Household readiness checklist

Enough drinking water for three days, and two ways to make more safe to drink.

• Store at least one gallon of water per person per day for three days.
• Keep a back-up container that is food-grade and sealable.
• Have two treatment methods on hand (for example a filter and a way to boil).
• Date stored water and plan to rotate it every six months.

Three days of food your household actually eats, with no cooking required.

• Set aside three days of shelf-stable food per person.
• Include a manual can opener and simple utensils.
• Note any allergies and dietary needs in the household plan.
• Rotate the pantry once a year so nothing expires in storage.

Light, heat and charging that do not depend on the grid.

• One headlamp or torch per person, with spare batteries.
• A charged power bank for phones and a car charger as backup.
• Battery or hand-crank lighting instead of open flames indoors.
• Know where your main breaker, gas valve and water shut-off are.

A plan that works when the network is busy or down.

• Write key phone numbers on paper, not only in a phone.
• Agree on one out-of-area contact everyone will check in with.
• Keep a battery or hand-crank radio for local alerts.
• Sign up for your local emergency alert system.

A stocked kit, current medications, and knowing who to call.

• Keep a first aid kit in the home and one in the car.
• Write down prescriptions, doses and allergies for each person.
• Note any current first aid or CPR training you actually hold, if any.
• Save the nearest urgent care and hospital details offline.

Two ways out, one bag each, and a place to meet.

• Identify two routes out of your neighbourhood.
• Pack a go-bag per person with clothes, water and copies of documents.
• Store documents in a waterproof bag or folder.
• Choose a meeting point and share it with everyone in the household.