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Risk Management and Safety

Emergency Kits for Dormitories and College Campus

Preparing emergency kits can be overwhelming on a student budget. Here are some ways you can be prepared and save some cash.

The Red Cross suggests that at a bare minimum, an emergency kit should include the following:

  • Water: 1 gal/person per day, (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for shelter-in-place)
  • Food: non-perishable, easy prep items (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for shelter-in-place)
  • Flashlight
  • Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
  • Extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • 7 days’ worth of prescription medications
  • Multipurpose tool
  • Sanitation and personal hygiene items
  • Copies of personal documents (medical information, proof of address, passport, birth certificates, insurance policies, etc.) In addition to hard copies, store photos of these on a cloud-based drive for easy access.
  • Cell phone and charger
  • Family or emergency contact information
  • Cash
  • Emergency blanket
  • Map of area
  • Masks
  • Any other supplies that may pertain to your personal household (medical supplies, car supplies, pet supplies, etc.)
Food storage items
Food storage items

Additional Penny-Pinching Tips:

  • You don’t have to splurge on creating your emergency kit. You can slowly accumulate all the necessary supplies you may need according to your budget.
  • A great way to save money on your kit is to collect some of these items you may already have on hand, such as extra batteries, extra clothes in your closet, an extra charging cable, or any small tools you might have around your house.
  • Buying supplies in bulk is often a great way to save (masks, bandages, wipes, medications, etc.)
  • Drugstores tend to sell affordable travel-sized hygienic items that are perfect for kits like this.
  • First aid supplies can often be cheaper when purchased individually rather than in a pre-made kit.