What you need in your emergency survival kit

When is the right time to prepare your survival kit? Long before there’s an emergency. 

Here are the essential items for you to assemble now, as recommended by the Red Cross:

- Water: One gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation

- Food: At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food

- Manual can opener

- First aid kit 

- Seven-day supply of medications 

- Multi-purpose tool, wrench, or pliers to turn off utilities

- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

- Emergency blanket

- Cell phone chargers

Now it’s time to get analog -- for when your cellphone completely runs out of power. You’ll want: 

- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio 

- Flashlight

- Extra batteries

- Family and emergency contact information

- Extra cash

- Local maps

- Copies of personal documents (medication list and medical information, proof of address, deed or lease to home, passports, birth certificates, and insurance policies)

Get ready, and know you’re prepared.

MORE: Red Cross Survival Kit list