Texas emergency kit: 72 hours, plus a plan for the grid
TexasReady asks households to keep enough supplies to shelter in place for up to 72 hours: 1 gallon of water per person and per pet per day, and a 3-day supply of food. Keep important documents in a waterproof container with digital copies, and sign up for ERCOT's TXANS alerts so you know early when the power grid is under strain.
What this means for your household
Set your household size to see the days, water and food the Texas advice adds up to.
Shelter in place for up to 72 hours.
Drinking water for 2 people. Official figure: 1 gallon (about 3.8 L) per person, and per pet, per day.
Person-days of food to cover (2 × 3). Pick food that needs no fridge and little or no cooking.
What TexasReady's kit includes
Build a home kit first, then a smaller add-on kit for the car in case you have to evacuate.
- Water: 1 gallon per person and per pet per day, for 3 days
- A 3-day supply of non-perishable food, and a manual can opener
- A battery or hand-crank radio, a flashlight and spare batteries
- A first aid kit and extra prescription medicines
- Important documents in a waterproof container, plus digital copies
- Phone chargers and a backup battery
- Warm blankets and layers for winter outages
- For evacuating by car: a full tank, maps, snacks, water and a car charger
How Texas warns you
- Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) reach phones in the area at risk for tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and evacuations. No sign-up needed.
- ERCOT's Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS) warns about grid conditions in tiers: Weather Watch, Voluntary Conservation Notice, Conservation Appeal, then an Energy Emergency Alert, when controlled outages are possible.
- When ERCOT issues a Conservation Appeal, cut back on power use straight away to help avoid outages.
- NOAA Weather Radio carries National Weather Service warnings and works without the cell network.
Texas-specific steps
- Plan for long winter outages. Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 left millions without power in freezing weather. The grid held up well during Winter Storm Fern in January 2026, but keep warm layers and blankets in your kit anyway.
- If someone at home depends on power for medical equipment, tell your electricity provider so they know, and have a backup plan.
- Register with STEAR (State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry) if you or someone you care for may need help to evacuate or during a disaster.
- Coastal Texans: know your hurricane evacuation route before the season starts on 1 June.
- Turn around, don't drown: never drive or walk through flood water. It can be deeper and faster than it looks.
Go beyond the minimum: what we recommend
Official lists cover the basics. These are the gaps we see most often when an emergency lasts longer than expected.
- Build toward 7 days of water and food, even if the official minimum is 3. Outages often last longer than planned.
- Keep paper and digital copies of IDs, insurance and prescriptions, so you can prove who you are and get medicines.
- Write the expiry date on everything and check the kit every 6 months, so it doesn't quietly go out of date.
- Plan for phone power: a charged power bank, plus a solar panel or car charger for longer outages.
- Save offline maps of your area and agree a meeting point, in case the mobile network is down.
- An offline survival guide on your phone: HAVEN tracks your kit and expiry dates and works with no signal.Download HAVEN free
Numbers to write down
- 911 · Emergency services
- 2-1-1 · Community services and STEAR registration
- 1-800-621-3362 · FEMA disaster assistance
Keep a paper copy: your phone may be flat when you need it.
Your kit, ready when the network isn't
HAVEN tracks your kit in gallons and days for your household and pets, reminds you before supplies expire, and keeps offline guides on your phone for when a storm takes down power and the network.
- Coverage in days for your household
- Expiry reminders
- Offline guides and AI
- Free to start, no account needed
How Texas compares
Texas: 3 days. The national advice from FEMA is at least 3 days. Read the United States guide or compare every country.
Texas preparedness FAQ
How many days of supplies does Texas recommend?
TexasReady asks households to be ready to shelter in place for up to 72 hours, with a 3-day supply of food and water.
How much water should I store in Texas?
1 gallon per person and per pet per day. A family of four with a dog needs 15 gallons for 3 days.
What are ERCOT TXANS alerts?
ERCOT's notices about the state power grid. They go from Weather Watch to Voluntary Conservation Notice to Conservation Appeal, and then to an Energy Emergency Alert when controlled outages are possible. You can sign up on ERCOT's website.
What is STEAR?
The State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry. It's a free registry that lets local emergency planners know who may need extra help during a disaster. Dial 2-1-1 to register.
How do I prepare for a winter power outage in Texas?
Keep blankets, warm layers, water, food that needs no cooking, a battery radio and phone power banks. Tell your utility if anyone at home relies on medical equipment, and never use a generator or grill indoors.
Official sources
- Disaster Supply Checklist (TexasReady)
- Build a Disaster Kit (TexasReady, PDF)
- Prepare your emergency kit: winter safety (TDEM)
- Texas Advisory and Notification System (ERCOT)
- Winter Storm Fern post-event report (ERCOT, PDF)
This page summarises official advice and is not a substitute for it. Always follow the instructions of your local emergency services. Last checked 2 November 2026.