Household preparedness
The First 72 Hours: A Household Readiness Checklist
A storm can leave your household without heat, power or access to supplies. Prepare three days of essentials and make sure everyone knows where to find them.
During an emergency, your household still needs drinking water, meals, lighting and a way to stay in contact. The National Weather Service identifies lost heat, power and communications as practical winter-storm risks. Prepare enough essentials for the first three days, accounting for your household’s needs and local emergency guidance.
Start with food and water
Set aside shelf-stable meals your household can eat, along with any water needed to prepare them. Check calories, portion sizes and dietary information. A package’s serving count alone will not tell you how long it will feed everyone.
Add everyday essentials
- Flashlights, spare batteries and charging cables.
- A radio and a written list of emergency contacts.
- First-aid supplies and the personal items your household needs.
- Copies of important documents, kept protected from water.
- Supplies for children, older adults and pets as appropriate.
Make the plan usable
Choose a meeting place and discuss how everyone would leave if officials ordered an evacuation. Review the supplies regularly: check dates, replace what you have used and recharge batteries according to their instructions.
Build your readiness plan or explore survival supplies.
For a complete preparedness checklist and local planning considerations, visit Ready.gov.
Turn knowledge into readiness
Prepare for the people counting on you
A plan is easier to build before daily life is interrupted. Check what you have, close one gap and make sure your household knows what to do.
Build your starter plan
