Because a disaster can happen at any time, preparedness must be done before the emergency. Gathering supplies at the news a blizzard or hurricane is about to hit your area is not recommended, however. Instead, emergency preparedness needs to be a lifestyle, one in which supplies are built up over time in the form of water and food storage. In addition to these two crucial aspects, communication, light, and first aid need to be included in your emergency preparedness plan.

An emergency preparedness checklist must start with food and water. Ideally, a year's worth of food should be available, and enough water to prepare it and keep you hydrated. For the former, two approaches can be taken to have enough water for an emergency. For a large supply, use a water storage tank to gather your supply. While this approach can result in several thousands of gallons for use, the water is in a raw – or undrinkable – state and must be filtered and purified before use. In addition to using a tank, cans of emergency water can be purchased and, if unopened, last more than 30 years.

A similar approach can be taken for creating food storage. The basics – grains, beans, powdered milk, sugar, and oil – must be part of your emergency preparedness plan, but this handful of items only results in a limited diet. To add variety, include an emergency preparedness food kit. Covering all meals, each food kit includes several cans or pouches of freeze-dried or dehydrated entrees or individual items. To prepare, a serving of the food needs to be rehydrated with hot water, and after a few minutes, the food is ready to eat as-is.

Compiling a year's worth of food and water, however, is only part of emergency preparedness. Both aspects need to be kept in good condition, and as a rule of thumb for emergency preparedness, all cans, tanks, buckets, or pouches must be stored in a cool, dry, and dark environment; light and moisture can lead to deterioration. A closet or crawlspace is ideal for your food and water storage. Items, however, should not be kept underground, in a trash bag or liner, or in the same space as chemicals.

Although food and water are crucial for survival during a disaster, additional aspects need to be part of your disaster preparedness plan. As you gather supplies, make sure you have a flashlight or similar lighting and signaling device and a radio for listening for relief instructions, the news, or weather reports. Because electricity may be fully cut off, both should be self-powering through solar and hand-crank mechanisms.