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How Many Days Could Your Family Make It Without Power? A Calm 7-Day Plan

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If the power went out tonight, how many days could your family make it? Be honest. For most families, it's maybe two or three.

That's okay. It's where most people start. This isn't a panic post. I'm a former fire captain and paramedic with more than 27 years of experience, a former coordinator for Aurora's Office of Emergency Management, and a Colorado dad of three. I've seen what the first few days of an emergency look like for families who were ready and for families who weren't. The difference is rarely money. It's a plan, built a little at a time.

👉 Grab the free printable checklist with every item below: dadkitcheck.com/survival

Why this is in the news

Fox News reported on October 25 that the Pentagon has started an effort for major U.S. bases to run on their own power, water, fuel and communications for at least 90 days. The Pentagon hasn't officially confirmed that number. Around the same time, the UK launched a campaign telling households to keep about three days of water, food, a flashlight, a radio and some cash on hand. Japan has given families the same advice for decades.

None of this is new advice. It's just getting louder. The right response isn't to doom scroll. Be prepared, then go live your life.

Why it matters here in Colorado

We don't need the Pentagon to tell us. In 2019 a bomb cyclone knocked out power to around 400,000 people, and for some it took more than three days to come back. The 2020 Cameron Peak fire burned more than 209,000 acres, with evacuations reaching Masonville and Horsetooth. The 2021 Marshall fire destroyed hundreds of homes in Superior and Louisville and forced more than 35,000 people to evacuate.

Sometimes you'll shelter at home for days. Sometimes you'll have 10 minutes to get out the door. A prepared family can do both, which means you need two kits.

Two kits: stay and go

The go bag is one bag per person, ready to grab. It holds water, snacks, meds, a phone charger, copies of IDs and insurance, cash, a change of clothes, and something comfortable for the kids. Keep your car at least half full of gas. When an evacuation warning comes, don't wait for the order. Go.

The stay kit is everything that lets you ride it out at home. That's where the ladder comes in.

The ladder: build it a little at a time

No debt and no panic runs to the store. Grab a few extra things every time you shop, starting with food your family already eats, and rotate it.

Tier 1: 7 days (your first number)

Water: One gallon per person per day. A family of five needs 35 gallons for a week. Count your pets. Store-bought jugs are fine; if you fill your own, use food-grade containers and swap the water every six months.
Food: A week of shelf-stable food you already eat, plus a manual can opener.
Light and communication: A headlamp, extra batteries, a power bank, and a battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio. Write important numbers on paper, include an out-of-state contact, and pick a meeting spot.
Heat: Sleeping bags and warm layers. Pick one room to hunker down in. Our family uses the basement, with a tent set up inside it to hold in warmth.
Medical: A real first aid kit, a bleeding control kit, and a written list of everyone's medications and doses.
Sanitation: A bucket, heavy trash bags, wipes, toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
Cash and documents: Some cash, plus copies of IDs, insurance and birth certificates in a Ziploc bag or on a thumb drive.
Pets: A week of food and water, their meds, and a leash or carrier.
Kids: Comfort items, a deck of cards, and any formula or diapers they need.

Tip: Every time you go to Costco, pick up one case of water and one long-lasting food item. A few months in, you'll have a real supply.

Tier 2: 2 weeks

Water: Double it to 14 gallons per person. Add plain, unscented bleach and learn how to treat water.
Food: Build your pantry to two weeks, and have a way to cook without power, like a camp stove or grill. Use it outside only to avoid carbon monoxide.
Power: A battery power station (solar-chargeable is great) or a generator, plus a battery-backed carbon monoxide alarm in every bedroom.
Medical: Ask your doctor or pharmacist about keeping a little extra of the prescriptions your family depends on. If a medication needs refrigeration, like insulin, plan your backup power around keeping it cold.
Food safety: Keep the fridge and freezer closed. A fridge stays cold for about 4 hours, and a full freezer for about 2 days.

Tier 3: 30 days

This is where you go from "we'll be fine" to "we've got this."

Food: About a month of everyday staples, like rice, beans, pasta, oats and canned meats. Rotate them as you use them.
Water: A month of stored water isn't realistic for most homes, so add a water filter and a backup way to treat water. Bathtub storage bags are a great option.
Medical: Work toward about a month of essential medications, plus over-the-counter basics like fever reducers and electrolytes.
Money: A small emergency fund in the bank plus some cash at home.
Skills: Everyone old enough should know how to shut off the utilities, do basic first aid and CPR, and run the family plan. Practice it with your kids and make it a game.

Optional: the long game

Families who build toward a year do it over years, not weekends. Start with about three months of normal food, then add long-term staples in sealed containers. Gardening, canning and cooking from scratch all help. Build a financial reserve and pay down debt, because a lot of real emergencies are a job loss, not a blizzard.

Your one step this weekend

Your first number is seven. Get to a week, then two weeks, then 30 days. The Pentagon is planning for 90 days; you just need to start with one week.

Here's my ask: don't doom scroll this weekend. Pick one thing from Tier 1 and knock it out. Then put your phone down and enjoy your family.

👉 Download the free family survival checklist: dadkitcheck.com/survival

👉 See my honest first aid kit reviews (every kit bought with my own money, no sponsors): dadkitcheck.com

This post is general preparedness information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your family's specific medication needs.

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