They are called accidents for a reason and the time to prepare for one isn’t in the moment. One tiny accident can leave a lasting impact if you’re not careful. Instead, diligence and preparedness will help to ensure that you’re ready for whatever comes next.

Be ready for any number of situations, while also keeping you and your family safe, with these ideas for preparing an apartment emergency kit.

First Aid Kit

A small First Aid kit will prove to be invaluable in the event of an emergency. Most First Aid kits also come prepared with most things that you’ll need in a minor situation. This means you won’t have to piece together your own kit, which could result in forgetting valuable items. Grab a small First Aid kit and keep it handy, and you’ll find it to be a vital part of your apartment emergency preparedness.

Water & Food

In the event of a serious emergency, any number of things could happen in your apartment. One very possible scenario could include not having clean water. Therefore, have at least three gallons of water per person, which will be enough for each person to use at least one gallon per day. You may also want to have enough non-perishable food for that long as well. Food and water may be a normal good in your daily life, but it could become a valuable asset in an emergency.

Flashlight

Losing electricity in your apartment won’t be as bad if you have a flashlight available. The flashlight will help to keep things visible in your apartment, as well as if you need to relocate to another area.

Radio

A transistor radio will come in handy in the event of an even more disastrous emergency. In the event of a tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, or any other disaster, a radio will help to pick up information that you can use to get to safety.

Batteries

In order to keep your flashlight and radio powered, add a few batteries to your apartment emergency kit. An additional battery pack for USB-powered technology will also be useful. Batteries can be heavy and won’t last a long time, so use them sparingly in the event of an emergency.

Basic Tool Kit

A basic tool kit will help you fix minor things around the home. In addition, that tool kit will prove to be useful in a more serious emergency as well. A hammer, screwdriver, tape measure, and other parts of a tool kit will prove to be useful in a variety of situations in your apartment.

Hand Sanitizer

Keep your hands clean and free of germs, especially if you don’t have clean running water.

A Plan

Your emergency won’t have nearly the impact on your life if you stay prepared. Make sure that you, your family, roommates, and other people all know what to do in the event of an emergency. This will keep everyone calm, which can prove to be vital when time is of the essence.