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20 items you should have in a hurricane survival emergency kit

The Red Cross said you should have a 3-day supply of water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered or hand-crank radio, first aid kit, among other items.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Safety and emergency officials want you to be ready in the event of a hurricane.

That means preparing an emergency survival kit. The Red Cross said you should have a three-day supply of water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered or hand-crank radio, first aid kit, family and emergency contact info, extra cash, a map of the area and more. The Red Cross urges the importance of adding supplies to your kit based on the needs of all your family members.  

RELATED: North Carolina Hurricane Guide | Vital safety and emergency information

Here's a list of 20 items that you should have in your emergency survival kit.

  1. Water (one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation)
  2. Food (non-perishable items, at least a 3-day supply)
  3. Can Opener (for any canned foods)
  4. Flashlights
  5. First Aid Kit
  6. Extra Batteries (for flashlight, radio, cell phone)
  7. Diapers & Wipes (if you have a baby or a young child)
  8. Toiletries & Medicine
  9. Pet Food & Supplies
  10. Whistle (to signal for help, if needed)
  11. Local Maps
  12. Plastic Bags (for sanitation and to keep electronics and important documents dry)
  13. Cash (if there's no power and you can't access an ATM)
  14. Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  15. Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  16. Blankets and sleeping bags (1 per person)
  17. Extra house and car keys
  18. Fire extinguisher
  19. Rubber gloves
  20. Life jackets

EMERGENCY PLAN

You should also have an emergency plan in addition to an emergency survival kit.

Write or review your Family Emergency Plan: Before an emergency happens, sit down with your family or close friends and decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go, and what you will do in an emergency.

Keep a copy of this plan in a sealed tight waterproof container in your emergency supplies kit or another safe place where you can access it in the event of a disaster.

Here are four key questions to get you started on making an emergency plan:

1. How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?

2. What is my shelter plan?

3. What is my evacuation route?

4. What is my family/household communication plan?

You can also start a plan by visiting Ready.Gov

Create A Family Emergency Plan

EVACUATION SUPPLIES

In the event of an evacuation make sure you have what you need to leave your home. Here's a list of supplies that you should take with you.

What to Take to a Shelter

RELATED: 10 Things to do when evacuating for a hurricane

RELATED: 15 Things to do before a hurricane hits

RELATED: What to do 6 hours before a hurricane

RELATED: What to do 36 hours before a hurricane hits

RELATED: Are we in for an active hurricane season?

RELATED: Forecasters predicting 'very active' 2020 Atlantic season

RELATED: NC State scientists predict above average hurricane season in 2020

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