Crisis Kit: 15 Items for Times of Distress

What is a Crisis Kit?

A crisis kit, also known as an emergency preparedness kit, is a collection of essential items designed to help you and your family survive during difficult times. While the contents can vary based on your specific needs, a well-stocked crisis kit generally includes food, water, first aid supplies, tools, hygiene items and more.

Key takeaways

Store one gallon of water per person daily and keep at least a three-day supply of non-perishable, calorie-dense food.
Maintain a waterproof binder containing physical copies of vital documents like birth certificates, insurance policies, and contact lists.
Include multi-purpose tools, a battery-powered radio, LED flashlights, extra medication, and a well-stocked first aid kit.
Address long-term sanitation needs with a two-bucket waste system and prioritize morale boosters to support mental well-being during stress.

Why Have a Crisis Kit?

Disasters and emergencies can happen unexpectedly at any time. Having an emergency kit prepared in advance will help ensure you have what you need to safely weather the storm. Key reasons to have a crisis kit ready include:

Quick access to critical supplies during a disaster
Ability to shelter in place if needed
Peace of mind knowing your family’s basic needs can be met

15 Recommended Items for Your Crisis Kit

When building your crisis kit, focus first on emergency food, water and first aid. Then incorporate items for sanitation, communication, lighting and specific personal needs.

1. Water – 1 Gallon Per Person Per Day

Stock at least a three day supply of water for each person and pet. Store water in food grade plastic jugs or bottles.

2. Non-Perishable Foods

Choose calorie-dense foods like granola bars, nuts, canned goods and dried foods. Prioritize comfort foods as well.

3. Manual Can Opener

A manual opener allows you to access canned goods without power.

4. First Aid Kit

Include basic medical supplies like bandages, gauze, medication, cotton swabs and antibiotic ointment.

5. Medications

Pack an extra week’s supply of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

6. Flashlight and Batteries

LED flashlights provide long-lasting illumination without risking fire hazard.

7. Battery-Powered Radio

News and emergency broadcasts will provide valuable information.

8. Multi-Tool or Pocket Knife

A multi-tool or pocket knife provides essential functionality for repairs, food prep and even self-defense.

9. Personal Hygiene Items

Pack soap, toothpaste, feminine products, toilet paper, and other essentials.

10. Garbage Bags

Use plastic bags to store waste, create shelter, collect rainwater or transport wet items.

11. Cash

Keep small bills and coins for purchasing essentials or emergency transportation.

12. Face Masks

Respirator masks protect against smoke inhalation and airborne illnesses.

13. Emergency Blanket

Foil blankets conserve body heat to prevent hypothermia.

14. Dust Mask

A dust mask helps filter airborne particles if air quality is compromised.

15. Work Gloves

Protect your hands during debris clean-up or makeshift repairs.

Securing Vital Information and Digital Continuity

While physical survival tools are the cornerstone of any crisis kit, the loss of documentation can create a secondary disaster in the aftermath of an emergency. A ‘Paper Trail’ binder is an often-overlooked necessity. This should be a waterproof, fire-resistant folder containing high-quality photocopies of essential documents. Include birth certificates, social security cards, marriage licenses, and passports. Furthermore, property deeds, vehicle titles, and insurance policies (home, auto, and life) are critical for filing claims when communication lines are restored. In the chaos of an evacuation, you may not have the mental bandwidth to recall account numbers or policy details; having them physically present ensures you can interface with bureaucracy effectively.

Digital redundancy is equally vital. Store scanned versions of these documents on a password-protected, encrypted USB drive. Beyond legal documents, consider the ’emotional’ value of data. Backing up family photos and personal videos onto a ruggedized external drive can provide significant psychological comfort during long-term displacement. Additionally, keep a physical list of emergency contacts, including out-of-state relatives who can act as a central hub for family communication. In a scenario where cell towers are congested or your phone’s battery is depleted, a written list of phone numbers and physical addresses becomes your primary lifeline. For those who rely on digital services, include a printed sheet of recovery codes for two-factor authentication (2FA) accounts, as you may not have access to your primary mobile device to receive SMS codes.

The ‘Grab-and-Go’ Digital Strategy

In addition to the USB drive, consider a ‘Dead Man’s Switch’ or a secure cloud-based vault that a trusted family member can access if you are incapacitated. This vault should contain the location of your physical kit, instructions for household maintenance (like where the main water shut-off valve is), and a basic inventory of your kit’s contents. Edge cases, such as a sudden house fire where you only have seconds to escape, dictate that this binder and drive should be kept in a ‘go-bag’ near your primary exit rather than buried in a basement storage bin.

Advanced Climate Adaptation and Thermal Regulation

The existing inclusion of an emergency blanket is a vital start, but surviving extreme temperatures—whether blistering heat or freezing cold—requires a more robust thermal strategy. For cold-weather scenarios, the ‘Rule of Three’ highlights that you can survive only three hours without regulated body temperature in harsh conditions. To augment your kit, include high-quality base layers made of moisture-wicking materials like merino wool or synthetic blends. Avoid cotton at all costs; once it becomes damp from sweat or rain, it loses its insulating properties and can accelerate hypothermia. A compact, lightweight sleeping bag rated for at least 20°F (-6°C) offers significantly more protection than a foil blanket alone, which is primarily designed to reflect radiant heat rather than provide a true thermal barrier.

For heat-based crises, such as prolonged power outages during a heatwave, your kit should include tools for evaporative cooling. Microfiber cooling towels, which stay chilled for hours when dampened, can prevent heatstroke. Additionally, consider portable, battery-operated fans and a supply of electrolyte replacement powders. Water alone is often insufficient during extreme perspiration; your body requires sodium, potassium, and magnesium to maintain neurological and muscular function. If you are sheltering in place without air conditioning, heavy-duty Mylar film or ‘blackout’ curtains can be used to cover windows facing the sun, drastically reducing the internal temperature of your home by reflecting solar radiation before it enters the living space.

Shelter Augmentation and Ground Insulation

If you are forced to evacuate to a makeshift shelter or outdoors, the ground will strip heat from your body faster than the air will. A closed-cell foam sleeping pad is a lightweight addition that provides a critical thermal break between you and the cold earth. For structural shelter, a heavy-duty 8×10 tarp combined with 50 feet of paracord (550 cord) allows you to create an improvised lean-to or a waterproof cover for a damaged roof. This versatility is essential for edge cases where a primary residence is compromised but still habitable if kept dry.

Energy Independence and Off-Grid Power Solutions

While flashlights and radios are essential, they are only as useful as the energy available to power them. To move beyond a limited supply of disposable batteries, integrate a portable solar array. A foldable 21-watt or 28-watt solar panel can charge smartphones, power banks, and rechargeable AA/AAA batteries directly from sunlight. When selecting a power bank, aim for a capacity of at least 20,000mAh, which can typically charge a modern smartphone 4 to 6 times. Look for models with ‘Pass-Through’ charging, allowing the panel to charge the bank while the bank simultaneously charges your devices.

Energy management also extends to food preparation. If the gas or electric grid fails, you need a way to boil water and heat food without creating a fire hazard indoors. A compact butane or isobutane camping stove is an excellent choice for short-term crises. However, for long-term sustainability, a small ‘biomass’ stove—which burns twigs, pinecones, or scrap wood—provides an infinite fuel source. Ensure your kit includes multiple ignition sources: a ‘storm-proof’ lighter, a ferrocerium rod (which sparks even when wet), and waterproof matches. Relying on a single lighter is a common point of failure; redundancy in fire-starting tools is a survival fundamental.

Managing the ‘Vampire Draw’

In a crisis, every milliampere counts. Many modern electronics have a ‘vampire draw,’ consuming power even when turned off. Teach family members to physically disconnect devices from power banks when not in use. Furthermore, consider low-tech lighting alternatives like chemical glow sticks. While they aren’t bright enough for detail work, they provide 12 hours of ‘ambient’ light for bathrooms or hallways, allowing you to save your precious battery power for high-priority tasks like navigation or communication.

Strategic Sanitation and Long-Term Waste Management

In a prolonged disaster, the failure of municipal sewage systems can lead to rapid disease outbreaks. A crisis kit must address the ‘unpleasant’ reality of human waste management. A ‘two-bucket’ system is the gold standard for off-grid sanitation. One bucket is dedicated to liquid waste (urine), which can be diluted and disposed of safely, while the second bucket is for solid waste. Using a heavy-duty trash bag liner and covering waste with an absorbent, carbon-rich material like sawdust, peat moss, or even crushed dried leaves will neutralize odors and begin the decomposition process, preventing the spread of pathogens like cholera or dysentery.

Hand hygiene becomes a matter of life and death when water is scarce. While hand sanitizer is useful, it does not remove physical dirt or certain types of viruses (like Norovirus). Include a ‘dry’ hygiene kit: no-rinse body wash and shampoo caps, which were originally developed for hospital patients. These allow for thorough cleaning without wasting a single drop of drinking water. Additionally, do not overlook dental health. A toothache during a crisis can be debilitating. Include a small dental repair kit containing temporary filling material and benzocaine for pain relief, as professional dental care may be unavailable for weeks.

Biohazard Disposal and Pest Control

Store a box of nitrile gloves and a small supply of N95 masks specifically for handling waste. In the aftermath of floods or earthquakes, pests like rats and roaches often migrate into human living spaces. Include a few mechanical traps and a bottle of peppermint oil; the latter acts as a natural deterrent for many insects and rodents and can help mask the smells associated with temporary sanitation setups. Proper waste segregation—keeping food scraps far from sleeping areas and human waste—is the most effective way to prevent secondary health crises.

Psychological Resilience and Morale-Boosting Essentials

Survival is as much a mental game as a physical one. The stress of a crisis can lead to ‘decision fatigue’ and emotional collapse. A crisis kit should include ‘morale boosters’—items that serve no physical survival purpose but provide a sense of normalcy and cognitive engagement. A standard deck of playing cards is perhaps the most weight-efficient form of entertainment, offering hundreds of game variations. For families with children, a small, new toy or a coloring book with a fresh pack of crayons can provide hours of distraction, allowing parents to focus on critical tasks like repairs or planning.

Comfort food also plays a psychological role. While your kit should be filled with high-calorie survival rations, include a few ‘luxury’ items like instant coffee, tea bags, or hard candies. The ritual of brewing a cup of coffee can provide a profound sense of stability in an unstable environment. Furthermore, consider including a small, physical book on a topic you enjoy, or a blank journal with a few pens. Documenting your experience can be a therapeutic way to process trauma and keep an accurate record of events, which may be useful for insurance or legal purposes later. These items help combat the ‘boredom-stress’ cycle that often plagues survivors in shelters or during long power outages.

The Role of ‘Active Leisure’

In high-stress environments, the brain needs to ‘downshift.’ Engaging in a repetitive, low-stakes task like a crossword puzzle or knitting can lower cortisol levels. If your kit is for a vehicle, consider adding a small travel board game with magnetic pieces. The goal is to prevent the ‘waiting for the end’ mentality, which can lead to depression and lethargy. Maintaining a structured routine—including designated ‘play’ or ‘reading’ time—is a proven strategy used by astronauts and polar explorers to maintain mental health in isolation.

Tactical Navigation and Signalling for Rescue

If GPS networks fail or your smartphone is damaged, your ability to navigate or signal for help becomes paramount. Every crisis kit needs a physical, paper map of your local area and a secondary map of the surrounding region (up to a 50-mile radius). These should be topographic maps if possible, showing elevation and water sources, rather than just street maps. Pair these with a basic baseplate compass and learn the ‘declination’ for your area. Relying on landmarks is dangerous in a post-disaster landscape where street signs may be down and familiar buildings may be unrecognizable.

Signalling is the ‘active’ side of being found. While a whistle is excellent for close-range (the international distress signal is three sharp blasts), you need long-range options as well. A signal mirror (or heliograph) can be seen for miles on a sunny day and requires no batteries. For nighttime or low-visibility signalling, a high-intensity laser pointer (green is most visible to the human eye) can be aimed at low-flying search aircraft or distant rescue teams. However, use these with extreme caution to avoid blinding pilots. For vehicle-based kits, a set of LED road flares provides a safe, long-lasting way to mark your location to passing emergency vehicles without the fire risk of traditional pyrotechnic flares.

Pace Counting and Route Marking

In low-visibility conditions like heavy smoke or fog, it is easy to become disoriented even in your own neighborhood. Include a set of ‘ranger beads’ or a simple tally counter to track your pace count. By knowing how many steps you take to cover 100 meters, you can navigate with surprising accuracy in the dark. Additionally, a roll of bright orange ‘surveyor’s flagging tape’ allows you to mark your trail if you must leave your primary location to find water or help, ensuring you can find your way back and alerting rescuers to your path of travel.

Tailoring the Kit for Vulnerable Household Members

A generic crisis kit often fails to account for the specific needs of infants, the elderly, or pets. For households with infants, ‘diaper math’ is essential: plan for 8-10 diapers per day, plus a supply of vacuum-sealed wet wipes which take up less space. If you use formula, choose ‘ready-to-feed’ liquid bottles for your kit; while heavier, they eliminate the need to use precious purified water for mixing. For breastfeeding mothers, include extra calorie-dense snacks and nursing pads, as stress and dehydration can impact milk supply.

For seniors, the kit should include more than just a week of medication. Think about auxiliary aids: a spare pair of prescription glasses, hearing aid batteries (size-coded and checked for expiration), and even a collapsible cane. If a family member has a cognitive impairment like Alzheimer’s, include an ID bracelet and a recent physical photograph of them to give to authorities if they become separated. For pets, a crisis kit should include a sturdy leash, a collapsible water bowl, and at least a two-week supply of their specific food. Sudden changes in diet during a high-stress event can cause gastrointestinal distress in animals, adding another layer of difficulty to an already tense situation. Include a copy of their vaccination records, as many emergency shelters will not accept pets without proof of rabies vaccination.

FAQ

What are the most important items for a crisis kit?

The most critical items are water, non-perishable food, first aid supplies, flashlights and a battery-powered radio. Prioritize these before anything else.