Start Here: Build a 3-Day Foundation, Then Work Toward 2 Weeks
A practical, room-by-room approach to building household readiness without panic-buying, overspending, or trying to do everything at once.
Start with three days—not everything at once
Washington households are encouraged to work toward having two weeks of supplies at home. That is a valuable goal, especially in a region where a major earthquake or widespread winter storm could interrupt utilities, transportation, stores, and emergency services.
But two weeks can feel overwhelming when you are beginning with nothing.
Start by making your household dependable for three days. Once that foundation is complete, extend it gradually—one day, one meal, and one useful item at a time.
You do not need to buy everything today. You probably already own more of your preparedness foundation than you realize.
1. Begin in the kitchen: water and familiar food
Water is the first priority.
A practical starting amount is one gallon per person per day for drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene. Include additional water for pets and household members whose needs may be higher.
For a three-day foundation:
Multiply the number of people in your household by three gallons.
Add water for every pet.
Store it somewhere cool, accessible, and protected from household chemicals.
Check commercially bottled water periodically and follow its storage guidance.
NOT SURE WHETHER YOUR WATER IS SAFE?
Stored water, an interrupted supply, and an official water advisory require different decisions. Use the Weatherstead Water Decision Tool to identify the situation, find the safest next step, and understand what not to do.
Then consider food. Choose items your household already eats—not expensive emergency meals that may sit untouched for years.
Look for food that:
Does not require refrigeration
Can be eaten without cooking
Requires little or no additional water
Accommodates allergies and dietary needs
Can be rotated into normal meals before it expires
A manual can opener belongs with canned food. If you plan to cook during an outage, make sure the method is safe for its intended location. Never use outdoor grills, camp stoves, or generators inside a home, garage, or other enclosed space.
2. Check the places where you already keep light and power
Walk through your home and identify what would happen if the electricity stopped tonight.
Gather:
Flashlights or headlamps
Battery-powered lanterns
Appropriate spare batteries
Charging cables
Portable power banks
A battery-powered or hand-crank radio
Place dependable lights where people can find them in the dark. A flashlight buried in an unfamiliar emergency kit is less useful than a headlamp stored in the same accessible place every day.
Charge portable power banks regularly and test them with the devices you expect them to support.
If someone relies on electrically powered medical equipment, create a continuity plan with the appropriate healthcare provider and utility company rather than relying on general preparedness advice.
3. Review first aid and essential health needs
Find your first-aid supplies and check what is actually inside.
Replace expired, damaged, or missing items. Make sure everyone who may need the kit knows where it is kept.
Consider:
Basic wound-care supplies
Required prescription medications
Glasses, hearing-aid batteries, or mobility equipment
Copies of important medical information
Supplies for infants or older household members
Hygiene and sanitation needs
Medication planning is personal. Ask a pharmacist, physician, or other qualified professional what is appropriate and legally available for your situation.
4. Protect the information your household would need
Preparedness is not only about physical supplies.
Create secure paper or digital copies of information such as:
Identification
Insurance policies
Emergency contacts
Medication and allergy information
Important account and property records
Veterinary information
A household inventory
Protect sensitive information appropriately. Keep physical copies somewhere portable and protected from water, and use secure backups for digital files.
Consider keeping a modest amount of cash in smaller denominations for necessary purchases if card networks or electronic payment systems are unavailable.
5. Make a simple communication plan
Household members may be at work, school, or elsewhere when a disruption begins.
Agree on:
One out-of-area contact
A nearby meeting place
A meeting place outside your neighborhood
Who is responsible for children, pets, or anyone needing assistance
How you will communicate if calls do not connect
Text messages may sometimes work when voice networks are congested, but no single method is guaranteed. Write the plan down and give everyone a copy.
Subscribe to official local emergency alerts and learn which agencies provide information for your area.
6. Include pets from the beginning
Pet readiness is household readiness.
For each animal, consider:
Food and water
Medication
Identification
Leash, harness, or carrier
Sanitation supplies
Vaccination and veterinary records
A familiar comfort item
A confirmed place the pet could stay during an evacuation
Do not assume every emergency shelter or hotel will accept animals. Identify alternatives before they are needed.
7. Prepare for the season you are in
A useful kit in August may be incomplete in January.
Review:
Warm clothing and blankets
Sturdy shoes
Rain protection
Smoke protection and cleaner indoor-air planning
Safe heating or cooling alternatives
Vehicle supplies appropriate to current conditions
Pacific Northwest preparedness should account for earthquakes, outages, wildfire smoke, extreme heat, flooding, and winter weather—but you do not need a separate pile of equipment for every hazard. Many foundational supplies support several situations.
Your three-day foundation
Before expanding further, aim to have:
Three days of water for everyone, including pets
Three days of familiar, shelf-stable food
Safe lighting
A way to charge essential devices
A way to receive official information without home internet
A stocked first-aid kit
A plan for medications and medical equipment
Protected copies of essential documents
A household communication and meeting plan
Necessary pet supplies
Seasonal warmth, cooling, and clothing
A small amount of accessible emergency cash
Then work toward two weeks
Once the first three days are covered, do not start over. Extend what already works.
Try one manageable habit:
Add one extra shelf-stable meal during each grocery trip.
Add one additional day of water at a time.
Set a monthly reminder to check batteries and power banks.
Expand pet and sanitation supplies gradually.
Review one category of important documents each month.
Practice one part of the household plan every season.
Washington Emergency Management advises households to work toward at least two weeks of supplies at home, while maintaining smaller kits for vehicles, workplaces, and other places where people spend time.
Two weeks is the destination. Three dependable days are a worthwhile beginning.
Keep preparedness part of ordinary life
The most useful supplies are the ones your household understands, can maintain, and can realistically use.
Preparedness does not need to be a separate identity or a fear-driven shopping project. It can be a set of ordinary household systems: water you rotate, food you eat, lights you can find, information you protect, and a plan everyone understands.
Start with what you have. Fix the most important gaps first. Build from there.
Official resources
Weatherstead provides general educational information, not emergency, medical, legal, or professional safety advice. Follow instructions from local authorities and qualified professionals.
