Washington 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.

WA-Specific Actions

Coastal residents: know your tsunami evacuation route NOW — Cascadia gives 15-30 minutes, not hours

Puyallup River valley residents: know your lahar evacuation route — Mt. Rainier lahar arrives with almost no warning

Sign up for WA Alert and your county emergency alerts at mil.wa.gov

If you live west of the Cascades without AC, identify your cooling center NOW — 2021 heat dome killed 100 Washingtonians

Eastern WA wildland interface: defensible space and a go-bag ready May through November

Washington UI max of $1,152 plus PFML up to $1,647 — file immediately if you lose your job or need family leave

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.

Washington · Checklists

Home readiness.

72-Hour Kit Basics

WA-Specific Actions

WA hazard checklists.

Earthquakes Readiness

Severe thunderstorms Readiness

Wildfire Readiness

Heat waves 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 WA guide is yours.

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First 72 Hours

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