As Californians, we don’t have to deal with tornadoes, monsoons, or hurricanes, so it may be easy to forget that we should also be prepared for an emergency. From earthquakes to wildfires and even a severe winter storm, it is possible to lose power or even water for a couple of days. Having a well-stocked emergency kit will help ease your mind and leave you prepared in case anything were to happen. Here are the quintessential items you should have in your emergency kit.

• Water One Gallon per household member, per day. It is recommended to have at least three days worth. If that takes up too much space, consider a portable water filtration system.
• Food Non-perishable items (examples: canned chili, tuna, beans, veggies, etc.) for at least three days.
• First Aid Kit
• Flashlight and Extra Batteries
• Manual Can Opener
• OTC Medicine
• Prescription Medicine
• Toilet Paper & Paper Towels
• Paper Plates & Utensils
• Disinfectant Wipes
• Matches
• Multi-Tool
• Emergency Radio
• Cash
• Copies of Important Information (Bank account numbers, copies of insurance policies, etc.)
• Blanket and/or Sleeping Bag
• Pet Food At least three days worth of pet food, as well as water, for each pet.

If you have small kids, you should include items such as:

• Diapers and Wipes
• Baby Formula
• Jarred Baby
• Food Toys/Games
• Spare Clothing

It is best to store all of these items in a watertight container that can easily be grabbed at a moment’s notice. Once a year, you should take the time to go through the kit and replace any items that are close to expiring and add or modify it as needed to fit your family’s current needs. If you’d prefer to buy a ready-to-go kit, there are plenty of well-constructed ones on the market.