This said, doesn’t everyone always have an emergency crate of two dozen extra Maruchan ramen packets? I cannot be alone in this.
An Excellent Flashlight
Dare we suggest … the absolute best flashlight? One that you can drown in water—and thereafter purify water by the light thereof?
A Lantern
Flashlights are great for walking around. But for holding still, you want a lantern. There are plenty of fuel-based options available, of course, but a long-lasting, battery-powered Coleman LED lantern ($22) is a tried-and-true, no-frills option that promises 175 hours of life before you have to change the batteries.
A First-Aid Kit
You can, of course, buy a ready-made emergency kit from the American Red Cross ($43), or this one meant to stay in your car. Adventure Medical Kits also makes a more extravagant Mountain Series Explorer Medical Kit ($83).
But for the frugal, see this guide to putting together a better emergency kit yourself for less money.
Face Masks
Sometimes what you’re worried about is disease. Sometimes it’s wildfire smoke. Or particulate matter from lord knows what else. But have you ever regretted having some nice filtration face masks lying around?
Digital Document Backups
The biggest category people tend to neglect when thinking about emergency preparedness, says Sury, is intangibles. This can be as simple as having a family communication plan and prearranged meeting points, so you know what to do if members of your family are separated. But also, it’s important to have digital backups of key documents, Sury said, “anything that is high value that may potentially get damaged in a disaster.” This may include insurance documents, titles to homes and cars, medical information such as prescription drug lists and instructions, doctor contact information, and photographs of passports and state identification.
Likely you have access to one form or another of cloud storage. See WIRED’s guide to the best cloud storage services for each need and type of device, and make sure you use a good password manager to keep any sensitive data secure. But especially if internet access is not assured—or you’d prefer not to store some documents on the cloud—another secure option is a portable external storage drive that can easily be slipped into a waterproof pouch. WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson recommends OWC’s Envoy Pro Elektron SSD ($179) as a portable storage drive that’ll stand up to the elements and can get wet—and travel with you anywhere. Or just store the essentials on a USB flash drive like WIRED’s top-pick, the SanDisk Extreme Pro ($42).
A Burner Phone, a Passport, and a Faraday Bag
Wait, does this seem dramatic? Well, maybe—but being safe is better than being sorry. Disaster takes many forms, and some of it is human. Here’s WIRED’s guide to how to procure and set up a burner phone in a way that can’t be tracked. But to avoid trackers on phones, you’ll also want a Faraday bag to block tracking signals, like an SLNT Faraday bag from Silent Pocket. True burner phones are not bought online. But if all you need is a search-safe phone to cross a border with, what you actually want is an affordable altphone severed from incriminating data: The Moto G Stylus 5G will serve your needs here.
Portable Power Banks
The world runs on electricity. The electrical grid can be fragile. Lithium-ion power packs are the modern answer—but it can be a volatile technology, so you don’t want to just resort to the cheapest ones. Among portable power banks and larger-capacity power stations, WIRED testers have long recommended portable devices from Jackery—ranging from the 8-pound, 288-watt-hour 300 model that also includes solar options to a 62-pound behemoth with about seven times that capacity.
For Your Car: a Jump-Starter
In addition to basic power banks, you’ll probably want to make sure you can jump your own car without need of (overwhelmed) emergency personnel. WIRED testers have had excellent luck with devices from Noco and Gooloo.
A Radio
Yes, a radio. You know, that thing in your car that you plug your iPhone into sometimes? Anyway, whatever’s going on with the internet or the satellites, a radio is a good source of emergency information. Have one. The classic prepper advice is a handcrank radio. But for shorter-term emergencies, batteries are also a thing.
Downloaded Emergency Phone Apps
Another thing people forget to do until the internet is already down? Download emergency phone apps. As of October 2025, FEMA has an app. Your local municipal or state government likely also has opt-in emergency push-notifications: Consider opting in. WIRED has also cataloged a number of other personal safety apps, including a subscription service called Rescu that can connect you directly to first responders.
Extra Batteries
Whatever portable battery-operated devices you own? Have extra batteries for them.
A Cooler and Ice Packs
A cooler is helpful to keep food fresh, of course. But also, a lot of medications need to be temperature-controlled, noted Columbia disaster preparedness expert Sury. And so if this is someone in your family, a small cooler can also be a piece of emergency equipment, when combined with an ice pack or two from the freezer.
Games for the Kids
This is another neglected item that’s recommended by everyone from emergency experts to everyone who’s ever met a child. In stressful or protracted situations, trust in distraction. This can be as simple as a book of puzzles, a good building kit, or the foresight on the way out the door to grab the Nintendo Switch 2 and a small power bank like WIRED’s top-pick Nimble.
Medical and Personal Items
In addition to prescription medications, an over-the counter painkiller and antacid tablets are helpful additions to any emergency kit. So are feminine hygiene products. So are toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Sanitizers
An emergency is a bad time to catch a stomach bug or any kind of infection. “Anything to maintain hygiene, that’s so important,” Sury says. “Especially if we don’t have water running, we just don’t want to get any kind of virus transmission, or fecal, orally transmitted bacterial infections.” And so hand sanitizers end up being … a big deal. So are good ol’ disinfecting wipes.
Nitrile Gloves
The world is full of awful stuff. And in some kinds of emergencies, contaminants are a genuine concern. Nitrile gloves will help you not touch it, and they’re resistant to cuts and tears. They’re also essential in first-aid situations.
An Action Plan for Pets
Do you plan on leaving Fido or Meowser behind, when the rains come to wash these streets clean? Assuming not, maybe keep a pet carrier with portable food and water dishes handy. If you have horses? You’ll need to own a trailer and something that can tow it. If you have a pet boa constrictor, I don’t have good advice. [I do have a pet boa constrictor, and I recommend putting it in a pillowcase. —Ed.]
Additional Useful Items
A can opener, to open cans. A pair of scissors for all sorts of things. Duct tape and sheeting to build temporary shelters or provide cover from rain. A box of matches in a ziplock baggie. A notepad and a pen. Non-shatter plates and cups, whether paper or metal.
Paper Maps of Your Region
Yes, they still exist. Yes, they’re a good idea.
