Get ready before the warning is issued — then restock what you used afterward.
| Item | Where it lives | Stocked | Checked | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water — 1 gal per person per day, 3 days | Basement or pantry shelf | Rotate stored bottles yearly | ||||
| Shelf-stable food, 3 days — no cooking needed | Pantry bin | Think sandwiches, granola, canned fruit | ||||
| Manual can opener | Kitchen drawer | Test it actually works | ||||
| Alternate heat source, safely vented | Garage / utility room | Never bring outdoor grills or generators inside | ||||
| Blankets or sleeping bags for everyone | Linen closet | Include one per pet bed area | ||||
| Flashlights + fresh batteries, one per floor | Kitchen junk drawer | Skip candles with kids around | ||||
| Ice melt or pet-safe deicer + a good shovel | Garage or porch | Buy in fall — sells out after the first storm | ||||
| Car fuel kept above half a tank | — | Pump runs on electricity; stations close | ||||
| Backup battery bank, charged | Charging drawer | One phone charge minimum per person | ||||
| Prescription meds, 5+ day buffer | Medicine cabinet | Refill before the season, not during a storm | ||||
| Baby, pet, and elder supplies | With the food bin | Formula, diapers, litter, whatever your crew needs | ||||
| Pipe insulation + know where the shutoff is | Basement / crawlspace | Label the shutoff so anyone can find it | ||||
| First-aid kit | Hall closet | Add cold packs and an ice scraper for cars nearby |
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