Essential Gear for an Emergency Kit—for Cars or Go-Bags

U never know When you have to worry at short notice. The politics of this time is less than expected. Disasters never strike on schedule, and few shops remain open in case of wildfire or rebellion. As early as 2026, wildfires and the resulting chaos are particularly likely in the American West, as record-low snowfall levels in the winter will mean less water in the spring and summer.

Disaster preparedness experts say that’s why it’s important to plan ahead and stock up on an emergency kit — and stock up on the essentials that can keep your family healthy and safe in the event of a hurricane, flood, earthquake, blizzard, wildfire, or all-out human failure.

But every disaster is not the same. There are two main scenarios you should prepare your family for, says Jonathan Suri, senior staff associate at Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness.

In some cases, you may need to get into the car with a go bag, or bug-out bag, equipped with the most essentials, such as a three-day supply of water, purification tablets or water filters, a good flashlight, and batteries. Wildfire can be a good example of this scenario. In others, such as severe blizzards, you may have to shelter in place, possibly without tap water or access to the power grid – and will be in serious need of a good power bank or two.

“You have to think in that mindset of, ‘We can shut down the power,'” said National Weather Service preparedness chief Charlie Woodrum when we spoke in January, ahead of the historic winter storm season that swept much of the United States. “We could lose it for a few days, or up to a week, and we could even lose water if pipes freeze or water mains break. You have to plan for both power outages and water loss.”

Here’s how to prepare for a short-term emergency—and what to stock up on in advance. Of course, this is not a guide to avoiding civil war or apocalypse. But the advice and tools provided here will help you and your family safely cope with a natural disaster like a hurricane, flood, earthquake or wildfire – not to mention a systemic failure in your water system or power grid.

Also heed my colleague Adrienne So’s advice that the best form of emergency preparedness includes knowing your neighbors and WIRED’s guide to surviving extreme weather. Are you more worried about losing your job? Check out WIRED’s guide to digital go bags for when you’re forced to leave work.

UPDATE March 2026: I added advice from National Weather Service preparedness chief Charlie Woodrum. We also added air purifiers, a camp stove, a log-splitting wedge, and a filtered water bottle from Clearly Filtered, and added context on both wildfires and cold weather emergencies. I also updated pricing and descriptions, and changed available products where necessary.

What should you keep in your emergency go bag?

Often, you get little warning before an emergency arrives at your doorstep. But an evacuation order can come with a sudden upsetting situation – and by the time everyone in your area will be raiding the local supermarket for water and purification pills, it may be too late for your own safety. This is especially true in cases of reported sudden boiling of water.

The list of items needed for your emergency preparedness kit will depend on your circumstances, your family, and your needs. As of October 2025, the Federal Emergency Management Agency maintains an emergency kit checklist on its website. Columbia University also maintains online resources on how to prepare for or respond to specific disasters and emergencies, including an online preparedness wizard to help each family understand their emergency needs.