Maryland 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.

MD-Specific Actions

Know your flood zone — Chesapeake Bay shoreline and river valley residents should check FEMA maps every few years

Sign up for MD Ready alerts and your county emergency notification system at mema.maryland.gov

Ellicott City and Patapsco valley residents: have an uphill evacuation route — flash floods here give minutes of warning

Eastern Shore residents: know your hurricane surge zone and evacuation route before June 1

Keep 72 hours of supplies minimum — the DC/Baltimore metro corridor gridlocks immediately in emergencies

Maryland has NO UI waiting week — file immediately if you lose your job; benefits start from day one

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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Local self-reliance starts with knowing your place.

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First 72 Hours

The universal foundation before any local personalization.

Maryland · Checklists

Home readiness.

72-Hour Kit Basics

MD-Specific Actions

MD hazard checklists.

Flooding Readiness

Hurricanes & tropical storms Readiness

Tornadoes Readiness

Winter ice & snow storms 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

The MD guide is yours.

MD State Homepage

First 72 Hours

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