How much food and water should I store for a supply interruption?

Start with a 3-day supply of non-perishable food and 1 gallon of water per person per day, then work toward a 14-day reserve. Rotate stock regularly so nothing expires unused, and include a manual can opener since electric ones stop working during a power outage.

How big should my medication buffer be?

Most healthcare providers recommend at least a 7-day buffer for daily prescriptions, working toward 30 days if you manage a chronic condition. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about an early refill or a 90-day prescription to build this gradually rather than all at once.

What should I do if I run out of medication during a disaster?

Call your pharmacy first. Many states waive early-refill restrictions once an emergency is declared. If your pharmacy cannot help, contact your prescriber directly. Do not split or stretch doses without medical guidance, since skipping or reducing doses can be more dangerous than a short delay.

How much cash should I keep on hand?

Ready.gov recommends keeping cash in small denominations on hand for emergencies, since ATMs and card readers can go offline during power outages. A reasonable starting point is $200 to $500 in mixed small bills, kept at home and split with your 72-hour bags.

Why does panic-buying make shortages worse?

When many households try to buy far more than they need at once, stores run out faster than normal restocking can keep up, which creates the very shortage everyone was trying to avoid. Buying only what you actually need, and drawing from a reserve you already built, helps keep shelves stocked for everyone.

Supply Interruption Checklist — Before, During & After

Phase 1

Before an interruption. Build your buffers gradually.

Supply interruptions rarely announce themselves. A storm, a regional outage, or a shortage somewhere else in the supply chain can all leave shelves and pharmacies thin with little warning. Buffers built ahead of time are what carry a household through.

Food

Build a 3-day supply of shelf-stable food per person that needs no cooking
Extend your food supply to a full 14-day reserve. Include variety, since meal fatigue is real, and rotate stock so nothing expires unused
Get a manual can opener. Electric ones stop when the power goes out

Water

Store 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days, including pets
Work toward extending storage to the same rate for 14 days in sealed, dated containers

Medical

If you take daily medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist about an early refill to build a 7-day buffer, stored separately in a cool, dry place
Work with your prescriber to extend that buffer to 30 days for extended disruptions or evacuations

Sanitation

Stock basic hygiene supplies for 14 days: soap, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and personal care items

Financial

Keep $200 to $500 in small bills at home and in each 72-hour bag. ATMs and card readers can go offline in a widespread outage

Evacuation

Establish a fuel plan: keep your vehicle's tank at least half full, and store treated, dated fuel if you run a generator

Communications

Turn on Wireless Emergency Alerts on every phone in your household

Phase 2

During an interruption. Draw from what you already have.

A household with a reserve does not need to compete for what is left on the shelf. Using your buffer as intended is what it was built for.

Managing an Active Shortage

Buy only what you actually need. Panic-buying is what turns a short supply gap into an empty shelf for everyone
Rotate to your stored reserve rather than making extra trips into a crowded, low-stock store
Prioritize essentials over convenience items. Water, food, and medication come first
Keep cash on hand. Card readers and ATMs can be unreliable during widespread disruptions

If You're Running Low on Medication

Call your pharmacy first. Many states waive early-refill restrictions during a declared emergency
If your pharmacy cannot help, contact your prescriber's office directly
Never split or stretch doses without medical guidance. Reducing doses without direction can be more dangerous than a short delay
Check the FDA drug shortage database if a specific medication is unavailable nationwide, not just locally

Phase 3

After an interruption. Restock, then learn from it.

Every interruption reveals exactly which buffers held and which ones did not. Restocking thoughtfully, and adjusting for what you learned, is what turns one hard stretch into a better-prepared household.

Restocking Safely

Rebuild your stored reserve gradually rather than emptying newly restocked shelves in one trip
Check expiration dates on anything you rotated through during the interruption and replace what you used
Inspect medications for water damage or improper storage temperatures before using them again
Update your list of medications, dosages, and prescribers, since a shortage often reveals gaps in the current plan

What to Learn From It

Note which items ran short first. That is the clearest signal of what to stock more of next time
Talk to your prescriber about extending your medication buffer if 7 days was not enough
Reassess your cash reserve if you had to rely on it more than expected
Revisit this checklist again in six months rather than waiting for the next interruption to think about it

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Supply Interruption Checklist. Before, during, and after.