Emergency Preparedness Kits

Emergency preparedness kits are designed to contain all of the items your family could need in a disaster or emergency situation. They are the first component of the three steps to emergency readiness to ensure that you and your loved ones can react at a moments notice.

EPKs help you prepare for the possibility of having to care for your household for up to three days in an emergency situation when your needs are not dire – this allows emergency responders to help those with the greatest needs first.

Items typically recommended for inclusion in EPKs include a three-day supply of food and water for everyone in your household, medications and important paperwork, first aid kits, batteries, flashlights and hand-crank cell phone chargers (see full list here).

Emergency Response Communications Vehicle

The ECRV, or Emergency Communications Response Vehicle, was designed and created for the American Red Cross by Disaster Services Technology paid and volunteer staff, to provide communications links between disaster relief operations and the Disaster Operation Center. They include an interoperability switch which allows the Red Cross to communicate with the variety of communication systems based in the nation-wide network of chapters.

Bulk items

Outdoor work tools such as rakes, shovels, gloves, trash bags, bottled water and alcohol-based hand sanitizer.



Ready To Eat Meal

Red Cross Workers

Total number of all employees and volunteers working on a relief operation.

Health Service Contacts

Contacts or interventions, conducted in person or over the phone, by a trained mental health person, with disaster clients that have the potential to make a significant difference in an individual’s or family’s ability to recover from or deal with disaster-caused needs. Such contacts may answer questions, satisfy a need, provide information, or educate.

Mental Health Contacts

Contacts or interventions, conducted in person or over the phone, by a trained mental health person, with disaster clients that have the potential to make a significant difference in an individual’s or family’s ability to recover from or deal with disaster-caused needs. Such contacts may answer questions, satisfy a need, provide information, or educate.

Comfort Kits

Contains personal hygiene items such as toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, etc., given to clients who have been displaced from their homes.

Clean Up Kits

Contains a broom, mop, bucket, disinfectant, rubber gloves and other items, distributed to clients to help them clean their homes after a disaster event.

Snacks Served

The number of individual snacks served to clients and workers.