suspicious activity to local law enforcement. Note what you saw, when and where, who was involved, and what made it unusual. DHS
• America Has 19,500+ Incorporated Places — The Census Bureau counts more than 19,500 incorporated places in the United States, from cities of millions to towns of a single household. US Census Bureau
• California, Texas, Florida Hold a Quarter of Americans — Roughly one in four US residents lives in California, Texas, or Florida. Together they account for about 28% of the national population. US Census Bureau
• Median US Age Now 38.9 — The median age in the United States has climbed to about 38.9 years — the highest on record. In 1980 it was 30. US Census Bureau
• Top Three US Counties by Population — Los Angeles County (CA), Cook County (IL), and Harris County (TX) are the three most populous US counties, each home to more than 4.5 million people. US Census Bureau
• US Adds About 3,300 Net People per Day — The Census Bureau Population Clock shows the United States gains about 3,300 people per day from births, deaths, and net migration combined. US Census Bureau
• Most-Spoken Non-English Languages — After English, Spanish is spoken in about 13% of US homes. Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic round out the top five. US Census Bureau
• Census Day Is April 1 — Census Day is April 1 every decade — the reference date used to count where everyone in America lives. The next decennial census is in 2030. US Census Bureau
• Most People Rent in 4 of Top 10 Cities — In New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston, renters outnumber homeowners — a flip from the national pattern where roughly 65% of households own. US Census Bureau
• Smallest US County: Kalawao, HI — Kalawao County, Hawaii has a population of fewer than 100 residents — the smallest by population in the country. US Census Bureau