Emergency preparedness: Guidelines for kit storage and essential supplies

Emergency preparedness guidelines recommend maintaining multiple supply kits tailored to specific hazards, access routes, and environmental conditions. Experts suggest keeping a primary kit at home near a dependable exit, while maintaining smaller, portable kits in vehicles and workplaces to ensure supplies remain reachable during evacuations or sheltering in place.

Storage locations should account for potential disasters. For example, in flood-prone areas, supplies should be kept above expected water levels, whereas in tornado-prone regions, they may be best kept in an interior room on a lower level. It is advised to avoid storing critical items in attics, damp basements, or locked rooms where moisture, heat, or structural damage could render them unusable.

In response to forecasted extreme heat and Santa Ana winds increasing fire risks and potential power shutoffs, officials recommend that individuals prepare kits capable of sustaining themselves, their families, and pets for at least 72 hours. Essential items include water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, a hand-crank radio, first aid supplies, and important documents kept in waterproof containers.