Evacuating With Infants in an Emergency in Grand Rapids, MI

Advice for Parents and Caregivers

Emergencies in Grand Rapids—such as winter storms, power outages, flooding along the Grand River, or severe thunderstorms—can develop quickly. Because infants are especially vulnerable and require many supplies, families in West Michigan are strongly encouraged to evacuate early when advised by emergency services or local authorities.

If you need to leave your home, aim to pack at least 3 days’ worth of supplies for every family member, including your baby. This guide is tailored for families in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and assumes that during an evacuation there may be no access to electricity, safe tap water, or refrigeration.

Preparing to Evacuate With an Infant in Grand Rapids

Local Emergency and Health Context

In the Grand Rapids area, you may be asked to evacuate due to:

  • Heavy snowstorms and ice storms causing extended power outages
  • Flooding from the Grand River or nearby tributaries
  • Severe thunderstorms, tornado warnings, or high wind events
  • Localized chemical spills or fires

Stay tuned to:

  • Kent County Emergency Management
  • Kent County Health Department
  • Grand Rapids Public Safety
  • Local news and weather (WOOD-TV8, FOX 17, WZZM 13)
  • NOAA Weather Radio and smartphone emergency alerts

Major Grand Rapids health systems that can be important resources during and after an evacuation include Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, University of Michigan Health-West (Metro Health), and Mercy Health locations.

General Infant Emergency Kit for Grand Rapids Families

Pack these core items for at least 3 days:

  • Diapers (about 10 per day; pack ~30 for 3 days)
  • Baby wipes (sufficient for 3 days)
  • Disposable bags for used diapers (at least 30)
  • Hand sanitizer (alcohol-based)
  • Changing pad or disposable changing mats
  • Baby clothing layers (Grand Rapids weather can change quickly)
  • Warm hat, socks, and blanket in colder months
  • Lightweight blanket for warmer weather
  • Baby-safe sunscreen (if 6 months or older) and sunhat (summer)
  • Any prescription medications and medical supplies
  • Infant thermometer
  • Comfort items (blanket, pacifier/dummy, favorite toy)
  • Simple activity items (board books, small toys, soft games)
  • Infant-safe bedding (portable crib, bassinet, or travel bed if possible)

Additional Items for Breastfed Infants in an Emergency

Exclusively Breastfeeding

If you are exclusively breastfeeding, you generally do not need to pack extra food for your infant, but you do need:

  • Bottled drinking water for yourself
    • Breastfeeding mothers need extra fluids, especially in winter when indoor heating is drying or in hot, humid Michigan summers.
    • Plan for about 9 liters (around 2.4 gallons) of drinking water for yourself over 3 days, in addition to other family needs.

Important:
Stress, cold weather, and disruption do not stop your body from making milk, but they can affect the let-down reflex (milk release). To help:

  • Keep your baby skin-to-skin when possible
  • Offer the breast frequently
  • Stay as warm and comfortable as you can
  • Take slow, deep breaths and try to relax during feeds
  • Drink fluids regularly

If You Usually Use a Breast Pump

In an emergency in Grand Rapids, you may not have electricity or clean running water to power and clean breast pumps.

If you express breastmilk:

  • Learn hand expression ahead of time
  • Talk with your lactation consultant at Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
  • The Kent County Health Department and local WIC offices can also provide breastfeeding support and referrals

Pack:

  • Manual breast pump (if you use one)
  • Single-use plastic or paper cups for expressed milk
    • Allow one clean cup for every feed (up to 27 cups for 3 days for a young infant)
  • Enough bottles and teats/nipples to use a new, clean set for every feed
    • For a young infant, this may mean up to 27 bottles and 27 teats
    • Wash, sterilize, dry, and seal them in zip-top bags before the emergency if possible
  • Clean zip-top bags for storage
  • Hand sanitizer and paper towels for hand and surface cleaning

Additional Items for Formula-Fed Infants in an Emergency

Cleaning and sterilizing bottles and teats is difficult when you don’t have hot, clean water—something that can happen in Grand Rapids during power outages, boil-water advisories, or flooding.

Prepare a formula emergency kit in a lidded plastic box. The inside of the lid can serve as a clean preparation surface.

Pack:

  • Unopened tins of infant formula
    • Enough for 3 days of feeds (check your baby’s usual intake and add extra for safety)
  • Enough bottles and teats for 3 days
    • Aim for a new, clean bottle and teat for every feed (up to 27 bottles and 27 teats for a young infant)
    • Pre-wash, sterilize, dry, and seal each set in a zip-top bag at home
  • Still bottled drinking water (250 mL bottles) for mixing formula
    • You may need up to 24 small bottles (or equivalent in larger bottles)
    • Do not use water from lakes, rivers, or streams (including the Grand River or Lake Michigan) for formula
  • Large containers of water (about 6 liters) for washing hands and cleaning the preparation area (if safe water is available)
  • Detergent (small bottle) for washing hands and surfaces
  • Paper towels (2–3 ply)
    • Up to 200 sheets for drying hands, cleaning and drying the preparation area
  • Hand sanitizer (in case clean water is limited)

Cup Feeding Infants in an Emergency

If you are evacuating from your home in Grand Rapids and do not have enough clean, sterilized bottles and teats to last 3 days, a bottle-fed infant can be taught to drink from a cup.

Why Use an Open Cup?

  • Open cups are the safest in emergency situations
  • They are easier to keep clean than bottles and nipples
  • You can use a small plastic disposable cup, such as a medicine cup

How to Cup-Feed an Infant Safely

  1. Positioning the Baby

    • Only cup-feed when your baby is fully awake and alert
    • Do not lay your baby back, as this can cause choking or aspiration (breathing milk into the lungs)
    • Wrap small babies lightly to keep their hands from knocking the cup
    • For older babies, hold them so they cannot grab the cup
    • Sit your baby upright on your lap
    • Use your spare arm and hand to hold your baby firmly and securely

  2. Positioning the Cup

    • Fill the cup about half full
    • Hold the cup so it just touches your baby’s mouth, reaching the corners of the mouth
    • Rest the rim lightly on the lower lip, don’t press

  3. Feeding Technique

    • Start by allowing your baby a tiny sip to encourage them
    • Do not pour the milk into your baby’s mouth
    • Gently tip the cup just enough so your baby can lap the milk with their tongue
    • Your baby should bring their tongue forward to sip the milk at their own pace

  4. Follow Your Baby’s Cues

    • Keep the cup in a slightly tilted position
    • When your baby pauses, do not remove the cup unless they pull away
    • Allow your baby to start again when ready
    • Let your baby control how much milk they take each time

Cup-feeding may seem slow and messy at first, but it gets easier with practice and is often safer than trying to reuse unclean bottles in an emergency.

Complementary Foods for Infants Who Eat Solids

If your baby is over 6 months and has started solids, pack non-perishable foods that do not require refrigeration. These are especially helpful during Michigan power outages or evacuations to shelters.

Pack for at Least 3 Days

  • Enough non-perishable foods for 3 days
    • Include 3 meals and snacks per day
  • Bottled still drinking water for infants over 6 months
    • Allow about 1.5 liters over 3 days (in addition to formula or breastmilk)
  • Baby spoons or disposable teaspoons
  • Hand sanitizer and paper towels for cleaning hands and utensils

Examples of Suitable Non-Perishable Infant Foods

  • Infant cereals (e.g., iron-fortified rice cereal, Weetbix softened with safe liquid)
  • Long-life (shelf-stable) milk for use on cereal only (not as a main drink for young infants)
  • Low-salt tinned baked beans (for older infants who tolerate them)
  • Ready-made infant meal pouches (e.g., tuna, rice, and vegetables)
  • Tinned fruit in natural juice (no added sugar)
  • Fruit and vegetable pouches for infants
  • Nut spreads (for infants already safely introduced to nuts; spread thinly)
  • Tinned chicken breast (in water)
  • Tinned fish (in olive oil or brine), bones removed and mashed well

Always feed your infant with clean hands and a clean baby spoon. Avoid foods that are choking hazards or highly salted, sugared, or spiced.

Seasonal Considerations for Grand Rapids Parents

Winter and Cold Weather

  • Pack extra warm layers, socks, hats, and blankets
  • Ensure you have warm outerwear for yourself and your baby in case you must walk or wait outdoors
  • Be prepared for road closures and slow travel during snow and ice

Summer and Heat

  • Pack lightweight clothing and a sunhat for your baby
  • Never leave your infant in a car during evacuation, even for a short time
  • Offer more frequent feeds (breastmilk or formula) to prevent dehydration

Where to Get Help in Grand Rapids, MI

If you need support before, during, or after an emergency:

  • Kent County Health Department
    • Information on emergency preparedness, safe water, and infant health
  • Grand Rapids Public Health and City Services
    • Local shelter information and emergency updates
  • Corewell Health (Spectrum Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health
    • Pediatricians, lactation consultants, and urgent care
  • Local WIC Offices (Kent County)
    • Breastfeeding support, formula guidance, nutrition education
  • 2-1-1 (Heart of West Michigan United Way)
    • Call 2-1-1 for information on shelters, food, medical help, and other local resources during emergencies

For life-threatening emergencies, always call 911.

Preparing an infant emergency kit tailored to life in Grand Rapids—accounting for cold winters, potential flooding, and power outages—can make evacuation safer and less stressful. Pack early, keep supplies together in an easy-to-carry container, and review your kit every season to ensure everything is up to date and ready to go.