Prepare an Emergency Kit

Hawaii is susceptible to many types of natural disasters, and its isolation makes our state even more vulnerable. When disaster strikes —whether it is natural or manmade—you need to be prepared. Emergency responders will be hard at work assisting the public, but you may need to survive on your own for a while immediately after the event. There are many things you can do to prepare before disaster strikes, and one of them is preparing an emergency kit.

To get started on the kit, think about all the people who you care about and the things you and they will need to get through the day. Those are the things you will need to prepare and stock up on for your emergency “go-kit.”

To ensure you have enough food, water, and other supplies for yourself and your family, plan out what you need for at least 14 days. The Hawaii Department of Health’s “Take 10” plan will guide you. Remember, in the event of a disaster, you may not have access to food, water, or electricity for some time. Stock your supplies in an easy to find, grab-and-go kit you can provide for your entire family. For more information, use the helpful tips in DOH’s “Plan To Be Ready” guide.

Think about plans for work, home, and school. Don’t forget about your pets, elderly relatives, and those with special needs.

Ready.gov has great tips for what to add to your disaster supplies kit. Remember, prepare your kit well in advance of an emergency. It might be a while before help arrives, so have enough food, water, and supplies to last for at least two weeks.

Other useful links

• Learn about a basic emergency supply kit from ready.gov
• Recommendations for maintaining your emergency kit
• Learn more about storing water
• Get tips from the American Public Health Association for preparing your kit
• Get information about this topic in other languages:
  • Japanese (日本語)
  • Chinese (中文)
  • Tagalog
  • Korean (한국어)
  • Vietnamese (TiếngViệt)
  • Spanish (Español)
  • Other languages

Hawaii, Are YOU Ready? Make a Kit.