An effective emergency preparedness plan covers three tiers: immediate (24-hour), short-term (72-hour), and extended (30-day) scenarios. Most emergencies are resolved within 72 hours, but extended disruptions like grid failures or supply chain breakdowns require deeper preparation. The key is layered readiness — each tier builds on the previous one.

This checklist works for families and individuals alike. Adapt it for your specific needs — whether you have infants, elderly family members, pets, or medical requirements. For evacuation-specific preparation, see our bug out bag guide.

This is your grab-and-go minimum. Keep this assembled and accessible at all times. In many disasters — earthquakes, fires, severe storms — you have minutes to evacuate, not hours.

The standard recommendation from Ready.gov and the American Red Cross. Most rescue and relief operations establish within 72 hours. This is your shelter-in-place or sustained evacuation supply.

For extended disruptions — grid-down scenarios, supply chain breakdowns, or prolonged natural disasters. This tier bridges short-term survival to self-reliance skills that produce rather than consume.

Family Communication Plan

Half of emergency preparedness is knowing what to do — the other half is making sure everyone else knows too. Establish these before an emergency, not during one:

• 1.Meeting points — one near home, one outside the neighborhood
• 2.Out-of-area contact — a relative everyone can check in with (long-distance calls often work when local lines are jammed)
• 3.Evacuation routes — at least two exit routes from your home and neighborhood
• 4.School/work plans — know each location's emergency procedures
• 5.Practice drills — run through the plan at least twice per year

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