Most families are about 27 checkboxes away from ready. Not a bunker. Not a lifestyle. Twenty-seven boxes, most of which cost little or nothing.
The six sections
- Water — stored gallons (1 per person per day), a no-power way to make more safe, and knowing the water already hiding in your house.
- Light — one lantern per room beats flashlights; headlamps keep hands free; the no-candle rule.
- Warmth — blankets and bivies counted per person, the one-room plan, the layers rule.
- Information — a hand-crank NOAA radio, county alerts signed up, key phone numbers on paper.
- Power — a charged power bank, a car charger, low-power discipline everyone knows.
- The family plan — meeting point, out-of-state check-in contact, kids' jobs, a 7-day medication buffer, document copies, small-bill cash, a first-aid kit someone knows how to use, the pet plan.
How to score it
23+ checked: you're the house with the lights on. 15–22: closer than most — close the water and light gaps first. Under 15: don't buy everything at once; start with water and light this weekend.
The full printable checklist — all 27 items with one-line explanations — is free in the Field Manual. The hardware side of the list fits in one box: the 72-Hour Blackout Kit, which covers water, light, warmth, and information for 2 people for 3 days.