Icons by Peter GrundyWhen the next world-crushing disaster strikes — tsunami, quake, dirty bomb, whatever — one thing is certain: You're on your own. As hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed, help may not arrive for 72 hours. Don't fret. Wired has your back with these shopping lists for your DIY emergency kit. Because when everything goes to hell, you'll want gear that gives you an evolutionary advantage over your less-prepared neighbors. Clip and save; lock and load.

The House Kit

Store all this gear in a sealed plastic trash can or containers. It won't cost as much as you think: You probably own most of this stuff already.

__A. First aid __You could buy the $25 kit from Red Cross. Or you could build your own: bandages, alcohol, cotton balls, antidiarrheals, anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen, and prescription meds.

__B. Clothes __A full change, including warm outer layers (wool or synthetic) and sturdy shoes, for each person under your roof.

__C. Plastic sheeting __Fiber-reinforced, laminated polyethylene film, 0.006 inches** thick. You can buy 1,200 square feet of Dura Skrim DS2 for about $100. Or get a tarp — for covering broken windows, roofs.

__D. Zip ties __Handy when you have to make splints, compression bandages, or tourniquets.

__E. Water __A gallon per person, per day. For a family of four, that's 12 gallons. If you have the space for that, great. If not, keep as much as you can manage. Have unscented bleach on hand, too — 16 drops in a gallon and you've got potable H 2 0. Tea bags make it taste OK.

__F. Food __Raid the pantry: dehydrated soups, canned tuna and veggies, nuts and candy. Peanut butter is high-calorie and has a long shelf life. You can also buy freeze-dried camping meals.

__G. Flashlight __We like the Inova X5 — it's water-resistant, aircraft-grade anodized aluminum and uses LEDs. But a cheap drugstore version and some batteries will do just fine.

__H. Protective wear __Waterproof and cut-resistant Kevlar gloves and N95 face masks.

__I. Tools __A crowbar to pry debris that might stand between you and a loved one. An adjustable wrench. Screwdrivers. A staple gun. Rope.

__J. Matches __You're probably not a Boy Scout. Get the kind marked waterproof and windproof and store 'em in a ziplock bag. In another bag, hoard some dryer lint for kindling.

The Go Pack

Keep these items in a backpack that's readily accessible — you know, in case you have to bail at a moment's notice. One bag per person.

__K. Radio __A cheap transistor set with batteries is fine. Or you could get something that'll pick up TV and NOAA bands and that has a hand crank, like the Eton Grundig FR300 — it comes with a cell phone charging jack and built-in flashlight. If you want to splurge, see page 95.

__L. Cash __$500 in small bills. ATMs won't work when the power is out, and neither will credit card readers.

__M. Documents __A copy of your home insurance policy, plus contact numbers, medical insurance card, passport, driver's license, bank records, and photos of family members. (A local map and spare keys may come in handy, too.)

__N. Mylar space blanket __It's a super-compact means of both keeping warm and reflecting heatstroke-causing rays of sun.

__O. Clothes __Put spares in a waterproof bag. Remember a hat. Toss in a few basic toiletries, too, like a toothbrush and toilet paper.

__P. Food __Make room for sports nutrition or candy bars. Nuts and trail mix are good options, too. Include a bottle of water.

__Q. Essential medicines __Whatever you've been prescribed, plus sunblock and ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

__R. Duct tape __Well, duh.

__S. Signal devices __Roadside flares will do. Or you could get Greatland Laser's Rescue Laser Flare — two AA batteries and you have 72 hours of 20-mile-visible brightness. Also try the Fox 40 whistle (115 dB!).

__T. Multitool __Whether you come down on the Swiss Army side or the Leatherman side of the greatest debate of our time, just have one with you. Make sure it has a can opener, a good knife blade, and both Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers.

* Correction, Thurs May 31 12:00:00 EST 2007

The plastic sheeting is 0.006 inches thick, not 6 mm thick as originally reported. (Return to the corrected text)

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