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- Emergencies can happen at any time, so it's imperative to have an at-home emergency kit ready should disaster strike.
- The American Red Cross has compiled emergency preparedness information for the general public, and experts have suggested creating a stationary and mobile emergency kit for your home.
- We studied the Red Cross' list of supplies and found recommended items you should include in your very own at-home emergency kit on Amazon.
- You can also check out our full guides to the best ready-made emergency kits and the best first aid kits you can buy.
When an emergency strikes, it's almost always unexpected, whether it's an earthquake, hurricane, a family member falling ill, losing power for multiple days, or something else. We don't always immediately know what to do, but it's wise to have the supplies readily available should you ever find yourself in the midst of an urgent situation.
Creating a personalized at-home emergency kit isn't difficult if you know what to put it in. All you need to do is grab a large tub (like this one or this one) and fill it with basic necessities like a first aid kit, water, flashlight, and any medical supplies that are specific to your needs, or your family and pet's needs. You could even create multiple bins based on the supplies inside (e.g., food bin, medical bin, hardware bin).
The American Red Cross suggests creating two kits: one that's meant for use at home if you're required to stay put, and an emergency kit that's on-the-go ready should you need to mobilize.
How you choose to set up your at-home emergency kit is up to you, but we've rounded up a list of basic items you might want to include, based on the American Red Cross' emergency preparedness website. The best part? All of the products we recommend can be purchased directly on Amazon, so creating your at-home emergency kit is easy and fast.
Here are 15 items to include in your at-home emergency kit:
A hand-crank/solar-powered NOAA radio and charging device
FosPower Emergency Solar Hand Crank Portable Radio, available on Amazon for $27.99
This multi-use radio, flashlight, and SOS alarm is a must-have emergency kit item. No matter the situation, this radio will work. It can be charged four different ways: solar, hand crank, AAA batteries (3), and 2,000mAh power bank. Not only do you have access to AM/FM radio, but you have access to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) emergency broadcasts. On top of that, the FosPower radio has a USB port for device charging.
A battery-free flashlight
Thorfire Solar Flashlight Hand Crank Solar Powered Rechargeable Flashlight, available on Amazon for $15.90
No batteries are needed with this three-LED bulb flashlight that's powered by solar energy and hand-crank technology. One minute of cranking will get you 80 minutes of light from one LED bulb or 60 minutes of light from all three LED bulbs. One hour of solar exposure will provide 120 minutes of light. Additionally, the Thorfire flashlight is waterproof and submersible up to 45 feet.
A set of weather-resistant blankets
Swiss Safe Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets (4-pack), available on Amazon for $13.99
These Mylar thermal blankets are designed to retain to up 90% of body heat and are waterproof, windproof, and moisture-proof. They can also be converted into emergency shelter tents if need be. Swiss Safe emergency blankets are also extremely lightweight, so they're perfect for your mobile emergency kit.
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