Shelter-in-Place Planning

When staying home is the smartest move

Most emergencies don’t require you to flee. They require you to stay put.

Power outages. Storms. Ice. Infrastructure hiccups. In real life, you’re usually not evacuating, you’re making coffee in the dark and waiting for systems to come back online.

Shelter-in-place simply means staying home, securing your environment, and monitoring official guidance until it’s safe to resume normal activity. No bunker fantasies. No chaos. Just controlled patience.

How do I know when to stay?

Listen to real sources.

Local emergency management. Weather alerts. Municipal updates. Emergency broadcasts.

If officials say evacuate, you leave. If they say stay off the roads, you stay. Preparedness isn’t guessing. It’s following reliable information.

Okay, so what do I actually need?

You build layers. Not panic piles. Layers.

Water comes first. One gallon per person per day. Three days minimum. More if you can manage it. Water is non-negotiable. We sell a box of individual water pouches here.

Food is next and be practical about it. Start with no-cook foods for immediate outages: crackers, nut butters, tuna, protein bars, shelf-stable milk. Then add simple, easy-to-cook foods for longer disruptions: rice, pasta, oats, beans, soups, dehydrated meals.

Rotating short-expiration food constantly is exhausting. Long-term storage exists for a reason. Properly packaged shelf-stable and freeze-dried foods can last for years when stored correctly. That reduces expiration anxiety and mental load. We carry long-term food storage designed specifically for this purpose practical, scalable, and built for real-life disruptions. Check it out here.

Light changes everything. Flashlights. Lanterns. Batteries. Headlamps. When the lights go out, stress rises fast. Reliable lighting lowers it. We carry dependable lighting options here because darkness is one of the fastest ways a minor outage turns into major frustration.

Temperature control keeps households steady. Blankets and layered clothing in winter. Ventilation and hydration in heat. Comfort prevents chaos.

Health and sanitation matter more than people realize. Basic first aid supplies. A medication buffer. Hand hygiene. A simple toilet backup plan if water service is interrupted. Illness during outages usually comes from poor sanitation, not the event itself. We carry first aid kits for exactly this reason. We recommend a comprehensive first aid kit here and extra bandages to help you to be prepared for any injuries that come about. 

Communication reduces panic Radio (you can purchase here). Printed emergency contacts. Charged devices and power banks. Don’t rely on memory. Write it down.

Safety and community still apply. Secure doors. Know your neighbors. Share information calmly. Community reduces risk.

And yes you need a written plan. Roles. Supply locations. Update sources. If you haven’t done that yet, start with the Plan Smart guide. Supplies without a plan create confusion. A plan without supplies creates gaps.

What if it lasts longer?

Most disruptions resolve within days. Some don’t.

Storm recovery stretches. Grid repair takes time. And many households remain safely at home while waiting for services to stabilize.

Shelter-in-place scales. Start with three days. Build to one week. Work toward two or more. The structure doesn’t change: water, food, temperature, communication, plan. You just deepen the reserves.

The more you have set aside, the less you have to worry.

Preparedness isn’t about fear. It’s about reducing uncertainty.

When the power goes out, unprepared households scramble. Prepared households adjust.

Turn on a lantern. Check the radio. Make tea.

Be prepared. Not afraid!