Start with 3 days, build to 2 weeks, then go further if it makes sense for you.
In late October 2026, news outlets reported that the Pentagon's FORTRESS plan holds major US military bases to a 90-day standard: keep power, water, fuel and communications running for 90 days if outside services fail. The Pentagon hasn't published the plan, so treat the details as reported, not confirmed. It's a plan for bases, not an order for civilians, and nobody has announced a shortage. Ready.gov still recommends several days of supplies for every household. If the planners think 90 days is a smart buffer for bases, it's a useful way to check your own home.
Sources: Fortune, Oct 26 2026 · Ready.gov · Our explainer: FORTRESS, what it is and isn't
More: Generator safety · Fuel storage · Heat and fire safety
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Camp Chef
Strong, steady propane cooking for months; runs from 20-lb tanks with an adapter hose.
Outdoors only. Never use a camp stove or grill indoors or in a garage.
Reviewed by Outdoor Life: Best overall (May 2026 tests) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)EcoZoom (BioLite)
Cooks on sticks and charcoal, so you can keep cooking after propane runs out.
Outdoors only.
Reviewed by Gun Digest hands-on review (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Mr. Heater
Indoor-rated propane heater with low-oxygen and tip-over shutoff for winter cold snaps without power.
Use only as directed, with a working CO alarm and some ventilation.
Reviewed by Bob Vila hands-on review (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Jackery
Folding solar panel to recharge a power station day after day without fuel.
Reviewed by OutdoorGearLab score 84 (171 W measured) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)NOCO
Keeps car and generator batteries ready during long outages.
Reviewed by Bob Vila review: recommended with no reservations (Jun 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Scepter
EPA/CARB-compliant spill-proof can for generator and vehicle fuel.
Store fuel outside living space in approved cans, within your local fire code limits (check with your county fire marshal). Date-label and rotate.
Reviewed by TruePrepper: Best EPA-compliant can (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)STA-BIL
Keeps stored gasoline usable longer; add it when you fill the can.
Ethanol gas still needs rotating within about a year.
Reviewed by Project Farm 5-year test winner (via The Autopian) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)First Alert
One battery alarm for smoke and carbon monoxide when you're running stoves, heaters or generators.
Never run generators, grills or camp stoves indoors or in a garage, even with the door open.
Reviewed by Bob Vila: Best voice alarm (tested, Oct 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)EcoFlow
Runs a fridge, CPAP, fan and phones through a multi-day outage; recharges from the wall in about 1.3 hours.
Reviewed by Outdoor Life best overall (Jan 2026 tests) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Jackery
Bigger home backup for longer hurricane outages and heavier loads.
Reviewed by OutdoorGearLab Editors' Choice (Jul 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Goal Zero
Room light with a hand crank, so it still works when there is no way to recharge.
Reviewed by OutdoorGearLab best overall lantern (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Black Diamond
Hands-free light for outage chores and night evacuations.
Reviewed by CleverHiker best overall headlamp (Apr 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Gas One
Cook hot meals with no power; runs on butane or propane.
Reviewed by America's Test Kitchen: Recommended (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Kidde
Warns of carbon monoxide from generators and stoves, a leading cause of post-hurricane deaths.
Reviewed by Bob Vila: Best bang for the buck (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Anker
Keeps phones charged for alerts and calls when power or cell service is disrupted.
Reviewed by TechRadar review: 'a great choice' (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Shark
Battery fan for Florida heat when the power is out for days.
Reviewed by Reviewed.com hands-on review (runtime figures are Shark's) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
ReadyWise
Ready meals that taste like real food, a simple first layer before deep storage.
Reviewed by Outdoor Life: Best all-around survival food (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Mountain House
Long-shelf-life meals that need only water, for long outages and evacuations.
Reviewed by YourBestDigs top emergency food pick (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Wallaby
Seal rice, beans and oats for years of storage; absorbers included.
Reviewed by TruePrepper: Best overall (measured thickness and seams) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Gamma2
Airtight screw-on lid that turns a bucket into easy-open pantry storage.
Reviewed by Modern Survival Blog recommendation (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)(confirm brand on listing)
Food-safe buckets for mylar-packed staples.
Reviewed by Modern Survival Blog recommendation (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Water: plan on at least 1 gallon per person per day (CDC). Store 2 weeks and have a way to refill and treat water for longer. Work out your amount · Water guide
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nature's Head
Waterless toilet for when water service or sewer lift stations fail.
Reviewed by Outdoor Life: Best overall composting toilet (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Breathing Mobile Washer
Wash clothes by hand in a bucket with no power.
Reviewed by Common Sense Home 4-washer test: best cleaning (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)WaterBOB
Fills your tub with up to 100 gallons of sealed drinking water before a hurricane or boil-water notice.
Reviewed by TruePrepper: Best tub water storage (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Reliance Products
Reusable 7-gallon drinking water jug you can fill ahead of a storm and keep for evacuation.
Reviewed by TruePrepper: Best overall water container (drop-tested) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Sawyer
Filters bacteria and protozoa from stored or questionable water during floods and boil-water notices.
Reviewed by Outdoor Life best overall; OutdoorGearLab Best Buy (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Surviveware
Treat cuts, sprains and burns at home or in the car when ERs are strained.
Reviewed by OutdoorGearLab Editors' Choice, #1 of 14 (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Text without cell service: see mesh radios for family texting when towers are down.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Motorola Solutions
License-free FRS radios with NOAA weather alerts; waterproof and they float.
Reviewed by OutdoorGearLab Top Pick (water) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Midland
AM/FM/NOAA radio, flashlight and phone charging by hand crank or solar when the grid is down for days.
Reviewed by CNN Underscored top pick; Popular Science best overall (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Midland
Wakes you at night for warnings in your own county (SAME alerts), even when your phone is silent.
Reviewed by Wirecutter 'Also great' (per Midland) / Weather Station Experts #1 (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Rocky Talkie
Keeps your family in contact when cell networks fail during a storm or evacuation.
Reviewed by CNN Underscored best overall; OutdoorGearLab Editors' Choice (Oct 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Check price on Amazon (opens Amazon in a new tab)Take the readiness quizFood and water calculatorAll guides
EvacPrep may earn a commission when you buy through links marked "Check it" on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, EvacPrep earns from qualifying purchases. How this works.