How to Build a Wildfire Emergency Kit

July 2024

Emergency supplies including water, food, flashlights, batteries, and a first aid kit

Building an emergency kit is one of the best actions you can take to prepare for wildfires and other natural disasters.

The best time to prepare for wildfires is before they happen. As you go through your wildfire planning process, here are some key supplies to include in your emergency kit.

What to Include

Consider the Five P's of Evacuation when making your wildfire emergency kit: People & pets, Prescriptions, Papers, Personal Needs, and Priceless Items

  • Water—one gallon of water per person, per day
  • Food—three-day supply of non-perishables (don't forget pet food, too!)
  • Battery-powered radio
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Whistle
  • Protective masks
  • Moist towelettes
  • Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
  • Manual can opener
  • Local maps
  • Cell phone with chargers
  • Clothing
  • Extra keys
  • Cash, preferably in small bills
  • Important documents, including insurance policies

How to Stock Up

This list might seem a little overwhelming. However, don't feel like you have to go out and buy everything all at once! Building your kit can be as simple as adding one extra non-perishable item to your grocery cart each week, or stocking up on spare flashlights and batteries when they're on sale.

Where to Store Your Supplies

Consider keeping everything in a few large containers or totes, so you can easily access everything at home but also transport it in a vehicle, if needed. You can also create individual "go bags" for each member of your household, so you're all ready to leave immediately if you receive an evacuation notice.

Resources to Stay Organized

To keep everything organized and up-to-date, check out our Wildfire Emergency Planner. With one worksheet, you can build your kit, save important news and contact information, record evacuation routes, and more.


 

The Mutual of Enumclaw Wildfire Program is a service provided to members with Homeowners (HO-3 and HO-5) or Farm Property coverage.

We do not consider wildfire risk mitigation actions for our eligibility or rating plan. Mutual of Enumclaw uses a third-party vendor to assess wildfire risk and members can impact their score by clearing vegetation in the area surrounding the property. This can be done directly by the policyholder on their property and at the community level, such as through NFPA’s Firewise Community program.

The information we share on our site is intended to serve as a general overview. Please refer to your policy or contact your local independent agent for specific coverage details.

Related

Wildfire protection is part of the policy.

The Mutual of Enumclaw Wildfire Program and our partnership with Wildfire Defense Systems, Inc. (WDS) were created to help protect your property, at no additional cost to you.

Wildfire Prep Tips
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