Emergency tools and equipment: checklist for home and car

What to keep at home and in the car. A guide based on official advice. The same text is in the free SurvivalZone app and works without internet.

At home

1. Torches or LED lamps and spare batteries.
2. A battery or wind-up radio.
3. Duct tape, plastic sheeting and a kit to seal windows and doors.
4. A fire extinguisher and fire blanket. Battery smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
5. A key for the gas and water valves, screwdriver, pliers and a knife or multitool.
6. A camping stove with spare cartridges, for use only outdoors or by an open window.

In the car

1. First aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle and high-visibility vest.
2. Spare wheel and tools to change it, a repair kit.
3. Blanket, water, torch and a car phone charger.
4. A paper map or road atlas. Keep at least half a tank of fuel.

Prepare your home

1. Mark the gas, electricity and water shut-offs with coloured tape. Practise turning them off with your household.
2. Clear clutter from hallways and stairwells so it can't block an evacuation.

Watch out

• Never use a generator, barbecue or gas stove inside a flat, basement or garage. It can cause fatal carbon monoxide poisoning.

See also

• Prepare your home for a blackout
• Carbon monoxide or gas

Frequently asked questions

Which tools should I keep at home for emergencies?

Torches and batteries, a battery or wind-up radio, tape and sheeting, a fire extinguisher, fire blanket, smoke and CO alarms and basic tools.

What should I keep in the car for an emergency?

First aid kit, extinguisher, warning triangle, spare wheel and tools, blanket, water, torch, charger and a paper map. Keep half a tank of fuel.

Can I use a generator indoors?

No. Generators produce carbon monoxide and must only be used outdoors, away from windows and doors.

Keep it on your phone

SurvivalZone is a free app for every emergency, with no account and no app store. It works without internet and shows the nearest shelters and help points, local radio, a 72-hour plan and a mountain trip planner.

Thank you for reading. If this could help someone, send it to the people you care about. Getting ready takes a moment, and in a crisis every minute counts.

Coming soon: the app’s permanent address will be survivalzone.app.

Other guides

• 💧 How to make water safe
• 🍲 Food without power
• ⛺ Shelter at home and outdoors
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Protecting your family and yourself
• 💊 Run out of medicine
• 🎒 Go bag checklist
• 🩹 Home first aid kit
• 🔦 Prepare your home for a blackout
• ✈️ Air travel: a safe trip
• 🏜️ Desert trip
• 🪢 Knots worth knowing
• 🔥 Campfire and outdoor cooking
• 🧭 Survival kit for your backpack
• 📞 Family communication plan
• 🥫 Emergency food and medicine supplies
• 🧼 Hygiene in a crisis
• 📁 Documents and money in a crisis
• 🧥 Clothing and warmth in a crisis
• 📻 Communication and navigation in a crisis

All scenarios →

Sources

• Ready.gov: Build a kit
• Polish government Safety Handbook 2025 (PDF, Polish): transport, radio and maps p. 16
• Polish government Safety Handbook 2025 (PDF, Polish): home supplies, pp. 20–22
• BBK guide "Vorsorgen für Krisen und Katastrophen" (Germany)

Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-10-23.

General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.