PROTECT · Readiness checklists

Everything you need, tier by tier

Start with Tier 0 and build from there. Check items off as you go. Your progress is saved on this device, and you can print any list.

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Tier 0

Everyday Preparedness 72 hours

Get through 3 days comfortably without outside help. This is the baseline every household should have.

0 of 0 ready

Water

Food

Power & light

Health

Communication

Money

Getting around

Learned from: Texas winter storm (2021), Hurricane Helene (2024), Northeast blackout (2003). People mainly needed water, heat, phone charging, food and transportation.
Tier 1

Short-Term Disruption 2–4 weeks

Keep going when stores open irregularly or utilities struggle. Build on everything in Tier 0.

0 of 0 ready

Water

Food

Energy

Shelter

Medical

Communication

Community

Learned from: Hurricane Katrina (2005), COVID-19 pandemic, Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami (2011). People discovered that stores empty quickly, supply chains stall, fuel disappears, and isolation becomes dangerous.
Tier 2

Community Resilience 1–3 months

Preparedness at the neighborhood or organization level, built together with neighbors, faith groups and local organizations.

0 of 0 ready

Water

Food

Energy

Medical

Communication

Safety

Skills on the team

Learned from: Hurricane Maria (2017), COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Depression. Communities with strong local relationships recovered dramatically faster.
Tier 3

Long-Term Emergency 3–12+ months

Protect health, order and continuity during a regional failure. This is planning for communities and organizations, not individual households.

0 of 0 ready

Infrastructure

Governance

Education

Production

Health care

Learned from: Siege of Sarajevo, Lebanon's economic crisis, the Great Depression. People repeatedly reported that water became more valuable than food, communication prevented panic, and community mattered more than stockpiles.

Need help getting ready?

Join a PROTECT emergency-kit workshop or CPR class, or ask our UPLIFT team for help finding supplies and resources near you.

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Official guidance: Ready.gov emergency kit list ↗ · Georgia Emergency Management (GEMA) ↗ · American Red Cross ↗