Hurricane supplies calculator: water, food and light for a storm

How the planner works

Water for people. The base figure comes from Ready.gov, the US federal preparedness site: store at least one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation. Children count the same as adults. The planner multiplies people by days and converts the gallons to litres (one US gallon is about 3.785 litres).

Water for pets. Ready.gov asks for several days' water for each pet but gives no daily amount, so the planner uses a figure you set, starting at 1 litre per pet per day. Treat that default as a rough starting point: a small cat needs less, a large dog on a hot day more. Adjust it for your animal's size and ask your vet.

Meals. Three a day for every person: people × days × 3.

Light sources. One torch or lantern per person, and never fewer than two, so a single dead battery never leaves the house in the dark.

Medicines. The days you are planning for, plus seven. The extra week is our own buffer, because pharmacies and clinics may stay shut after a storm.

Containers. The total water for people and pets, divided by a 7-gallon container (about 26.5 litres) and rounded up to a whole container.

water for people (gallons) = people × days
water for pets (litres)    = pets × days × litres per pet per day
total water (litres)       = gallons × 3.785 + water for pets
meals                      = people × days × 3
light sources              = people, but at least 2
medicine (days)            = days + 7
7-gallon containers        = total litres ÷ 26.5, rounded up

The planner accepts from 1 to 30 days.

Worked example

The planner opens with a household of two adults, one child and one pet, planning for seven days.

Now stretch the same household to 14 days, a fair test of what a long power cut would demand. The water rises to 42 gallons (159 litres) for the people and 14 litres for the pet, 173 litres in all, which fills 7 containers. Meals climb to 126 and medicines to 21 days: easier to face on a screen in June than in a hardware store queue in September.

What it can't tell you

Whether a gallon is enough. Ready.gov treats the gallon as a minimum: in very hot weather water needs can double, and children, nursing mothers and people who are ill may need more. A Bahamian August without power is that kind of heat, so round up.

Water for everything else. The figure covers drinking and basic hygiene. Water for flushing toilets or cleaning up is extra, so store it separately if you can.

How long you will need it. Seven days is a planning default, not a forecast. After a major hurricane, supplies may be needed for much longer than a week, particularly on islands where power, water and the supply boats all have to be restored before shops can restock.

What to eat. The meal count is a number, not a menu. It knows nothing of baby formula, special diets or cooking without power, and will not remind you to pack a manual tin opener.

Your medicines. The planner counts days, not doses. If any of your medicines must be kept cold, ask your pharmacist or doctor how to store them through a power cut.

Your house and your plan. Shutters, surge risk and where you will shelter are beyond a calculator. Our hurricane season household calendar spreads those jobs from May to November, and the weather guide shows when the stormiest months fall.

Sources

• Ready.gov: Water
• Ready.gov: Build a kit
• Ready.gov: Prepare your pets for disasters
• Bahamas Department of Meteorology

Frequently asked questions

How much water should I store for a hurricane in the Bahamas?

Start with at least one gallon per person per day, the Ready.gov figure, for as many days as you plan to cover. For a family of three over a week that is 21 gallons, about 79.5 litres. In hot weather, or with anyone who is ill, nursing or very young, store more.

How much water does a dog or cat need during a storm?

There is no official daily figure, so the planner starts at 1 litre per pet per day as a rough guide. A small cat may need far less and a large, active dog more, especially in summer heat. Set the figure for your own animal and check it with your vet.

Why does the planner add a week of medicines?

After a hurricane, pharmacies and clinics can stay closed for a while. An extra seven days gives you a margin while services return. Your pharmacist or doctor can advise on how to build up that supply safely.