Prepare Your Home

Being prepared at home is the foundation for everything else. If your household is ready to go without outside help for two weeks, you’re already well on your way. Use our handy Preparedness Calendar as a guide! (Here is the Calendar in Spanish, and here is a large print version.)

This page will walk you through the basics—what to focus on first, how to build up supplies over time, and where to go for more detailed guidance.

Illustration of a clipboard with a checklist containing four items, each marked with a green checkmark.

Start with the Basics

Focus on what you’ll need if the roads are blocked, the ferries are shut down, and the power is out—for days, not hours.

  • Water: 14 gallons per person (don’t forget your pets!), or a reliable way to access water when power is out

  • Food: Enough nonperishable food for two weeks (and a way to cook it)

  • Lighting: Flashlights and headlamps (not candles)

  • Warmth: Blankets, sleeping bags, and backup heat

  • Sanitation: Trash bags, moist towelettes, and a toilet plan

  • Communication: Battery-powered or hand-crank radio

  • Power: Battery banks or small solar chargers

  • Medications: At least a 2-week supply of any critical prescriptions, ideally 30 days

That’s the baseline. Once that’s in place, you can expand.

Illustration of a hand turning a valve on a pipe.

Know Your Shut-Offs

Make sure everyone in your home knows how to turn off:

  • Water (main valve)

  • Electricity (breaker box)

  • Propane or heating fuel (tank shutoff)

Label the shut-offs and store any needed tools nearby. Just because there’s a quake doesn’t mean you have to shut everything off. Look for obvious signs of damage or leaks first.

A rake surrounded by colorful fallen autumn leaves in yellow, orange, and green.

Prepare for Fire

While wildfire risk in the islands is relatively low compared to many areas, fire is a concern in the islands. Protecting the area around your home is most important. Clear dead branches, clean gutters, and keep flammable materials away from the house. Keep a hose and tools where you can access them quickly.

More info at → Wildland Fire Preparedness

A calendar with red X's marking most of the squares and a blue checkmark in one square, above it the text 'Get Ready!'.

Build It Month by Month

If gathering all of your supplies all at once sounds like a lot, break it up.

The Preparation Calendar (Spanish & large print)lays out a 12-month plan—adding a few items each month, testing tools, and rotating supplies. It's simple, clear, and designed specifically for island life.

Illustration of a blue backpack packed with suppiles.

WHEN YOU’RE AWAY FROM HOME

We strongly recommend having a small kit of supplies in your car when you head off island. Food for a few days, a small sleeping bag, water, a headlamp. The earthquake could strike at anytime, and being caught while you’re on the mainland would be a major challenge.

Once your home is ready, the next step is your neighborhood.

Talk to your neighbors, compare plans, and figure out how you can support each other when things go wrong.

A colorful illustration of houses on a hillside with trees and clouds in the sky.

Haven’t looked at your island’s wider preparedness efforts yet? Learn more about whole community preparedness.