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Dad Field Manual · Field card 60 · ChoresIdea · not yet tested

Build a family emergency kit together

A winter storm or a long power outage is a bad time to look for the flashlight. Spend an hour turning the Ready.gov kit list into a scavenger hunt, and your kids will know what's in the bin, where it lives and where the family meets if you get split up.

Time
60 min
Cost
$20–$40
Ages
6 to 14
Where
The whole house

What you need

  • A large plastic bin with a lid, or a duffel bag
  • The Ready.gov basic kit list, printed or on a phone
  • Bottled water: one gallon per person per day
  • A flashlight for each person, plus extra batteries
  • Index cards, a marker and tape for labels

Before you start

  • Flashlights, not candles. CDC says to use battery-powered flashlights and lanterns rather than candles, gas lanterns or torches, to lower the risk of fire.
  • Never heat the house with a gas stove or oven, and never run a generator indoors, in a garage, or less than 20 feet from a window, door or vent (CDC).
  • If you ever use a generator, CDC says to have a battery-powered or battery-backup carbon monoxide detector in the home.
  • Medicines and sharp tools stay with you. Pack them in a closed bag at the top of the bin, and keep the bin where little kids can't open it.

Steps

  1. Turn the list into a hunt. Read the Ready.gov kit list out loud and send each kid to hunt one room for their items.
  2. Gather the basics. Gather water, no-cook food, a can opener, flashlights, batteries, a radio, first aid kit, whistle, blankets and a charger.
  3. Do the water math. Have a kid work out one gallon per person per day for three days, then list what's missing.
  4. Add your family's own needs. Add medicines, pet food, glasses, documents and one comfort item per kid.
  5. Make the contact card and meeting spot. Pick a meeting spot and an out-of-town contact, write cards for the bin and backpacks, and practice 911.
  6. Label dates and pick two check days. Write the earliest expiration date on the bin and set two check days six months apart.
  7. Store it and show everyone. Store the kit in one spot, show everyone, and quiz them: “Where's the kit? Where do we meet?”

If it stalls

  • If the shopping list is long, buy one item per grocery trip. The bin can fill up over a month.
  • If a kid gets worried, keep it matter-of-fact: “This is like a spare tire. We hope we never need it, and now we've got it.”
Items checked off the Ready.gov list · next check date
Signed off: can do this.Signed by Date