Why is Local Paper Maps important for emergency preparedness?

Cell networks routinely fail during hurricanes, earthquakes, and major outages

How should I store Local Paper Maps in my emergency kit?

Get a paper road map of your county and adjacent ones from AAA or the state DOT

Which organizations recommend Local Paper Maps?

Local Paper Maps is recommended by CDC, Red Cross, USA.gov, Germany, Sweden as part of a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan.

How much does Local Paper Maps cost?

Local Paper Maps typically costs between $5-50 depending on quality and quantity. It's a cost-effective investment in emergency preparedness.

Local Paper Maps

🛒 Buy Local Paper Maps on Amazon → As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Why this item matters

Recommended by

CDC, American Red Cross, USA.gov, Germany, Sweden

Key reasons

Cell networks routinely fail during hurricanes, earthquakes, and major outages
Phone batteries drain quickly when the device cannot find signal
Evacuation routes are often back roads not visible on default GPS apps
Marking shelters, hospitals, and water sources by hand creates a personalised plan

Where to buy

Search for Local Paper Maps on Amazon As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Other items in Essential items

Related essentials

About this item

Local Paper Maps in your emergency kit

Phone GPS depends on cell towers, satellite signal, and battery — all of which may fail during a disaster. Printed local maps work without power and are essential for evacuating along unfamiliar back routes when main roads are blocked. Local Paper Maps appears on the recommended-supplies lists published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Red Cross, USA.gov, Germany's Federal Office of Civil Protection, Sweden's Civil Contingencies Agency. It is rated Medium urgency in our checklist, meaning households in high-risk regions should treat it as a baseline item rather than a "nice to have".

Why you need it

Cell networks routinely fail during hurricanes, earthquakes, and major outages
Phone batteries drain quickly when the device cannot find signal
Evacuation routes are often back roads not visible on default GPS apps
Marking shelters, hospitals, and water sources by hand creates a personalised plan
Useful for navigating around closed roads and detours

Storage and rotation tips

Get a paper road map of your county and adjacent ones from AAA or the state DOT
Highlight evacuation routes, shelters, hospitals, and meeting points in advance
Store flat in a waterproof zip bag inside the go-bag
Replace every 2-3 years to keep road and shelter information current

How it fits the 72-hour baseline

The EmergencyKit.app checklist follows CDC and American Red Cross guidance to cover the first 72 hours after a major disaster, the period during which public services such as power, water, and emergency response are most likely to be disrupted. Local Paper Maps sits in the Essential items category and should be packed in your stay-at-home kit at minimum, with a smaller portable version in your evacuation go-bag. Review your stock at least once a year, and replace anything past its use-by date.

About the EmergencyKit.app checklist

How we built it

EmergencyKit.app combines the official emergency-kit recommendations published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Red Cross, USA.gov's Ready.gov campaign, and the German Federal Office of Civil Protection (BBK) and Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB). Each item on the checklist is tagged with the organisations that recommend it so you can see at a glance how well-supported it is.

The 20% body-weight rule

A go-bag should weigh no more than roughly 20% of the carrier's body weight. Above that threshold, evacuating on foot becomes painful, slow, and risky for older or smaller adults and for children. The weight checker on the homepage estimates your kit's total weight from the items you select and warns you when you cross the limit, so you can swap heavier items for lighter alternatives before you actually need to leave.

Three days, then more

The baseline kit covers a 72-hour window because that is how long it typically takes public services to restore basic supplies after a major disaster. Households in high-risk regions for hurricanes, wildfires, or earthquakes should plan for at least two weeks of food, water, and prescription medication on top of the baseline kit.