When help doesn't come, count on yourself
In a major disaster 911 gets overwhelmed, roads are cut and help can take days. BESTPREP is a guide to coping on your own in the meantime: water, food, power, injuries, communication and security, from the first 72 hours to a year. No fear-mongering, with sources: prepping isn't waiting for the end of the world, it's not depending on someone coming to rescue you.
- the minimum to last with no outside help at all
- 72 h
- of supplies at home: the goal experts recommend
- 2 wk
- Card readers and ATMs
- Elevators and building water pumps
- Closed fridge
- Cell towers
- Charged phone, moderate use
- Half-full freezer
- Full freezer
- Your supplies
Doors kept closed. Food: USDA.What to do in a power outage →
How much water and food you need for your household, pets and the number of days you want to cover.
Calculate Practical guides Essential guidesWater, pantry, power outages, first aid, evacuation and family plan. Step by step, with sources.
See guides No signal Your area's mapDownload it today for your phone, a GPS or paper. When the network goes down, GPS keeps working.
Get the mapFour levels of preparedness
You don't have to do it all at once. Each level builds on the previous one, gradually, by buying a little more of what you already use.
| Level | For | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · 72 hours | Outages, storms, water cuts | Basic kit, 3 gallons of water per person, flashlight, radio and cash |
| 2 · 2 weeks | Major snowstorms, floods, long outages | Expanded pantry, water filter, family plan |
| 3 · 3 months | Supply shortages, loss of income | Rotating pantry, emergency fund, medication reserve |
| 4 · 1 year | Prolonged crises | Long-term food storage, skills and community |
What if the worst happens?
Unlikely but possible scenarios, explained calmly: the realistic picture, what to prepare and what to do in the moment.
It has happened. Here's what we learned
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Spain and Portugal
Iberian blackout
The whole peninsula lost power from 12:33 pm until night. No card payments, no subway, and cell service failing area by area.
LessonKeep cash at home and a battery radio.
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Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
The island's power grid was destroyed. Many areas went months without electricity and with running water cut off.
LessonThree days is the start: think in weeks.
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Valencia, Spain
Flash floods
Torrential rain caused sudden flooding around Valencia. Many victims were in underground garages, ground floors or their cars.
LessonWhen water rises: go up, never down.
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Mexico City and Puebla
Magnitude 7.1 earthquake
It struck hours after the annual earthquake drill. People who knew what to do and had a meeting point reacted better.
LessonDrills work: practice yours.
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Texas, USA
Winter storm Uri
Extreme cold knocked out the power grid for days in the middle of winter, and burst pipes left many homes without water.
LessonA pantry for a week, not a night.
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Los Angeles, USA
Wildfires
Wind-driven fires forced entire neighborhoods to evacuate with very little time to pack anything.
LessonKeep a go-bag by the door.
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Europe and the Americas
Heat waves
Extreme heat is one of the weather events with the biggest impact on health, especially for older people.
LessonCheck on older neighbors and people who live alone.
Every area of preparedness
Water, food, power, health, communication, evacuation and the long term. Ordered so you start with what matters most, and each guide ends with its sources.
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01
The core idea
When help doesn't come
In a major disaster emergency services get overwhelmed. How to cope on your own for days.
Read guide -
02
The basics
72-hour kit
What to store to be self-reliant for three days: the complete list, by category, with no filler.
Read guide -
03
Most urgent
Water
How much to store, which containers, the hidden water in your home and four ways to make it safe to drink.
Read guide -
04
Food
Pantry
A pantry that gets eaten and restocks itself: calories, a supermarket list and what to do with the fridge in an outage.
Read guide -
05
Hot meals
Cooking without power
Stove, retained heat and no-cook meals: how to eat hot food during an outage without risking carbon monoxide.
Read guide -
06
The forgotten prep
Sanitation
What to do when you can't flush: the two-bucket toilet, hygiene without water and dealing with trash.
Read guide -
07
No electricity
Power outage
The first ten minutes, your phone battery, the fridge, heat and cold, and what the Iberian blackout taught us.
Read guide -
08
Health
First aid kit
What it should contain, ordered by priority, and what to leave out. And why a course beats any gear.
Read guide -
09
Prevention
Home safety
Detectors, extinguisher, shut-off valves and anchored furniture: what keeps the emergency from starting in your own home.
Read guide -
10
Communication
Family plan
What to do if there's no signal and you're apart: contacts, meeting points, alerts and radio.
Read guide -
11
The whole family
Pets
Their kit, their ID and a plan so you never have to choose between evacuating and staying with your animal.
Read guide -
12
Interactive infographic
72-hour bag
The 28 items in an evacuation bag, where each one goes and why. Explore the bag piece by piece.
Read guide -
13
Away from home
Car and everyday carry
Emergencies can catch you far from home: the car kit, the bag for walking home and what fits in a pocket.
Read guide -
14
Depends on where you live
Natural hazards
Floods, hurricanes, wildfires, heat, snow and earthquakes: what to do in each case and how to read warnings.
Read guide -
15
Psychology
Mindset
Denial, freezing and normalcy bias: how we really react, and what to do to decide better and care for your people.
Read guide -
16
3 months to 1 year
Long term
Food that lasts decades, water without storing tons, money, skills and neighbors: what matters in long crises.
Read guide
Start this week
Five inexpensive steps that cover most household emergencies.
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Store 3 gallons of water per person
Three days at one gallon a day. Sealed bottles or jugs, somewhere cool and dark. How to store and purify it.
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Get a flashlight and a battery radio
With spare batteries. Candles start fires every winter, and during the Iberian blackout radio was what kept people informed.
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Keep some cash
In small bills and coins. Without power, card readers and ATMs stop working.
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Write important phone numbers on paper
Do you know your family's numbers by heart? A printed list plus copies of your ID and prescriptions.
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Agree on a meeting point
One near home and another outside your neighborhood, in case there is no signal. Make your family plan.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't prepping for alarmists?
No. It's the same as owning a fire extinguisher or home insurance. In March 2025 the European Commission asked every household to be able to cope on its own for at least 72 hours, and agencies like FEMA have recommended the same for years. This isn't about bunkers. It's about water, food, light and information.
Why 72 hours?
It's how long emergency services usually need to reach everyone after a major disaster, because rescues and injuries come first. It's a minimum, not a goal: preparedness experts and the Red Cross recommend building up to two weeks of supplies at home. Start with 72 hours and grow gradually by buying a little extra of what you already eat.
How often should I replace stored bottled water?
Follow the best-by date on the bottle and keep it away from sunlight and chemicals. The easiest approach is rotation: drink the oldest and replace it when you shop. If you store tap water in your own containers, replace it every 6 to 12 months.
Can I drink the water in my water heater if the supply is cut?
Yes, it's an emergency reserve many people forget. First turn off the power or gas to the heater and let it cool. Drain it from the valve at the bottom and, if the water has sediment or you have any doubt, purify it before drinking. How to purify water.
Do I need a generator?
For most homes, no. A power bank and a battery radio cover the essentials. If you depend on powered medical equipment, it's different: talk to your doctor and your utility. A fuel generator must never run inside your home, garage or an enclosed porch: carbon monoxide kills without warning.
What about medication that needs refrigeration?
Read the leaflet and ask your pharmacist how long it lasts at room temperature: many in-use insulins last weeks outside the fridge. Keep a small cooler with ice packs and keep the fridge closed during the outage.