How to Prepare Your Home for a Long-Term Emergency

Most national civil protection agencies used to recommend 72 hours of household self-sufficiency. That benchmark has quietly shifted. Households are now encouraged to manage on their own for at least one week, and a growing number of official programmes recommend planning for two weeks instead. The reason is simple: in a widespread crisis, such as a prolonged power outage, severe storm, cyber incident, pandemic, or supply chain disruption, emergency services will prioritise those who cannot help themselves. Households that can stay safe, fed, warm, and informed at home reduce pressure on the system and protect their own loved ones.

This guide explains how to turn your home into a resilient base for a long-term emergency of one to two weeks. It builds on companion articles in this series covering water storage, food storage, power outages, sheltering in place, and protecting documents and finances.

1. Plan for at Least Two Weeks

Start by deciding how long you want to be self-sufficient. A realistic target for most households is 14 days. This covers nearly all historical events short of a regional catastrophe and is achievable in a normal home without specialised infrastructure. If space or budget is tight, build in stages: a 72-hour kit first, then one week, then two.

Walk through your home and answer four questions: How will we get safe water? How will we eat? How will we stay warm and have light? How will we get information and reach each other? Every item below answers one of those questions.

2. Water: The First Priority

Plan for a minimum of 3 litres of water per person per day for drinking, plus another 2 to 4 litres for cooking and basic hygiene. For a household of four over 14 days, that means storing roughly 170 to 250 litres.

Use food-grade containers, commercial bottled water, or clean 5- to 10-litre jerrycans. Store in a cool, dark place and rotate every six months. Add a backup purification method, such as unscented household bleach (2 drops per litre, mixed and left for 30 minutes), water purification tablets, or a gravity-fed filter rated for microbiological removal. Identify secondary sources in advance: the water heater tank, the toilet cistern (not the bowl), and rainwater if your region permits it.

3. Food: Two Weeks of No-Cook and Low-Cook Options

Aim for shelf-stable food that requires little or no cooking, water, or refrigeration. A balanced two-week pantry includes canned proteins (fish, beans, meat), canned vegetables and fruit, long-life milk or plant milk, rice and pasta, oats, crackers, peanut butter, honey, cooking oil, salt, and comfort items like tea, coffee, and chocolate. Target around 2,000 to 2,500 kilocalories per adult per day.

Store food at room temperature, protected from light and moisture. Mark purchase dates and rotate using the "first in, first out" rule. Keep a manual can opener with the supplies, and remember dietary needs, infant formula, and pet food.

4. Heat, Light, and Cooking Without the Grid

A long outage in cold weather is one of the most dangerous scenarios. Identify one room that can be sealed off and heated, and make sure you have warm sleeping bags, wool blankets, and thermal layers for everyone. If you use a fireplace or wood stove, keep at least two weeks of dry fuel on hand and have the chimney swept annually.

For cooking, a camping stove, gas cartridge stove, or barbecue used outdoors only is the safest option. Never run combustion appliances indoors due to carbon monoxide risk, and install a battery-powered CO alarm. For light, store LED torches, head torches, lanterns, and a generous supply of batteries. Candles are useful but a fire risk; use enclosed lanterns where possible.

5. Power and Communications

Keep power banks charged, and consider a small solar charger or a portable power station for phones, radios, and medical devices. A battery or hand-crank radio that receives FM and, where available, national emergency broadcasts is essential when mobile networks are down.

Agree on a family communication plan with an out-of-area contact, written down on paper. Print key phone numbers, addresses, and your local council or municipality emergency line. See the dedicated guide on family emergency communication and reunion plans.

6. Sanitation, Hygiene, and Health

Water and sewer systems can fail together. Stock heavy-duty rubbish bags, a bucket with a tight lid, kitty litter or sawdust, toilet paper, wet wipes, hand sanitiser, soap, feminine hygiene products, nappies, and a basic cleaning kit. Build a comprehensive first aid kit and keep at least a 14-day supply of all prescription medications, plus copies of prescriptions in your document folder.

7. Documents, Money, and Security

Keep digital and waterproof paper copies of identification, insurance policies, medical records, and bank details. Store some cash in small denominations in case card payments fail. Review home security: a long emergency increases the risk of opportunistic theft, so ensure locks, window catches, and external lighting work.

8. Skills, Drills, and Neighbours

Supplies without skills are only half the answer. Practise cooking on your camping stove, test your torches every six months, and run a "lights-off" evening once a year. Get to know your neighbours: in nearly every disaster review, mutual aid between households is the single biggest factor in how well a street copes. Consider a shared list of who has medical training, generators, or vulnerable family members.

9. Special Considerations

Households with infants, elderly relatives, people with disabilities, or pets need tailored plans. See the companion guide on emergency preparedness for families with children. Make sure mobility aids, hearing aid batteries, and oxygen supplies are included, and that any care providers know your emergency plan.