prepare an emergency kit

You never know when you are going to face a situation at home when no power, water, or renewable source of food will be easily obtainable.

These are the tips from the homeland security sight, witha bit of my own input thrown in.
1. water--Homeland security recommends 1 gallon of water per person for 3 days.
I recommend all you have room to store reasonably. I have been without power in my home for a week or so due to ice storms and it is amazing how much water you can go through, especially when you are not accustomed to rationing it. I also recommend the addition of some water purification tablets that can be purchased very reasonably in most any decent camping supply section. undoubtedly you will store the water and then a year down the road need it and have doubts about drinking it. This should remove all doubts.

2.--Homeland security recommends a 3 day supply of nonperishable food.
I recommend a bit more. Imagine you are stuck in the house with 2 kids, and no way to entertain them. Every 15 minutes they will will be screaming, "I'm hungry" (just trust me on that one). I keep the pantry full of canned food that can be easily warmed up on whatever type of heat source is available. I go so far as to buy canned food that has a long shelf life that I know no one in the house will pull out of the pantry and say this is what I want for dinner, yet is still food that will get you by for a few days if necessary. That way I know it will always be there.

3. Homeland security recommends a hand crank flashlight and radio with extra batteries for both.
I go along with the handcrank radio and flashlight but I don't understand the batteries for both of those. That's the purpose of the handcrank (no batteries needed). I suggest picking up a few of these those to have on hand and kept at various locations throughout the house. The situation may not occur when you have the luxury of flicking on all the lights in the house to find "your kit". Make sure you get led lights in any flashlights, crank or battery, they will last much longer and do have spare batteries for those that are not crank. Try to have radios and flashlights and whatever else you feel you will need that operate on the same size batteries.

4. Homeland security recommends a dust mask.
Personally don't understand that one unless they know something I don't. They are cheap enough, if it will make you feel better buy a few. It would be further down my list I think.

5. Homeland security recommends moist toilettes, garbage bags and ties for personal sanitization.
I'd go along with that and they have a lot of other uses as well if the problem lingers longer than anticiapted, but I'll go into that another time.

6. Homeland security recommends a wrench or pliers to turn off utilities.
I recommend a good multitool, like a gerber or leatherman that has various tools all in one. I keep one with me most all the time and use it quite a bit. As for the turning off the utilities, don't go messing with the power connectons if you don't know what you are doing. Hopefully if you have enough sense to be reading this you understand why.

7. Homeland security recommends a can opener for food.
Well maybe it's just me, but I'd put that back up there under the number 2 section.

8. Homeland security recommends local maps.
I recommend that if you don't know where you are and you have all these things with you, that you should get out of the house more.

9. They put prescription meds in the category of things to consider. In some cases that should be way up the list. You know your own situation best.

For some reason I see no candles, oil lanterns, or suggestions of heat sources on their list, all of which are high on my personal list. Hopefully if you are at your home clothing won't be an issue. I do think it is a good idea to have more blankets in the house than are needed during normal circumstances, and if there are kids in the house you better have a way of entertaining them or you will all go nuts in a short amount of time.

I don't see mention of first aid high on the list either. I keep one put out of sight out of mind, that way little items don't get swiped from them here and there, such as bandaids, as well as some type of pain reliever/fever reducer.

If you have pets, don't forget about them. It's easy to not replenish their food until it runs out, but if something happens and you can't get back out to the store or are in a hurry, it would be nice to know you had enough food for the pets for a few days already on hand.