Checklists | Prepping with Katie

Start here, mostly free

Your first week of prep

0 of 9 done

Fill clean 2-liter bottles or water jugs with tap water and date them
Write important phone numbers on paper and keep a copy in your wallet
Pick a meeting spot near home and one outside your neighborhood
Sign up for your county or city emergency alerts
Find your water shutoff valve and electrical panel
Put a flashlight by every bed
Buy one extra week of the food you already eat
Keep your gas tank at least half full
Do one practice night with the power off

For evacuations

72-hour go-bag (per person)

0 of 13 done

Shelter in place

Two weeks at home

0 of 14 done

When the lights go out

Power outage: the first hour

0 of 10 done

Cold climates

Winter storm prep

0 of 8 done

Sleeping bags or heavy blankets for everyone
Wool socks, hats and gloves
Pick one room to keep warm and close the rest
Battery-powered carbon monoxide detector with fresh batteries
Hand warmers
Know how to drip faucets and where your water shutoff is
Snow shovel and ice melt or kitty litter
Car kit: blanket, scraper, small shovel, snacks, water

Hot climates

Heat wave prep

0 of 8 done

Double your water plan in hot weather
Battery or USB fans and a power bank for each
Cooling towels or washcloths
Electrolyte packets or oral rehydration salts
Light-colored sheets or foil to cover sunny windows
Know your nearest cooling center
Plan a check-in with older neighbors and relatives
Never leave kids or pets in a car, even for a minute

Coasts and flood zones

Hurricane & flood prep

0 of 10 done

Keep it in the trunk

Car kit

0 of 7 done

Dogs and cats

Pet kit

0 of 7 done

Herbalist's cupboard

Home apothecary

0 of 16 done

In your pocket or purse

Everyday carry

0 of 8 done

In the car or at work

Get-home bag

0 of 11 done

Keep one in every bag

Fire kit

0 of 7 done

For when the stove won't work

Off-grid cooking kit

0 of 8 done

So nobody's lost

Family communication plan

0 of 7 done

Every phone has an In Case of Emergency contact
An out-of-state contact everyone can text
Paper contact cards in wallets and kids' bags
Two meeting spots: near home and out of the neighborhood
Two-way radios charged, with a family channel picked
NOAA weather radio
Everyone knows to text, not call, when lines are busy

Months, not days

Long-term food storage

0 of 7 done

Food-grade buckets with gamma lids
Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers
White rice, dry beans and oats sealed for the long haul
Salt, sugar and honey (they keep for years)
A way to cook it: stove plus fuel
A written inventory with dates
Storage spot that's cool, dry and dark

Twice a year

Home safety check

0 of 8 done

Test every smoke alarm
Test every carbon monoxide alarm
Change batteries when clocks change
Fire extinguisher in the kitchen and garage, not expired
Everyone knows two ways out of every room
Practice your fire escape plan
Know where the water, gas and power shutoffs are
Keep a flashlight by every bed

Grab-and-go papers

Documents & money

0 of 8 done

Copies of IDs, birth certificates and passports
Insurance policies and agent phone numbers
Medication lists and doctor contacts
Pet vaccination records
A video walk-through of your home for insurance
Digital copies saved securely in the cloud
Cash in small bills
An emergency fund, even a small one

3 months to a year

Long-haul milestones

0 of 13 done

Small, useful, always wanted

Barter & trade kit

0 of 17 done

Your first week of prep

72-hour go-bag (per person)

Two weeks at home

Power outage: the first hour

Winter storm prep

Heat wave prep

Hurricane & flood prep

Car kit

Pet kit

Home apothecary

Everyday carry

Get-home bag

Fire kit

Off-grid cooking kit

Family communication plan

Long-term food storage

Home safety check

Documents & money

Long-haul milestones

Barter & trade kit

One calm prep email a week.