* Radio, flashlights, batteries
* Enough plywood to cover your windows and the screws or nails, hammer and screwdriver to post the plywood
* Food, water and utensils
* Spare clothes and bedding
* Important papers, especially insurance papers, phone numbers, medical records for family and pets, cash and credit cards, inventory of household goods and positive identification for all family members and pets. Also pack valuables.

* First-aid kit
* Cash
* A full tank of gasoline in your vehicle
* Extra prescription medicine
* Carriers for your pets

Food:
* Pack several lunches and snacks for each person who will be evacuating in your vehicle -- you could be on the road a long time. Make sure the meals are nutritious, easy to digest and can last for a while without spoiling if you can't get ice for your cooler. Lunchtime favorites -- sandwiches, granola bars, fruits -- are a good choice.
* Also, consider packing food for a dinner or two in case you have trouble finding a hotel or shelter.
* Pack enough food for your pet for several meals as well.

Food if you stay:
* Store at least a seven-day supply of nonperishable food for every member of the family and pets. Chosen foods should keep without refrigeration and require little or no preparation -- such as foods for a camping trip. Foods high in carbohydrates are best.
* Have a basic meal kit for each person: plate, cup, utensils. Also a simple pot or pan. A camp stove -- with canister propane fuel -- can be used for cooking indoors with proper ventilation. Do not forget the can opener.

Water:
* Take along enough water for each person and pet in your vehicle for at least one day. Also take juices and soft drinks.

Water if you stay:
* Store one gallon of water per person and pet per day (two quarts for drinking, two quarts for food preparation and sanitation). You should have enough water on hand for seven days.
* Water should be stored in sanitary, unbreakable containers such as plastic bottles. Keep water-purifying agents, such as iodine tablets or chlorine bleach, on hand, too, in case you need to make use of a questionable water source.

First aid:
* Take a basic first aid kit -- the kind that's sold pre-packaged by big retail outlets -- in your vehicle. Take along a selection of nonprescription drugs you may need.
* Take at least a week's worth of all prescriptions for all family members and pets; include spare eyeglasses.

First aid if you stay:
* Keep the same kind of first-aid kit handy.
* Keep two weeks' worth of all prescription drugs for all members of your family and pets; there's a chance that supply lines could be disrupted for a while.

Supplies:
* Pack the same things you would take going on any three- or four-day trip.
* If you plan to use a public shelter, take along your own towels and sheets -- you'll be more comfortable.
* Include special items for children, the elderly and ill and pets. For kids, take games, coloring books and the like to break the boredom.
* Take extra cash, credit cards; personal identification; insurance and auto records; an inventory of household goods; names and phone numbers of friends, family, insurance agents; medical record for family and pets.
* Take weather-related items, such as a battery-operated, dedicated weather radio- battery-operated AM/FM radio; extra batteries.

Supplies if you stay:
* Have all of the above on hand.
* Have a basic cleaning kit, including plastic garbage bags, plastic bucket, cleaning supplies and household bleach on hand.
* Have plenty of plastic sheeting and basic tools and hardware.

Reminders:
* Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members and keep a smaller version in your car. The calm times before a storm are good for putting the kit together, making copies of important papers and the like. Don't try to put it together at the last minute.
* Change your stored water every three months so it's fresh; rotate the food every six months. Replace batteries at least once a year.