The Zombie Survival Kit

Water

• Water storage containers (1 gal/person/day, 2 weeks) Shop →
• Portable water filter Shop →
• Purification tablets (backup for the backup) Shop →

Food

• 2-week shelf-stable food supply Shop →
• Manual can opener (the electric one dies with the grid) Shop →
• Camp stove + fuel Shop →

Power & Light

• Portable power station Shop →
• Hand-crank/solar weather radio (NOAA alerts, no grid needed) Shop →
• Headlamps — one per survivor, hands free for the machete Shop →
• Battery bank + cables for phones Shop →

First Aid & Health

• Full first aid kit (bites happen) Shop →
• Prescription backups + basic meds Shop →
• N95 masks (see also: our Air Quality index) Shop →

Tools & Defense

• Multi-tool Shop →
• Duct tape + paracord (civilization in two rolls) Shop →
• Machete... for gardening. Obviously. Shop →
• Fire extinguisher Shop →

Weather-Specific

• Generator (hurricane/ice storm season) Shop →
• Sump pump backup (before the flood warning, not after) Shop →
• Emergency blankets + hand warmers Shop →
• Waterproof document bag Shop →

Flood: Keep It Out, Dry It Out

• Water-activated flood barrier bags (sandbags that arrive flat, no sand) Shop →
• Portable utility pump — moves water a sump pit can't reach Shop →
• Wet/dry shop vacuum, for the water the pump leaves behind Shop →
• Dehumidifier — the EPA says dry wet materials within 24–48 hours to prevent mold Shop →
• Air mover / high-velocity floor fan Shop →
• Mold and mildew cleaner Shop →
• Rubber boots + heavy rubber gloves for the cleanup (floodwater carries sewage) Shop →

Never walk or drive through floodwater. Before running a pump, vacuum or fan in a room that has flooded, turn the power off at the panel — and if you would have to stand in water to reach the panel, call an electrician instead. The N95s above double as masks for mold cleanup. More in the flood guide.

Gutters & Roof: Before the Storm Season

• Telescoping gutter cleaning wand — clean from the ground, skip the ladder Shop →
• Gutter guards, so there is less to climb up for Shop →
• Ladder stabilizer / standoff (keeps the ladder off the gutter) Shop →
• Gutter scoop + work gloves Shop →
• Safety glasses (wet leaves flick straight at your face) Shop →
• Heavy-duty roof tarp for after the hail or wind Shop →

The danger in cleaning gutters is the ladder. Work from the ground where you can; otherwise set the ladder on firm, level, dry ground, keep your body between the rails, move the ladder instead of reaching, and stay off the roof. Clogged gutters overflow against the foundation, which is how a lot of basements flood.

The Part of the Kit You Can’t Buy on Amazon: Insurance

Most people find out what their home insurance leaves out after the storm. These are the usual gaps — check yours while the sky is still blue.

• Flood. Standard home insurance does not usually cover flooding, including hurricane storm surge. Flood cover is a separate policy, from the National Flood Insurance Program (floodsmart.gov) or a private insurer — and an NFIP policy usually takes 30 days to start, so buying one when the forecast turns is too late.
• Earthquakes and earth movement. Not covered by a standard policy; earthquake insurance is separate. Landslides and sinkholes are often excluded too.
• Sewer and drain backup. Usually excluded, and can often be added as an endorsement — worth asking about if you have a basement.
• Hurricane deductibles. In many coastal states the deductible for hurricane damage is a percentage of the home’s insured value rather than a flat amount. A 2% deductible on a home insured for $350,000 is $7,000 before the policy pays anything.
• Living somewhere else. If the house cannot be lived in, check what your policy pays for a hotel and meals, and its limit.
• Wildfire and hail. Some insurers in high-risk areas now exclude or limit wildfire, and some policies leave cosmetic hail damage to you. Read the declarations page for your own policy.

General information, not insurance advice. Your declarations page says what you actually have; your agent or your state’s insurance department can explain it. Keep a copy of the policy in the waterproof document bag above, and photograph every room before the season — see the hurricane, flood and earthquake guides.