Natural Disaster Preparedness: Complete Guide Hub

Different disasters require different preparation. A hurricane kit looks different from an earthquake kit. A wildfire evacuation bag is built differently from a blizzard shelter-in-place plan. These guides are tailored to specific natural disasters: so you know exactly what you need for the emergencies most likely to affect your area.

All guides reference FEMA, NOAA, USGS, and local emergency management agency recommendations.

Natural Disaster Survival Kit: Common Supplies

Every disaster-specific kit below builds on the same foundation. Rather than repeat it on every page, here's the short version: for the full checklist with quantities, see our 72-Hour Emergency Kit guide.

Food, Water, Lighting, and Communication

• Water: 1 gallon per person per day, minimum 3 days (see our Emergency Water Kit guide)
• Non-perishable food for the same duration
• Flashlight or headlamp with spare batteries, plus a NOAA weather radio
• Phone charger, car charger, or portable power bank

Documents and Personal Supplies

• Copies of ID, insurance policies, and medical records in a waterproof sleeve
• Cash in small bills (ATMs and card readers may be down)
• Prescription medications and a first aid kit
• Sturdy shoes and a change of weather-appropriate clothing

Customize Your Natural Disaster Emergency Kit

Once the common supplies above are covered, each hazard type needs its own additions. This is a quick-reference matrix, not the full guide: follow the links for complete checklists and quantities.

Hurricanes and Floods

Add: sandbags or flood barriers, a battery-powered sump pump if applicable, flood insurance documentation, and a plan for moving vehicles/valuables to higher ground. See our Hurricane Survival Kit and Flood Survival Kit guides.

Earthquakes, Tornadoes, and Wildfires

Add: a gas shutoff wrench and sturdy shoes stored bedside (earthquakes), a helmet and whistle pre-positioned in your shelter (tornadoes: see our Tornado Survival Kit guide), and N95 masks plus a go-bag staged near the door for fast evacuation (wildfires). Full quantities and shelter planning in our Earthquake Survival Kit guide.

If the disaster knocks out grid power for an extended period regardless of cause, our Extended Power Outage Guide covers the multi-day/multi-week supply plan common to all of the above.

Weather Events

• Hurricane Survival Kit: Complete Preparedness Guide
• Tornado Survival Kit & Shelter Planning Guide
• Blizzard & Winter Storm Emergency Kit
• Extreme Heat Survival Guide: Stay Safe in a Heat Emergency
• Thunderstorm & Lightning Safety Preparedness Guide
• Drought & Water Shortage Preparedness Guide

Ground & Water Events

• Earthquake Survival Kit: What to Have Before the Big One
• Flood Survival Kit: Flash Flood Emergency Guide
• Tsunami Preparedness Kit & Evacuation Guide
• Landslide & Mudslide Preparedness Guide
• Avalanche Survival Kit & Safety Guide
• NEW Best Battery-Powered Water Leak Detectors for Basements

Fire & Other Hazards

• Wildfire Evacuation Kit: Get Out Fast & Stay Safe
• Volcano Eruption Preparedness Kit & Evacuation Guide
• Extended Power Outage Guide: Survive Days to Weeks Without Grid Power