Emergency Preparedness Skills Everyone Should Know
Emergencies don't make appointments — but a few hours of preparation can keep a bad day from becoming a disaster.
Here are the emergency preparedness skills everyone should know, grouped into six areas, with a free mission inside Life Skills HQ for each one.
You can't predict when an emergency will hit, but you can be ready for it. Building a simple kit, learning basic first aid, knowing how to shut off your utilities, and having a family plan take an afternoon — and they're the difference between chaos and calm when it matters most. Below you'll find the emergency preparedness skills everyone should know, organized so you can find your blind spots and close them one short, step-by-step mission at a time.
Build Your Emergency Plan in Four Steps
You don't need to do everything at once. Work through these four steps in order, and you'll be more prepared than most households:
Prepare essential supplies. Start with a basic home emergency kit: water, non-perishable food, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, and copies of important documents. Ready.gov and the American Red Cross publish detailed checklists.
Create communication and evacuation plans. Decide where your family will meet if separated, how you'll contact each other, and how you'll leave your home or area if needed. Write it down and make sure everyone knows the plan.
Learn household safety basics. Know how to shut off your gas, water, and electricity. Learn how to use a fire extinguisher. Consider taking a basic first aid and CPR course from a certified instructor.
Set up alerts and review periodically. Enable weather alerts on your phone, sign up for local emergency notifications, and review your plan and supplies every six months.
For broader home safety and upkeep, see our home maintenance skills guide. For a full overview of practical life skills, see our 100 life skills master list.
Kits & Supplies
Have the essentials ready before you need them. A basic kit — water, food, first aid, flashlights, and copies of key documents — is the foundation everything else builds on.
Build a Home Emergency Kit (Water, Food, First Aid)
Keep a Car Emergency Kit
Prepare Important Documents in a Go-Bag
Plans & Communication
Know what to do and who to reach when seconds count. A written plan that everyone in your household understands turns a chaotic moment into a series of steps.
Create a Family Emergency Plan & Meeting Point
Set Up Emergency Contacts & ICE Info on Your Phone
Know Evacuation Routes for Your Area
First Aid & Fire Safety
Skills that save lives before help arrives. Basic first aid, CPR awareness, and knowing how to use a fire extinguisher are worth learning from a certified instructor.
Learn Basic First Aid & CPR
Learn How to Use a Fire Extinguisher
Learn Fire Escape Routes & Practice a Home Drill
Utilities & Power
Control the hazards in your own home. Knowing how to shut off your gas, water, and electricity can prevent a bad situation from getting worse. For routine home upkeep, see our home maintenance skills guide.
Know How to Shut Off Utilities (Gas, Water, Electricity)
Prepare for a Power Outage (Flashlights, Batteries, Backup Power)
Alerts & Weather
Stay informed so you can act fast. Phone alerts and local warning systems give you minutes that matter — but only if you know what the alerts mean and what to do.
Understand Weather Alerts & Warning Systems
Stay Safe During Specific Disasters (Earthquake, Flood, Storm)
Money & Pets
Protect your finances and the animals that depend on you. For broader money skills, see our financial skills guide.
Build a Financial Emergency Fund
Prepare for Pet & Animal Emergencies
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