Earthquake Emergency Kit Checklist: From Under the Bed to the Car (2026)
Sep 13, 2026
Short answer: An earthquake kit is different from every other disaster kit in three ways: it has to be reachable in the dark from your bed, it has to assume the water and gas are off, and it has to assume you are walking over broken glass. Sturdy shoes and a headlamp under the bed, a wrench on the gas shutoff, stored water, and a way to charge a phone with no grid. Everything else is the standard 72-hour list, and you do not get a forecast.
No warning, so the kit must be pre-positioned
Hurricanes give days. Wildfires give hours. Earthquakes give seconds, usually at night. So the earthquake kit is not one bin; it is items placed where you will be when it hits. Under each bed: closed-toe shoes, a headlamp, and a whistle to signal if you are trapped. By the exit: the go-bag. In the car: the vehicle kit, because the car may be the safest shelter and the only phone charger.
The first hour
- Drop, cover, hold on. After shaking stops, expect aftershocks.
- Shoes on before you take a step. Broken glass is the most common earthquake injury.
- Headlamp on. Do not light matches or flip switches until you know there is no gas leak.
- Smell gas or hear hissing? Shut off the gas at the meter with the wrench you tied there. Do not turn it back on yourself; the utility does.
- Check for injuries, then check on neighbors.
- Text, do not call. Networks jam; texts get through.
The kit
Under the bed
- Sturdy shoes, headlamp, whistle, glasses
By the door
- A go-bag; see how to build one
- Documents and cash in a waterproof dry bag, because broken pipes flood
Power and light, with no grid
- POD X XTREME jump starter: charges phones for days, starts the car if you need to leave
- Solar power bank for the days after, when the sun is the only outlet
- Tripod area light and a solar lantern; never candles near a possible gas leak
- Battery weather radio
Water
- Mains break. One gallon per person per day, two weeks, stored in a spot that will not tip.
- A filter for water heater and pool water in an extended outage.
Tools
- A wrench zip-tied to the gas meter
- A pry bar for jammed doors; the 16-in-1 multitool covers small jobs
- Work gloves for debris and glass
- Duct tape, tarps for a broken window or roof
First aid
- The Ultimate Emergency Survival Kit for the house, the Tactical kit for the go-bag. Cuts from glass are the most common injury; pack more gauze than you think.
- Two weeks of prescriptions
Before the quake: the five-minute jobs
- Strap the water heater and tall furniture to studs
- Move heavy items off high shelves above beds
- Tie the wrench to the gas meter
- Put shoes and a headlamp under every bed tonight
- Agree on a family meeting place and an out-of-state contact
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important thing in an earthquake kit?
Shoes and a headlamp under the bed. Most quakes hit at night and most injuries are cuts from walking on glass in the dark.
Should I turn off the gas after an earthquake?
Only if you smell gas or hear hissing. Turning it off unnecessarily means waiting for the utility to restore it. Have the wrench ready either way.
How much water for an earthquake kit?
Two weeks: one gallon per person per day. Mains take longer to repair than power lines.
Can I use a jump starter to charge phones after an earthquake?
Yes. That is its best use in a no-grid situation: days of phone charging, a flashlight, and it still starts the car.
Build your earthquake kit with the kit builder or shop survival kits and jump starters. Every POD X product carries a 3-year warranty with free registration. Follow your local emergency management guidance first.
