Well i seem to have an addiction to lights, so i'll kick off with "surprise" Lighting - 1 Decent Lamp/Lantern, whether you go for Solar charged, battery, candle or oil/kerosene, you need something to light a decent sized room. Plus a personal torch/flashlight for each person. LED with a lanyard, loop or something to hold onto. A good idea is that all the personal lights use same power eg all AA or AAA, all dynamo.. whatever works.

Water (plus purifying methods) and ready to eat food (home made or otherwise)

Personal hygiene items (toilet paper, soap etc) & First Aid kit.

To expand on the water comment; 1 gallon per person per day. 2L of that is drinking water, 2L for food prep/sanitation. Be sure to have extra water for pets!

Our water home storage looks like this for 2 people; 1 flat of water bottles (24x500ml) 4 x 1 gallon jugs (3 jugs for sanitation, 1 jug to account for the cat)

The other important things to make sure you have stocked are sanitation necessities.

Soap
Washcloth
Towel

1 5 gallon bucket with tight fitting lid
1 box heavy duty (3mm) garbage bags
1 bottle bleach
Toilet Paper

Evaluate the crisis/threat. Is it short or long term?
Water is the main needs - amount depends on location - I am in the tropics so in 'peak' summer storm season min 10 ltrs per person per day - thats for drinking purposes only, would also include an electrolite substitute to replace body salts (water needs are dependent on your location - assess your needs applicable and add 20% as a safety net) on our news to-night we had a bloke die in 40 deg C in one of our deserts, the Simpson, which borders QLD, while doing his work - the vehicle broke down - Australia has a lot of desert country the Woomera in SA can get above 58C - (dont know for sure the max as temp probe shit-itself at 58C). Adequate peotective clothing, first aid kit, and a supply of meds - if you need them. Have a plan for a plan for a plan - try them first - many look good on paper - but lack in reality. Assess various risk factors and various options for evac - including walking out. (I suggest to people that they should have two packs - 1 for vehicle and 1 for walk out). A map. A FAk (First Aid Kit) -Fire starting tools, Bug repellants - if needed - experienced Siberian Mossies - they leave our Australian ones well behind - they are hungry and agressive, IMO - all this is a basic need to increase your survival chances. then comes the rest.

The BASIC bug-in emergency kit. We all know after watching Katrina and Sandy, that 72 hours of self preparedness probably isn't long enough, so I feel a week is more likely.

Water - Amounts have been discussed, and the need cannot be over stressed.
Heat, light, cooking - I group these together, because I think they should all use the same fuel source. Kerosene, propane, alcohol, etc...
I use a propane stove, propane heater, and propane lantern. I also have a battery powered gas/carbon monoxide tester.
Be aware of safety considerations when using fuel sources indoors.
Food - I like the convenience of MREs, and think everyone should have a dozen or so, they are self preparing.
Otherwise easy to prepare food, probably from cans, chilli, canned vegetables, tuna, etc... don't forget the can opener.
Tools - An adjustable wrench for turning natural gas off. Insulated gloves for turning the main breaker to the house off. Hammer, pry bar, duct tape,
and multi-bit screwdriver.
Protective Gear - Safety glasses, latex gloves, N95 masks, hot work gloves.
Security - Pistol grip pump action shotgun with cylinder bore
First Aid Kit - Lots of lists for what you should have.
Electronics - Flashlights, extra batteries, dynamo capable of charging cell phones, Two way radios, radio capable of NOAA weather alerts.
Sanitation - Bucket, garbage bags, bleach, toilet paper, paper towel.
Misc - Rope, tarps, plastic sheeting, clothing, blankets.

While many people have a lot of these items in the home, I prefer the redundancy of having them all in one place in my emergency kit, where I know where it is.
It also allows you to throw all of it into a vehicle in a bug-out situation, assuming road travel is possible.
Anything not water water-proof, should be stored in bags, I like Ziploc as they can do double duty at a later time.

Lastly, having a list of emergency contacts #s printed out is extremely important. Friends, family, Drs, etc...
At least if your phone doesn't work, you aren't relying on the contacts list like most of us do these days.

The only thing I think I might add to the above is sleeping bags, or planty of blankets. We notice that the hardest hit areas of Sandy are now expecting a big Nor'easter to dump some snow on top of their already miserable situation. Sleeping bags or lots of blankets would help stay warm in a situation like that.

Also, store extra fuel for your vehicle. No big deal, buy it when it's cheaper, cycle it often. Or at least grab a spare can and top off your tank when you get the warnings.
I find the best thing to have is imagination. People were using their cars with an inverter to act as a generator to power some of their important things.

Ingenuity is priceless.

3 day Emergency kit right?
Since we live in the cold north (with winter coming) a source of heat is top priority ('emergency' blankets), then water (500 ml bottled water would fit easier around items and/or a personal size filter would fit in a tote), food (snack style- easy to store/eat), sanitation (like toilet paper- in fact I'd suggest storing the whole kit in a 5 gallon bucket which could then be used as a 'toilet'), light (flashlights/candles/matches), plastic bags,...... to start with.

Hey everyone,
We have a lot of new people joining up lately and I thought we could get together and help them out a bit.
I think we all agree that every home should have a basic emergency kit.
Let's put our heads together and see what we can come up with.
What does the average household need to put together a basic emergency kit, that would fit in an average sized storage tote in a closet, and would be intended to provide basic needs for 3 days?

A 72 hour kit for a family of four should include the following and it should all (except for the water) fit nicely into a single 28-37 gallon rubbermaid tote:

Canned fruits and vegetables (An assortment of fruits, roasted red peppers, baked beans, carrots, peas, corn, soups and stews, olives are some of my favourites)
Canned meats and proteins (Spam, tuna, beef chilli and sardines etc.)
Granola bars
Powdered milk and instant coffee and tea (just make sure you will be able to boil water even if the power goes out. More on that later)
Honey for energy and sweetening coffee or tea
Portable camp stove that burns solid fuel to heat and cook all of the above canned foods. They take up very little room in your tote and can be used inside with little ventilation. I personally opted for a hobo stove as well. http://internationalpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2509 The only thing is you will need a small box of dry kindling on hand to use it but it can be used in a fireplace, yard or even on a balcony in an emergency and it cooks the meals and boils water fast and gives off good heat.
Ample fuel for above portable camp stove or dry kindling for the hobo stove
Seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, italian etc.
Juice crystals because you will get sick of drinking just water
Multiple LED flashlights and extra batteries and a couple LED lanterns
A couple large bic lighters
Candles and lots of them
Recommended at least 1 gallon of water per person, per day for just drinking and cooking. A family of four would need 12 gallons for just 72 hours. Wont all fit in the tote though;)
Complete first aid kit with extra strength advil and multi vitamins
Hand crank AM/FM radio, tune in regularly for updates and even listen to some music to relax
Disposable cutlery, paper plates and plastic cups. The last thing you want to be doing is wasting water if the water is off doing loads of dishes during an emergency. The plates can be even burned in a hobo stove or fireplace.
Sanitizer for hands and baby wipes for washing face and body parts if the water is off
A few rolls of toilet paper. Flattened with cardboard tubes removed
A couple rolls of paper towels for wiping out pots and pans after heating up food if the water is out. Try and heat all canned food and meat meals like stews and chilli in their cans to avoid contaminating your pots and pans if the water is off. Instant rice, veggies and instant mashed shouldn't be too much of a worry as long as you wipe the pot good with a touch of water and then wipe dry.
A few heavy garbage bags
Colour copies of all your important ID in a zip lock bag and a road map of your town and area
Full roll of duct tape to seal up doors and windows if necessary
Deck of cards and a book you have never read
Manual can opener
A decent bottle of wine. Yup, I said it. In a 72 hour emergency having a creature comfort like a bit of wine with dinner will lift the spirits

Other item to consider:
Water for sanitation. Exterior rain barrels are ideal to collect water for flushing toilets. In the event that the municipal water system shuts down you will have a sanitation nightmare on your hands. If you live in an apartment get an empty 10 gallon water jug. Fill it, cap it and stick it in the closet for flushing and remember if its yellow let it mellow if its brown flush it down. Go outside in the yard if you can to save water if the water is out and you live in a house. Water from the hot water tank can be used in a pinch.

That all being said, 3 days isn't enough IMHO however I do realize that space may also be an issue if you have a small place. Personally my wife and I prep for 1 year but a household should have a week to one months supply of food water and toiletries minimum but hey thats just me.

Also keep in mind that this kit is only for temporary situations and disruptions in power or water services like in a storm, earthquake or in the blackout of '03. In the event of longer survival situations you will need to make a whole different and greatly expanded set of preps.

PrepNow has raised a few points, that has got me thinking. One, is a point that I raised with a friend of mine that is an apartment dweller, and lives on the First/Ground floor. If/when the power goes out and the sewers start to back up, where do you think all this sewage is going to go. Liquid will take the easiest route, even if this means out of the lowest levels toilets. If you live in a high rise, guess what, Sh't flows down hill.

Second point, is CANDLES, at one time, it was easy to buy bulk emergency candles at TSC or any hardware store. Now hardly any one carries them, and when they do, it cost a bundle. The price of paraffin has gone through the roof because of designer perfume candles. So if you see candles on SALE buy them.
I have also noticed that candles in a glass column tends to burn brighter, like most flames. I made a few out of wine/liquor bottles, just make sure that there is air flow coming up from the bottom of the holder. Also check your second hand stores.

Great tip on the second hand store idea Ranger. I volunteer at an MCC Thrift store. For ten cents a piece I have acquired a heck a lot of brand new candles. Tax free btw. 😀

I used soy wax to make my own candle cost me 30 dollars for 12 about 750 ml in size they burn for 40 to 60 hours each
http://teotwawkiblog.blogspot.ca/2012/02/diy-survival-candles.html?m=1

I used soy wax to make my own candle cost me 30 dollars for 12 about 750 ml in size they burn for 40 to 60 hours each
http://teotwawkiblog.blogspot.ca/2012/02/diy-survival-candles.html?m=1

Can you add scented oils to these? Along with emergency lighting, I get migraines, and often find a nice scented candle helpful, especially since migraine pills are 50+ bucks a piece. I know there's a local candle making shop that sells all the supplies (Niagara Candle Supply, for Southern Ontarians)

I used soy wax to make my own candle cost me 30 dollars for 12 about 750 ml in size they burn for 40 to 60 hours each
http://teotwawkiblog.blogspot.ca/2012/02/diy-survival-candles.html?m=1

I truly like this Idea. how well does soy wax burn in comparison to paraffin wax, its only recently that I heard about soy wax.