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Your first number is seven
· Ryan Fields-Spack, former fire captain, 20+ years as a paramedic · Education only. Call 911 in an emergency.
Who picks these kits
If the power went out tonight, how many days could your family make it?
I'm Ryan. I'm a former fire captain, with 20+ years as a paramedic, and a dad of three. For a lot of families, the honest answer is two or three days. Your first number is seven.
Here's the short answer. Plan for 7 days first, then 2 weeks, then 30 days. Store 1 gallon of water per person per day. For a family of four, that's 28 gallons for a week.
This is not a panic list. Build a little at a time. No debt. Then go live your life.
What are the preparedness tiers?
I use a ladder so the job stays small.
- Tier 1 is 7 days. That is the first goal.
- Tier 2 is 2 weeks. Same idea, a longer stretch.
- Tier 3 is 30 days. About a month of ordinary food, rotated.
- The long game is about 3 months of the food you already eat, then a year if you want it. That last step is optional. I would build it over years. A lot of emergencies are a lost paycheck.
| Tier | How long | Water for a family of 4 | Focus | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | 7 days | 28 gal | Your first goal | | 2 | 2 weeks | 56 gal | Same idea, a longer stretch | | 3 | 30 days | 120 gal | About a month of ordinary food, rotated |
What is a stay kit and a go bag?
One kit stays. One kit goes.
The go bag is for leaving. Pack one bag per person. Water, snacks, the medicines you already take, a phone charger, copies of IDs and insurance, cash, a change of clothes, and a comfort item for each kid. Keep the car at least half full. When an evacuation warning comes, I don't wait around hoping it gets better.
The stay kit is for home, when you can shelter and the power is out. That is the tier ladder. I buy a few extra things each time I shop. I start with food we already eat, and I rotate it.
The full checkbox list is on the survival page. Here is the shape of it.
How much water does my family need?
Water
1 gallon per person per day. Count the pets in that water. Store-bought jugs are fine.
What else is on the list?
Food
Shelf-stable food you already eat, plus a manual can opener.
Light and comms
A headlamp, batteries, a way to hear the news, and important phone numbers on paper, including an out-of-state contact. A meeting spot the whole family knows.
Heat
Sleeping bags and warm layers. One room you can all get into. A tent in the basement holds the heat in. The basement stays warmer.
Power
A solar-chargeable battery station comes later, in the two-week tier. It is not the first thing I would buy. Use a camp stove or a grill outside only, so you don't fill the house with carbon monoxide. A battery-backed carbon monoxide alarm belongs in the plan too.
Sanitation
A toilet bucket, heavy trash bags, wipes, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer.
Cash and documents
Cash in small bills. Copies of IDs, insurance, and birth certificates in a zipper bag.
Pets
Their food, their water, and a leash or a carrier.
Kids
A comfort item. A deck of cards. Formula or diapers if a little one in the house needs them.
Medical
A real first aid kit, and a written list of the medicines your family already takes. If someone is badly hurt, call 911.
Skills
Anyone old enough should know how to shut off the utilities, and basic first aid and CPR. Only shut off the gas if you smell it or hear it leaking, and get out. Once it's off, only the gas company should turn it back on. Everyone should know the family plan. Practice it. Make it a game.
I won't tell you how much of a medicine to take, and I won't tell you how to treat water. If you keep bleach for water, learn the CDC way before you need it. The survival page links that page.
What should I do this week?
Pick one Tier 1 thing and finish it. That is enough.
- Buy one rack of water and a manual can opener.
- Write the important numbers on paper, including an out-of-state contact.
- Look at the stay kit and the go bag. Fill the one that is empty.
Want the full checklist? See the free family survival checklist.
If someone is badly hurt, call 911. This is education, not medical advice.
Common questions
What are the preparedness tiers?
Tier 1 is 7 days. Tier 2 is 2 weeks. Tier 3 is 30 days.
How much water does my family need?
Store 1 gallon of water per person per day. For a family of four, that's 28 gallons for a week.
When should I shut off the gas?
Only shut off the gas if you smell it or hear it leaking, and get out. Once it's off, only the gas company should turn it back on.