Pack It Before You Need It: Building Your Emergency Medical Kit After Hurricane Helene
After Hurricane Helene swept through our area, many of us were left thinking:
"What if next time, we're not so lucky?"
Whether it’s a hurricane, wildfire, landslide, or another unexpected event, there's a renewed interest in being more prepared — not just hypothetically, but practically.
The City of Asheville recently hosted a Disaster Preparedness Workshop at the Stevens-Lee Community Center. Residents gathered to learn about emergency planning and even got to build starter kits with hand-crank radios, flashlights, large storage bins, and more. (Fingers crossed they host another. More on that here.)
Here’s a simple, three-step process to help you get started — with a focus on medical preparedness.
Step 1: Make a “Go Bag”
Start by building a general go bag — a backpack that you can grab in a hurry and carry comfortably. It should be stocked to sustain you for at least 72 hours with essentials like:
Water and food
Clothing
Hygiene supplies
Flashlight and batteries
Important documents
Phone charger or power bank
For a full list of what to include, see the City of Asheville’s emergency prep guide:
Ready for Anything: How to Prepare for Emergencies
Step 2: Build an Emergency Medical Kit (to Go Inside Your Go Bag)
Your medical kit should be portable — something small enough to fit inside your go bag or be carried as a separate pouch. It should include what you actually use when it’s not an emergency.
Essentials to Include:
🩹 First aid kit – gauze, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, adhesive bandages, and tape
🧤 Gloves – nitrile or latex
😷 N95 masks (or similar)
💊 7-day supply of prescription medications – rotate regularly to keep current. This includes an Epi-pen. Ask your doctor for a duo pack next time they refill your epi-pen. That means you’ll get two in a pack.
📋 Printed list of medications, allergies, and medical conditions
💧 One bottle of water per person
🍫 Granola bar or sugar source
❄️ Hot/cold packs if you typically use them for pain relief
💊 Over-the-counter meds you use frequently – ibuprofen, acetaminophen, antihistamines, etc.
🧴 Hand sanitizer or alcohol wipes
If you have children, be sure to pack for them as well — child-safe medications, snacks, and other essentials.
Additional Optional Steps
These aren’t required to build your emergency kit, but they can make a big difference when it comes to staying informed and being truly prepared.
Step 3: Know Your Home’s Risks
Understanding your most likely hazards can help you prepare smarter. Use Asheville’s Disaster Risk Lookup Tool to find out what risks are highest at your address. When we searched ours, fire was the top threat — so we installed fire extinguishers and smoke alarms in every room.
Asheville Disaster Risk Lookup Tool:
https://avl.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=10e2c4ae45614b92ad4efaa61342b249
Step 4: Sign Up for AVL Alerts
It might take a few steps to register, but AVL Alerts will notify you about local emergencies — including evacuations and severe weather.
Sign Up for AVL Alerts:
https://member.everbridge.net/453003085611892/login
Final Thoughts
Creating a go bag — and a medical kit to go with it — doesn’t mean you’re expecting the worst. It means you’re ready for whatever comes.
Take an afternoon to gather your supplies, check expiration dates, and talk with your household about your plan. Because being prepared isn’t panic — it’s peace of mind.
