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Start with 3 days. Build toward two weeks.

Storms and power cuts happen. If you have been meaning to get ready and have not known where to begin, you are in the right place. You do not need to do it all at once, and you do not need to spend money to start. Do one small step today, then build slowly: a little each shop.

Four questions we hear most

• Where do I start? With the free steps in Level 0: 3 days of food you already eat and tap water in clean bottles.
• How do I afford it? Start free. Then add a little each shop. Level 1 is about $80 for two people.
• How do I eat with no power? Keep 3 days of food you already eat that needs no cooking. See Level 0.
• Where do I put water? Think of it as a water system, not a pile of jugs. See Water and Apartments.

Level 0This week, $0

Free things that make the biggest difference. Start with 3 days using what you already have.

1. Food you already eat. Set aside 3 days of food your household already eats that needs no cooking, such as canned beans or fish, peanut butter, crackers and cereal. Add a manual can opener. Then add a few extra items each shop and eat the oldest first.
2. Store tap water. Fill clean, food-grade containers with tight lids. Plan on 1 gallon per person per day, and extra for pets. For 2 people and 3 days, that is 6 gallons. Label each one "drinking water" with the date, and replace it every 6 months (CDC).
3. Know how to make water safe. Boiling is the best way to kill germs: a rolling boil for 1 minute, 3 minutes above 6,500 feet. See Water for more.
4. Stay safe with heat and cooking. Never run a grill, camp stove, generator or fuel heater indoors, and never use a gas oven or stove to heat your home. They make carbon monoxide. If you live in an apartment, ask your building what fuel is allowed.
5. Warmth without power. Pick the smallest room with the fewest windows. Gather blankets, sleeping bags, hats and warm layers there. Close off rooms you are not using.
6. Find your lights and charge up. Gather every flashlight in one place, write down which batteries they take, and keep a power bank charged.
7. Medicines: make a list. Write down each medicine and dose for everyone in the house, and keep a copy with your papers. Ask your pharmacist how early you can refill, and refill on that day each time.
8. Put it on paper. Write out phone numbers and where your water and gas shutoffs are. Keep some cash at home in case card readers are down.
9. Pets. Set aside 3 days of their food, take a photo of each pet, and put the vet records in a zip bag.
10. Practice once. Turn off the main breaker for an evening and write down everything you reached for that did not work. Fix those first.

Level 13 days, about $80 for 2

Add light, news, first aid, and a way to carry and treat water to the free steps.

Water at this level: the 6 gallons of tap water from Level 0, plus four 4 L collapsible pouches with treatment tablets. They fold flat when empty and carry water home from a distribution point.

Rather have it packed for you? The Emergency Zone Essentials Complete 72-Hour Kit (2 Person) is $119.99, a ready-packed backpack for two. Per the maker it holds food rations, 12 water pouches, a water filter straw, emergency blankets and first aid.

Level 2One week, adds about $190

Store a week of water, and cover the two things people forget: the toilet and light for the whole room.

Water at this level: one 15 gallon tank covers 2 people for 7 days at 1 gallon each per day (14 gallons). The tank comes with a wrench. A fill hose, faucet adapters and treatment are not included. Fill it from a clean tap and follow the maker's directions for cleaning and storing.

Level 3Two weeks, adds about $430

Two weeks of water at home, power for phones and lights, and a way to talk across the neighborhood.

Water at this level: two tanks hold 30 gallons. Two people need 28 gallons for 14 days.

Level 4Two weeks plus real backup power, adds about $870

Solar power that can recharge itself, and a packed kit that covers two people if you have to leave.

Paper backup: keep a county map and a state road atlas in the car. Maps and Atlases

What each level costs per person per day (household of 2)

A one-time cost divided by the days it covers, the first time you use it. Almost everything here is reusable, so the cost per day drops every time you need it again. Water by itself is cheap: one 15 gallon tank is $119.99, about $8.00 per person per day of water the first time and far less after that.

WaterYour water system

Water is a system, not a pile of jugs. Start with stored water. Each step after that means you can keep going longer.

What the CDC says about making water safe

• Boiling is the best way to kill germs. Bring clear water to a rolling boil for 1 minute (3 minutes above 6,500 feet), let it cool, and store it in clean containers with tight lids.
• If water is cloudy, first filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel or coffee filter, or let it settle, then draw off the clear water.
• Most small portable filters do not remove viruses. Check the label for what a filter removes, follow the maker's instructions, and disinfect filtered water by boiling or with bleach.
• Boiling and disinfecting do not make water with fuel, toxic chemicals or radioactive material safe. Use bottled water or another source, and contact your health department.

Using bleach: use unscented household bleach less than a year old (no scented, color-safe or "with cleaner" bleach). For clear water, add 8 drops per gallon of 6% bleach, or 6 drops per gallon of 8.25% bleach. If the water is cloudy, murky, colored or very cold, filter it first, then double the drops. Stir well and let it stand at least 30 minutes before drinking. Bleach does not work as well as boiling against some germs, including Cryptosporidium and Giardia.

Rainwater is not safe to drink untreated. The CDC says it can pick up germs from the roof, such as bird droppings, and chemicals or metals from roofing, gutters, pipes and storage. Use gutter water for flushing and washing. If you plan to drink it, cook with it or bathe in it, the CDC advises testing it and using treatment that removes what is in it, and not mixing it into treated tap or bottled water.

Sources: CDC: How to Create an Emergency Water Supply · CDC: How to Make Water Safe in an Emergency · CDC: Collecting Rainwater and Your Health

ApartmentsIn an apartment

No garage? Most of this fits under a bed or in a closet. A good small start, about $95:

• 4 Liter Collapsible Water Pouch with Tablets (4 Pack), $12.99
• Motion Sensor LED Headlamp, $11.99
• Dynamo Crank Radio Flashlight, $19.99
• Complete Toilet Set with Potty Box, $39.99. If the water stops, the toilet stops too.
• Collapsible LED Lantern, $9.99

Together: $94.95, ships free. Next, add the 15 Gallon Water Storage Tank ($119.99, 27 in x 15 in, closet size) for $214.94 total, then the Jackery Explorer 300 v2 ($279.00) for $493.94. Store water where a leak will not reach the unit below, and check what your lease says. For food, keep 3 days of food you already eat that needs no cooking; you do not need a stove. Ask your building before keeping any camp fuel indoors.

PetsFor your pets

• Emergency Zone Basic Cat Emergency Kit, $49.99: an evacuation kit for one cat with food, water pouches, a litter setup and pet first aid, per the maker.
• Emergency Zone Pet First Aid Kit for Small Dogs and Cats, $16.99.

Both together: $66.98. That is under $75, so shipping is by weight from $8 unless you add them to a larger Emergency Zone order. Set aside 3 days of their food and plan water for them too, and keep their records with yours.

Prices shown were checked on November 8, 2026 and can change. The price on each product page and at checkout is the one that applies.