Emergency preparedness kit and checklist
An emergency preparedness kit can help keep your family or housemates safe. Making one is quick and easy, and you probably have most of the items you need already.
Your emergency preparedness kit should include enough supplies to keep you and your family or housemates self-sufficient for at least three days (or 72 hours).
Think about adding in more supplies for anyone who may need extra help during an emergency, such as infants, older adults, and persons with disabilities.
Checklist
Use this checklist to help make your emergency preparedness kit. Put the supplies in an easy-to-carry container and keep it all in an easy to reach location.
Food and water
Drinking water
You should have enough water to last three days. Each person will need at least four litres of water per day. That means you need at least 12 litres of water for every person in your home. Make sure to add more water if you have pets.
Food
Keep non-perishable food items or food that does not need cooking in your kit such as:
- canned or bottled food
- crackers
- granola bars
- dried meat
- dried fruit and nuts
Equipment
- Manual can opener
- Phone charger or power bank
- First aid kit
- Whistle
- Utility knife
- Local maps
- Crank or battery powered radio and flashlight
- Cooking supplies
- Extra clothing and footwear
- Extra batteries
Documents
- Emergency preparedness plan
- Copies of passports, immigration papers, birth certificates, photo identification and other important documents
- Social insurance number
- Immunization records
- Important phone numbers
- Inventory list of items in your home
- List of prescription medications
- Extra cash in small bills
- Paper and pens
Tip: Take pictures or scan your important documents and save them in a folder in your email. This way you can access them any time.
Hygiene
- Toilet paper
- Dish soap
- Feminine supplies, if needed
- Hand sanitizer
- Garbage bags
- Face masks
Other items
- Things for babies and toddlers like diapers, formula, bottles, wipes, baby food, and extra clothing
- Prescription medication
- Medical aids such as glasses, walking devices, and batteries for medical equipment
- Books and toys for children
- Pet care checklist items like food, toys, leash, and waste bags
Get your kit together video
Your emergency preparedness kit should contain adequate supplies to keep you and your family self-sufficient in your home for at least 72 hours.
Your major needs are going to be water and food, so start by setting aside bottled water.
A general rule of thumb is two litres per person for each day.
Then, collect some non-perishable foods like grain products, meat and alternatives, canned fruits and vegetables, non-perishable milk products, other foods, and additional food supplies.
Set reminders to rotate your emergency foods and water into your regular meals to be sure they don't expire, and replace the items as you use them.
Next, add other important emergency supplies to your kit.
Store all your paper documents in a waterproof and portable container and remember to include a first aid kit.
Assemble all the supplies in an easy-to-carry container and store it in an easy to get to location.
To find out more about what you can do to be prepared, visit Ottawa.ca for more emergency kit ideas, including checklists for your first aid kit, car kit, tips on pet preparedness, and more.
Grab and go kit and checklist
A grab and go kit is a smaller emergency kit that you can use during an evacuation when you need to leave quickly. Use an easy to carry container like a backpack to hold all the items and keep extra grab and go bags in places like your work desk, school and vehicle.
Checklist
- Ready to eat food
- Water and water bottle
- Phone charger or battery bank
- Battery powered or crank powered radio and flashlight
- First aid kit
- Toiletries like toothbrush, toothpaste, and soap
- Copy of your emergency plan and important documents
- Extra cash in small bills
- Map
- Whistle
- Seasonal clothing
- Paper and pen
Vehicle emergency kit and checklist
A vehicle emergency kit can help keep you safe if your vehicle breaks down or you get stuck during severe weather.
Keep the supplies in a container like a backpack or bin in the back of your vehicle.
Checklist
- Booster cables
- Battery banks and phone chargers
- First aid kit
- Road maps
- Gas line anti-freeze
- Ice scraper and brush
- Shovel
- Sand (or kitty litter) for tire traction
- Blankets
- Candles in a deep can
- Waterproof matches or lighters
- Tow rope or chain
- Warning light or flares
- Flashlight
- Extra hats, coats, and footwear
- Rain gear
- Food such as granola bars, protein bars, etcetera
- Fire extinguisher
Tip: Always keep your vehicle’s fuel tank at least half-full.
Pet care kit and checklist
If you have pets, add items for them to your emergency preparedness kit to help make sure they stay safe during an emergency too.
Checklist
- A blanket and pet bed
- Toys
- A pet carrier or cage with your name and contact information and your veterinarian’s name and contact information
- Any medications and medical records, including vaccination records
- Food for at least five days
- Water for at least five days
- Feeding schedule and behavioural issues information in case you need to leave them with a friend or family
- Manual can opener
- Food dishes
- Newspaper, cat litter or wood chips
- Waste bags
- A leash, harness, or muzzle
First aid kit and checklist
A first aid kit can help treat injuries during an emergency. It should hold enough items to last for at least three days. Keep a first aid kit with both your emergency preparedness kit and your vehicle emergency kit.
You can make your own or you can buy a pre-made kit from a retailer. Put the items in an easy-to-carry container and keep it in a spot that’s easy to find.
Learn more about first aid by taking an Ottawa Paramedic Service first aid and CPR course.
Common first aid kit items
- Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
- 2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
- 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
- 2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
- 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
- Splint
- Adhesive tape
- Triangular bandages (3 rolls)
- Scissors and tweezers
- Alcohol-based hand cleaner
- Thermometer
- Chemical cold pack
- Safety pins
- Soap
- Vinyl based (non-allergic) medical gloves (2 pairs)
- Sunscreen and bug spray
- First aid manual
- Non-prescription drugs (pain reliever, anti-diarrhea medication, antacid, laxative)