Emergency Preparedness Checklist & Quiz: Free Readiness Score

Answer for your whole household, not just yourself. If you live alone, answer for yourself. If you don't, think about everyone who'd be counting on what you have.

Go count it if you have to. A guess tells you nothing, an honest inventory does.

Food

If the stores closed today, how long could you feed your whole household?

A gray camp stove boiling a kettle beside a calm mountain lake

Cooking Method

If the power went out tonight, how would you cook for your household?

Electric only, no backup A camp stove, no real fuel reserve A camp stove with fuel on hand Propane or butane, ready to go Propane plus a wood-based backup Multiple redundant methods

Water

How long could your household stay hydrated on stored water alone?

A red first aid kit with scissors, tweezers, and medication laid out beside it

Medical

If someone in your household got seriously hurt, how ready are you to treat them?

Basic first aid only Over-the-counter medications on hand Real trauma supplies on hand An IFAK for every person A comprehensive household kit Full trauma gear plus everyone’s chronic meds

A person washing their hands with soap under running water at a bathroom sink

Hygiene / Sanitation

How long could your household maintain hygiene with zero store runs?

A warmly lit house entrance with a porch light glowing against a dark night sky

Security / Ammo

If it came to defending your household, how much ammo do you have on hand?

A person holding a lit lantern beside a tent in a dark forest

Lighting

If the grid went down tonight, how would your household handle light for months, not just the first night?

A black overland-ready truck with roof rack and headlights on, parked in open wasteland at dusk

Transportation

If you needed to evacuate right now, how much fuel and vehicle capacity do you have?

One vehicle, usually low on fuel One vehicle, usually half a tank Full tank plus 5 to 10 gallons stored Full tank plus 10 to 20 gallons stored Multiple vehicles plus 20+ gallons Every vehicle full, 25+ gallons rotated

A tactical backpack laid on its side surrounded by gloves, a helmet, and gear

Get-Home Bag

Does every adult in your household have a way to get home if something happened while they were out?

No get-home bag One basic bag, not really per-person One dedicated, stocked bag A full bag for every adult Per-adult bags, updated seasonally A bag in every vehicle, tested and current

A row of handheld two-way radios lined up in their charging docks

Communications

If cell towers went down, how would your household stay in touch and informed?

Cell phone only Cell phone plus general awareness Cell phone plus a radio A UV-5R style radio with repeater access Digital radio plus mesh capability Layered: cell, radios, and satellite

Resources / Preparedness / Readiness Scorecard

Readiness Scorecard