A school emergency kit should cover five basic needs: water, food, first aid, sanitation, and comfort. Whether you’re a parent assembling a personal kit for your child’s backpack or cubby, or a teacher stocking supplies for an entire classroom, the goal is the same: keep everyone safe, hydrated, and as calm as possible during a lockdown, earthquake, or severe weather event that could last several hours.
The specifics depend on your region’s risks and your child’s age, but the core categories are universal. Here’s what belongs in each one.
Water and Food
Water is the single most important item. The standard recommendation is one gallon per person per day, but for a school kit designed to cover a few hours rather than a multi-day disaster, a smaller supply works. Pack at least two sealed water bottles (roughly 32 ounces total) per person. Replace them every six months so they stay fresh. For a classroom kit, store one gallon per student if you have the space.
For food, shelf-stable options that won’t trigger common allergies are best. Emergency ration bars are compact and designed to deliver about 400 calories per bar, so three bars cover a full day’s intake of around 1,200 calories. Individually wrapped granola bars, dried fruit, crackers, and peanut-free trail mix also work well. Avoid anything that needs refrigeration, a can opener, or heating. Check expiration dates at the start of each school year and swap out anything that’s close.
First Aid Supplies
A basic first aid pouch doesn’t need to be elaborate, but it should handle cuts, sprains, and allergic reactions. For a personal student kit, include:
- Adhesive bandages in several sizes
- Sterile gauze pads and adhesive tape
- Antiseptic wipes for cleaning wounds
- Antibiotic ointment (single-use packets are easiest)
- Disposable instant cold packs for bumps or sprains
- Tweezers for splinters or debris
- Non-latex gloves (at least two pairs)
A classroom kit should scale up and add a few extras: an elastic bandage for wrapping a sprained ankle, sharp scissors, safety pins, a flashlight with extra batteries, and a printed list of emergency phone numbers. A basic first aid manual is worth tucking in, too, especially if a substitute teacher or volunteer ends up being the adult in the room.
Prescription Medications
If your child uses an inhaler, an epinephrine auto-injector, or any daily medication, coordinate with the school nurse to make sure a dose is stored on-site and accessible during a lockdown. Many states have laws specifically allowing schools to stock emergency medications like albuterol inhalers and epinephrine. Indiana, for example, permits schools to keep these medications available under state code even for students who don’t have a personal prescription on file. Your school district likely has a form for authorizing medication storage, so ask the front office at the beginning of the year.
Sanitation and Hygiene
This is the category most people forget, and it matters a lot during an extended lockdown where students can’t leave the room. Commercial school lockdown kits typically include a bucket with a snap-on toilet seat lid, waste bags with odor-neutralizing chemicals, a roll of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, air freshener, and disposable gloves. You can assemble a similar setup for a classroom with a five-gallon bucket from a hardware store, heavy-duty trash bags, and cat litter or baking soda to control odor.
For a personal student kit, a travel-size hand sanitizer, a small pack of tissues, and a few resealable plastic bags (for waste or soiled clothing) cover the basics without taking up much space.
Comfort and Emotional Support
Hours of waiting in a locked room are frightening for kids. Packing a few comfort items can make a real difference in managing anxiety. Children’s Hospital Colorado recommends filling a small kit with a variety of sensory and distraction items: stress balls or fidget toys, a small sketchbook or journal, a puzzle or book, and something personal like a family photo or a short note from a parent.
Notes of affirmation are especially powerful for younger children. A simple card that says “You are brave and I love you” tucked into a kit gives a child something tangible to hold onto when they’re scared. Older students might prefer a deck of cards, a paperback book, or a journal. The point is to occupy their hands and minds during a long, uncertain wait.
Communication and Identification
Include a laminated card with your child’s full name, your name, your phone number, an alternate emergency contact, and any critical medical information (allergies, blood type, conditions). If cell service goes down or a young child can’t remember a phone number under stress, this card does the talking for them.
A small whistle is another smart addition. It’s lightweight, costs almost nothing, and lets someone signal for help without shouting. For classroom kits, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio helps teachers stay informed when the internet and power are out.
Clothing and Weather Gear
A compact emergency blanket (the foil “space blanket” type) folds down to the size of a deck of cards and retains up to 90% of body heat. This is especially useful in regions with cold winters, since an evacuation could leave students standing outside for a long time. For personal kits, you can also include a pair of socks, a rain poncho, and a gallon-size zip bag to keep everything dry. If your child wears glasses, a spare pair in the kit prevents them from navigating an emergency half-blind.
How to Pack and Store It
For a personal student kit, everything should fit in a gallon-size zip bag or a small drawstring pouch that stays in the child’s locker, cubby, or backpack. Label it clearly with the child’s name and the school year. For a classroom kit, a labeled five-gallon bucket or a backpack stored in an accessible spot works well. Avoid locking supplies inside a cabinet that requires a key nobody can find during an emergency.
Review the kit twice a year: once at the start of school and once at the mid-year break. Replace expired food and water, swap out clothing for the correct season, update the emergency contact card if phone numbers have changed, and check that medications haven’t expired. A kit that’s out of date is only slightly better than no kit at all.