The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Prepare for two different outcomes: leaving quickly and staying indoors while ash falls. Keep a portable evacuation kit, a larger shelter-in-place supply, and a vehicle cache; learn your local hazard zones and routes; and follow emergency-management officials during an eruption. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says to follow local officials for volcanic-eruption preparation because authorities may order only selected high-risk areas to evacuate.
The checklist below combines current CDC guidance (updated and reviewed August 25, 2026) with U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) household ashfall guidance. The USGS quantities are useful planning baselines, not a universal rule for every country. If you live outside the United States, substitute your local emergency agency and volcano observatory instructions.
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Design the kit for evacuation and sheltering
A volcanic eruption can produce ashfall, falling rock, lava, lahars, toxic gases, fast-changing roads and poor visibility. A kit that works for a short power outage may not protect you from fine ash or help you leave a restricted zone. Plan for both situations before an alert is issued.
| Situation | What the household needs | Where to keep supplies |
|---|---|---|
| Evacuation | Lightweight food and water, medicines, identification and documents, respiratory and eye protection, clothing, communications and a way to move safely on designated routes. | One grab-and-go container near an exit, with personal bags ready for each household member. |
| Sheltering during ashfall | Several days of water and food, a radio, batteries, respiratory and eye protection, materials to reduce ash entry, medicines, sanitation items and tools for safe indoor cleanup. | A cool, dry, accessible storage area inside the home, plus protective materials near windows, doors and heating or ventilation controls. |
| Travel by car | Water and food, maps, tools, first aid, lighting, communication and equipment for a vehicle that may be delayed or stopped. | A separate vehicle supply cache secured in the trunk or another protected compartment. |
Tell everyone which container to take, where the shelter supplies are stored and how to contact one another. Choose a family reunion location outside the hazard area in case mobile networks are congested.
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Core emergency supplies
Start with the items the CDC specifically lists for volcanic-eruption preparedness. Pack them in waterproof bags or lidded containers that one person can carry, then add the volcano-specific items in the later sections.
- Flashlight and spare batteries: Keep batteries in their original packaging or a separate bag so a leaking cell does not damage the light.
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and spare batteries: A radio can deliver evacuation, road and ashfall instructions when internet or cellular service is unreliable.
- First-aid kit and manual: Include dressings, adhesive tape, antiseptic supplies, gloves and any items your household routinely uses. A first-aid kit does not replace professional care.
- Emergency food: Choose sealed, ready-to-eat, nonperishable food that household members can eat without refrigeration or cooking.
- Water: Store drinking water in containers that can be carried during an evacuation, with additional water reserved at home.
- Manual can opener: Pack one whenever canned food is included.
- Essential medicines: Keep medicines in labeled containers with instructions and prescriber or pharmacy contact details.
- Sturdy shoes: Shoes with closed toes and good soles protect feet from rough ground, broken glass and abrasive ash better than sandals or slippers.
- Respiratory protection: Stock NIOSH-approved N95 respirators in several sizes where available, and use them as directed. They are for particles, not gases.
- Eye protection: Sealed or close-fitting goggles help keep ash out of the eyes; ordinary eyeglasses are not a substitute for a close seal.
Water, food and medication quantities
Use different durations for different supplies rather than treating “72 hours” as a rule for everything.
| Supply | Planning amount | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Water | One gallon (3.8 litres) per person per day for 72 hours | USGS household ashfall guidance; the page does not state a publication year. Add more for pets, hot conditions, illness or sanitation when local authorities advise it. |
| Nonperishable food | At least 72 hours for every household member, including pets | USGS household ashfall guidance; the page was modified December 16, 2015. Select foods that match allergies, infant feeding and medical diets. |
| Prescription medicines for evacuation | At least one week | CDC evacuation recommendation on its page updated and reviewed August 25, 2026. This is separate from the 72-hour food and water baseline. |
Keep a smaller dose of essential medication in the grab-and-go bag and the remainder in a protected home supply. Ask a clinician or pharmacist how to store temperature-sensitive medicines during a power failure. Do not transfer medicines into unmarked bags.
Choose ash protection that actually works
Respirators
Fine volcanic ash can irritate the nose, throat, lungs and eyes. The CDC recommends a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator for outdoor exposure and for cleaning ash indoors. Follow the package instructions for putting it on, checking the seal and replacing it. Stock enough for each person who may need to go outside or clean up; children may require a size designed to fit them, and a respirator that does not seal cannot provide its intended protection.
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Disposable particulate respirators do not filter toxic gases and vapors. An N95 therefore does not make an area safe when officials warn of volcanic gases. Leave or shelter exactly as authorities direct, and do not improvise a gas mask by modifying a particulate respirator.
Nuisance dust masks are a last resort and provide less protection. If no suitable respirator is available, limit exposure, stay indoors with windows and doors closed, and wait for official instructions rather than assuming a loose mask is adequate.
Eye protection
Pack goggles that fit over prescription glasses if needed. Ash can scratch the cornea and become more irritating when combined with contact lenses. Carry spare eyeglasses, contact lenses, cleaning solution and a protective case; avoid wearing contacts when ash is present if your eye-care professional has advised against it.
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Clothing and decontamination
Place long sleeves, long trousers, gloves and sturdy footwear with the respirators and goggles. Keep a sealable bag for ash-covered clothing so particles are not tracked through living areas. Have clean water or sterile saline available for gentle eye rinsing; do not rub ash into the eyes.
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Adapt the kit to medical, disability and pet needs
Respiratory and other medical conditions
People with asthma, chronic lung disease or other respiratory difficulties may need extra medicines, a written action plan, backup batteries for medical equipment and, where prescribed, additional oxygen. Ask the treating clinician how much reserve is appropriate and how to use equipment if ash or a power outage affects the home. Mark the location of oxygen cylinders and keep them away from flames and heat.
Include spare eyeglasses, hearing-aid batteries, mobility-device charging equipment, incontinence supplies and communication cards. If someone cannot evacuate stairs or walk long distances, arrange assistance with neighbors, caregivers or local emergency services before an event.
Infants, older adults and dietary needs
Add formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, age-appropriate food, warm layers and comfort items for infants. Older adults may need larger-print instructions, extra batteries for medical devices and help lifting the container. Pack shelf-stable foods that meet allergies, religious requirements or therapeutic diets, plus any utensils needed to open or eat them.
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Store food and water for every pet for at least the same initial period as the household supply, and keep bowls, medications, leashes, carriers, waste bags and vaccination or identification records together. Identify pet-friendly evacuation destinations in advance; many public shelters cannot accept animals other than service animals. A service animal’s working equipment, documentation and backup food belong in the evacuation bag.
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- ADVANCED FILTER MEDIA for easy breathing
- ADJUSTABLE M-NOSECLIP helps provide a custom and secure seal
Prepare the home for ashfall sheltering
USGS household guidance includes plastic and tape for extreme ashfall and plastic wrap to protect electronics. These materials are inexpensive but useful only when kept accessible and used before ash accumulates.
- Plastic sheeting and durable tape: Pre-cut or label pieces for vulnerable vents, gaps and equipment. Do not block required combustion-air or life-safety openings unless officials or a qualified technician instruct you; sealing the wrong opening can create a carbon-monoxide or fire hazard.
- Plastic wrap or bags: Cover computers, televisions, routers and other electronics that cannot be moved. Turn equipment off before covering it and allow it to cool.
- Cleaning tools: Keep disposable gloves, goggles, sturdy bags, a soft-bristle broom, a dustpan and damp-cleaning cloths. Avoid actions that send dry ash into the air.
- Sanitation supplies: Include toilet paper, hand sanitizer, soap, garbage bags and menstrual or incontinence products in case water service is interrupted.
- Power and charging: Add power banks, charging cables and a vehicle charger for phones, while remembering that official radio instructions remain important if networks fail.
Actions when officials advise sheltering
- Close and lock windows and outside doors.
- Turn off heating, air conditioning and fans that draw outside air.
- Close the fireplace damper.
- Move people and pets away from drafts and keep the radio working for updates.
- Use respirators and goggles if you must go outside or clean ash indoors.
Do not seal yourself in a room without considering ventilation, heating and fuel-burning appliances. Follow the specific instructions issued for your building and location.
Build a separate vehicle cache
Evacuation routes can be congested, blocked or changed. Keep a vehicle cache rather than assuming the home kit will remain accessible. The CDC examples include:
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| Category | Items to pack | Why it matters during an eruption |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility and communication | Flashlight, spare batteries, radio, maps and a phone charger | Ash, darkness or outages can make navigation and updates difficult. |
| Vehicle recovery | Booster cables, basic tools, flares and a fire extinguisher | A stalled vehicle may need signaling or a jump while traffic is delayed. |
| People | Food, water, first-aid kit, sleeping bags and sturdy footwear | You may wait in the vehicle or leave it and walk to a safe location. |
| Navigation and records | Paper maps, emergency contacts, identification copies and route information | Designated routes may differ from your usual journey and electronic navigation may fail. |
Check tire condition, fuel level, wipers and air filters before an eruption. Ash can reduce visibility and damage engines; if authorities tell you not to drive, do not treat the vehicle cache as permission to travel.
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Assemble the kit step by step
- Map the hazard. Obtain the official volcanic hazard-zone map for your area. Mark evacuation routes, higher-ground or other designated destinations, road closures likely to affect you and at least one alternate route.
- Set two meeting points. Choose one nearby location outside the immediate building and one regional location outside the hazard area. Write addresses and phone numbers on paper.
- Inventory the household. Count people, pets and service animals; list medicines, oxygen, mobility equipment, allergies, infant supplies and dietary requirements. This list determines the quantities and container sizes.
- Choose containers. Use a portable bag or bin for evacuation, a larger labeled home container for sheltering and a secured vehicle cache. Keep the evacuation container light enough for the least-strong person who may carry it.
- Pack the core items first. Add light, radio, first aid, food, water, can opener, medicines, shoes, N95 respirators and goggles. Put frequently needed medicines and identification where they can be reached immediately.
- Add ashfall materials. Store plastic, tape, electronics coverings, gloves, cleaning tools, spare glasses and contact supplies beside the shelter supplies rather than burying them at the bottom of an evacuation bag.
- Label and distribute. Mark containers with the contents, date checked and the person or pet they serve. Give each person a small personal bag for medicines, documents, clothing and comfort items.
- Practice both decisions. Rehearse an evacuation using the designated route and a shelter drill that includes shutting down outside-air systems and locating the radio. Explain that authorities, not the household, decide whether to leave or stay.
- Maintain the supplies. Replace expired medicines, damaged respirators, dead batteries and opened food. Refill water after use, update contact information and resize clothing or respirators as children grow.
What to do when an eruption or ashfall begins
If authorities order evacuation
Obey the order promptly and use designated evacuation routes. Other roads may be blocked by ash, lava, lahars, debris or emergency operations, and traffic delays are likely. Take the portable kit, medicines, identification, pets and the vehicle cache only if officials say driving is safe. Turn off utilities only when instructed or when doing so is part of your local emergency plan; do not delay departure to collect nonessential possessions.
If authorities advise sheltering
Stay indoors, complete the window, door, heating and ventilation actions, and monitor the radio. Keep respirators and goggles available for any necessary trip outdoors. Limit door opening so ash does not enter, and keep children and pets away from contaminated surfaces.
If ashfall continues for hours
Ash can accumulate on roofs, overload structures and obstruct air intakes. It can also reduce visibility and make roads hazardous. CDC guidance says to listen to authorities about leaving when ashfall lasts more than a few hours. Do not climb onto a roof or attempt major ash removal unless officials say it is safe and you have appropriate protection; wet ash can be extremely heavy, and falling from a roof is a serious risk.
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- Only a generic outage kit: Add N95 respirators, goggles, spare glasses, plastic and tape, ash-safe cleaning supplies and route information.
- One bag for the entire household: Split medicines, water and personal needs among manageable bags so one lost container does not remove every essential.
- Expired or inaccessible medicine: Use a refill calendar, keep labels intact and ask a pharmacist about a legal emergency supply.
- Respirators stored loose: Keep them clean, dry and in original packaging. A crushed or contaminated respirator may not seal.
- No paper information: Print contacts, meeting points, hazard maps and medication lists in case phones or internet service fail.
- Pets left out of the plan: Pre-arrange transport and shelter, and keep carriers and leashes beside the evacuation kit.
- Assuming an N95 filters gas: It does not. Follow gas, evacuation and shelter instructions from local authorities.
- Driving automatically: Check official alerts first. Ash can make roads dangerous, and authorities may close routes or direct traffic elsewhere.
Keep the plan current
Review the kit at least twice a year and whenever your household changes, a prescription changes, a new pet arrives or officials revise hazard maps. Replace food and water used for emergencies, test radios and flashlights, inspect plastic and tape, and confirm that every person can find the evacuation container without assistance. The most important item is not a product: it is a practiced decision to follow local officials, whether that means leaving immediately or sheltering with windows and outside-air systems secured.
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