Start with people
Count household members, pets, medicines, and needs before buying supplies.
90-Day Household Preparedness · Start · Page 4
A printable field-guide page with practical household steps, planning context, and a direct link back to the full 90-day edition.
By Dan Whelan, founder of New World Survival
Researched from government agencies, university extension services, and other published sources. See our sources
Why this matters
Preparedness begins with the real people in the home. Record health needs, routines, language and mobility needs, pets, local hazards, and the places and people your household can rely on.
Count household members, pets, medicines, and needs before buying supplies.
Secure immediate essentials, then make the two-week base usable.
Review roles, contact methods, and evacuation options before a disruption.
Put it on paper
Use this simple table to record the decision, the household-specific detail, and the next time you will test or update it.
| Planning layer | What to record | When to review |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate | People, medicines, water, light, food, and alert sources. | Today and after any household change. |
| Two-week base | Food, sanitation, cooking, communication, temperature, and pet needs. | Monthly and before the local hazard season. |
| Longer reserve | Normal meals, consumables, storage limits, and evacuation options. | As supplies rotate and circumstances change. |
Printable reference
Use the original layout for its complete worksheet, visual table relationships, and print-ready details. The web article explains the same planning work in a responsive format.
Download the full guideFor current advice during an actual event, check relevant public guidance and local instructions.
About the author
Dan Whelan is the founder of New World Survival. He and his wife Vicki rode out Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and spent the week after sorting donations at a relief center in Homestead. More than thirty years of household preparedness later, he built this site to pass on what works. Read their story