Illinois Preparedness Checklists — Home, Hazards, Garden & Safety Net

Category 1 of 5

Home readiness.

72-Hour Kit Basics

Water — 1 gallon per person per day for 3 days minimumFamily of 4 = 12 gallons. Store in food-grade containers.

72-hour food supply — shelf-stable, no cooking requiredCanned goods, bars, jerky. Rotate every 6–12 months.

Flashlights + extra batteriesOne per household member. Test monthly.

Battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radioReliable when cell service and power fail together.

First aid kit — stocked and unexpiredConsider Red Cross certification.

7-day prescription medication supplyRequest early refill before storms.

Cash in small bills — $100–$200Card readers fail during extended outages.

Portable battery pack for phonesKeep at 80%+ charge continuously.

IL-Specific Actions

Sign up for IEMA and your county emergency alerts — flat terrain gives tornado warning time if you act immediately

Chicago residents: never dismiss a heat wave warning — 1995 killed 739 people in five days

Southern IL households: have an earthquake preparedness plan — New Madrid is directly underfoot

Have a backup heat source — Chicago polar vortex events can knock out power at -50°F wind chill

Mississippi and Illinois River communities: know your flood plain and have an elevated storage plan

Illinois UI offers a free legal representative for appeals — use it if your claim is denied

Category 3 of 5

Community readiness.

Know Your Neighbors

Introduce yourself to the four households nearest yoursName + house number + phone number. That's all it takes.

Identify neighbors who may need checking onElderly alone, households with young children, anyone on medical equipment.

Know who has useful resources (chainsaw, generator, medical training)Informal mutual aid. A mental inventory doubles your capability.

Agree on a neighborhood meeting pointA driveway or landmark. 30 seconds to agree on before you need it.

Engage & Train

Find and consider enrolling in your county's CERT programFree training from county emergency management offices.

Get CPR/first aid certified through the Red CrossSearch classes at redcross.org/take-a-class.

Identify one volunteer role in your communityVolunteer fire, food bank, Habitat, Red Cross — one connection.

Attend one community event this seasonFind local events →

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First 72 Hours

The universal foundation before any local personalization.

Illinois · Checklists

Home readiness.

72-Hour Kit Basics

IL-Specific Actions

IL hazard checklists.

Tornadoes Readiness

Flooding Readiness

Winter ice & snow storms Readiness

Earthquakes Readiness

Community readiness.

Know Your Neighbors

Engage & Train

Safety net actions.

Job Loss — First 72 Hours

Annual Insurance Audit

Gardening by season.

Spring Prep

Fall & Year-Round

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First 72 Hours

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