The Best Emergency Survival Kits

Be sure to include these items:

• A change of clothes (don’t forget socks and underwear!)
• Prescription medications
• Baby supplies if you have an infant at home
• Copies of your IDs and important documents (especially insurance documents)
• Cash
• Photographs of family members and pets
• A survival knife
• Duct tape
• Reusable water bottle
• Fire starter or waterproof matches

If you’re preparing for a potential wildfire evacuation, it’s also a good idea to add a working fire extinguisher and some burn cream to your first aid kit.

They might not do much in a serious situation, but they could help keep things under control until help arrives.

If you want to add extra survival food, make sure it's lightweight. Although canned food has a great shelf-life, it's not ideal for a bug-out bag since it's so heavy. Look for foil packs instead.

Cars are a perfect place to store emergency kits if you have room because if you have to evacuate, you’ll probably be traveling by car (though emergency food and water do best with stable temperatures indoors).

If you want to store your kit in your home, pick a spot that’s easy to get to (read: not down in the basement under a pile of boxes) so you can grab it and go.

Yes, but remember it’s good for only small fires, and you should never try to use it to put out an engine fire.

Engines can combust quickly, so if your car catches on fire, the smartest thing to do is to forgo the hero maneuvers and get yourself and your passengers out of harm’s way as quickly as possible.

If you do choose to keep an extinguisher in your car, make sure it’s rated for Class B (flammable liquids) and Class C (electrical equipment) fires.

Secure it so it doesn’t become a projectile in case of an accident, and keep it out of reach of small children, unless you want to pay for an unexpected (and expensive) interior car detailing.

First and foremost, make sure your home has working smoke detectors. A sensitive smoke alarm can buy you and your children precious seconds to escape.

Create an escape plan with your family and practice it often, especially with young children who might be especially frightened in a fire.

If your home is more than one story tall, invest in an emergency fire escape ladder for each upstairs bedroom, and install nightlights in bedrooms and hallways. As much as possible, keep floors and walkways clear of clutter to aid family members and firefighters in escape and rescue.

You could also consider a specialty fire safety kit like the Everlit Emergency Fire Safety Kit, which contains tools to help you get out of a burning house:

• Fire blanket
• Glass breaking hammer
• Heat resistant gloves
• Escape rope
• Flashlight snd glow sticks
• First aid kit and burn treatment gel

Clean your dryer vents regularly, and make sure flammable liquids are stored in ventilated areas away from heat sources like water heaters, clothes dryers, and radiators.

Get into the habit of using timers and alarms to remind you to take things off the stove, turn off the oven, turn off space heaters, and blow out candles.

Have an electrician inspect your wiring regularly for any visual indications of wear and tear that could lead to an electrical fire. Keep working fire extinguishers in places where fires may start, like the kitchen, laundry room, and garage.