Emergency Preparedness: The Complete Family Guide

A 72-hour emergency kit should contain: 1 gallon of water per person per day (3 gallons total), 3 days of non-perishable food, a first aid kit, flashlight with extra batteries, battery or hand-crank radio, medications, copies of important documents, cash in small bills, and a whistle. Store in a waterproof bag ready to grab in under 2 minutes.

FEMA recommends a minimum 3-day supply; serious preppers target 3–12 months. Start with a 2-week supply of shelf-stable foods your family already eats. Rotate stock every 6–12 months. Focus on: freeze-dried meals (25 year shelf life), canned goods (2–5 years), dry grains and legumes (10–20+ years), and honey (indefinite shelf life).

For emergencies, a layered approach works best: (1) Sawyer Squeeze filter (removes 99.99999% of bacteria, portable, requires no power), (2) LifeStraw for individual use, (3) Berkey gravity filter for home base (4,500+ gallon capacity). Store at least 1 gallon per person per day for 2 weeks minimum.

A bug-out bag (BOB) is a pre-packed backpack designed to sustain you for 72 hours if you must evacuate quickly. Core contents: water (or filter), food bars, first aid kit, emergency blanket, fire starter, knife, paracord, flashlight, cash, copies of documents, medications, phone charger, and local map. Weight target: under 30 lbs.

Preppers use layered communication: (1) NOAA weather radio — emergency broadcasts, (2) FRS/GMRS walkie-talkies for local family communication, (3) Ham radio (requires license) for long-distance communication when cell towers are down. A family meeting point and rally plan eliminates the need for communication if phones fail.