Practical emergency preparedness
Emergency Supplies Checklist: 20 Home Essentials
You do not need to buy everything at once. Use this checklist to identify what is already in your home, what is missing and what needs replacing before the next disruption.
Water, food and basic needs
1. Stored drinking water, with more for cooking and hygiene. 2. Shelf-stable food. 3. A manual can opener. 4. A way to manage special diets or infant feeding. 5. Pet food and water, if needed.
Light, communication and power
6. Flashlights or lanterns. 7. Extra batteries. 8. A battery-powered or hand-crank radio. 9. Charged phone power banks. 10. Charging cables for essential devices.
Health, sanitation and warmth
11. First-aid supplies. 12. Essential medications and medical equipment. 13. Hygiene supplies and hand sanitizer. 14. Garbage bags and sanitation supplies. 15. Warm clothing, blankets and appropriate footwear.
Documents, tools and family planning
16. Printed emergency contacts and a meeting plan. 17. Secure copies of essential documents. 18. Cash in small denominations. 19. Spare keys and a small practical tool kit. 20. Local maps and a written evacuation plan.
Where to keep your supplies
Store a portable evacuation kit somewhere easy to reach. Additional home supplies can live in labelled containers.
Check supplies with the seasons, replace expired items and adapt to your family's circumstances and local risks.
These are illustrative essentials, not a complete safety standard. Follow official emergency services and guidance for your location.
Keep preparedness guidance offline
Prepared Home Vault brings 30 downloadable PDF preparedness guides together in one collection. Save them to your own computer or USB drive for reference when internet access is unavailable. A charged device or printed copies are still needed.
Explore the 30-guide libraryEducational information only. Follow official warnings, emergency services and qualified professionals. Official reference: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/policing/emergencies/preparedness/get-prepared/emergency-kits/get-kit.html. Prepared Home Vault is independent and not government affiliated.