PPN Disaster Handbook
Personal
Preparedness starts with you. As the saying goes, “To take care of others, start by taking care of yourself.” Prepare a disaster kit that is ready to go if a disaster strikes.
Most organizations recommend having enough water, food, and supplies to last at least 72 hours.
Signing up for any early warning or emergency alert systems helps increase awareness of any approaching disasters.
Disaster kits can be kept at home, at work, and also in your car as disasters are unpredictable.
Here is a list of items to include in a basic disaster kit:
- Battery or hand-powered radio
- Cell phone with charger and extra battery
- Extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Flashlight
- Food (non-perishable)
- Garbage bags
- Important documents (passports, bank records, insurance documents, etc)
- Maps
- Multi-tool (with can opener)
- Plastic sheets, duct tape, paracord
- Prescription medications
- Toilet paper and personal hygiene products
- Water (at least one gallon per person per day)
Disaster kits should be maintained and updated regularly (every 6 months).
While you may buy pre-made disaster or emergency kits, it may be more cost-effective and beneficial to create a personalized kit. Your kit can be customized to the most common threats that you may face.
Resources:
-
Ready.gov, Build a Kit
Written by Dennis Ren
Last updated: 5/30/2025