Understanding Your Emergency Preparedness Score
Your preparedness score is a practical measure of how ready you and your household are to handle an emergency—whether it's a power outage, natural disaster, or supply chain disruption. This isn't about fear or doomsday scenarios. It's about the same common-sense planning that leads you to keep a spare tire in your car or maintain homeowner's insurance.
According to FEMA's National Household Survey, only 48% of American households have emergency supplies for three days, and less than 20% have supplies for two weeks. If you've taken this assessment and scored above 50, you're already more prepared than average. The goal isn't perfection—it's steady improvement in the areas that matter most for your situation.
How the Scoring Works
The preparedness score calculator evaluates eight key areas:
- Water & Hydration (16 points) – Your most critical resource. Humans can survive weeks without food but only days without water. We assess both stored water and purification capability.
- Food & Nutrition (14 points) – Shelf-stable food supplies and the ability to prepare them without utilities.
- Power & Light (14 points) – Backup lighting, phone charging, and power generation options.
- Medical & First Aid (16 points) – First aid supplies, prescription medications, and basic medical training.
- Communication (11 points) – The ability to receive emergency information and contact loved ones.
- Documents & Finances (10 points) – Critical papers and emergency cash on hand.
- Shelter & Evacuation (13 points) – Plans and supplies for both sheltering in place and leaving quickly.
- Special Considerations (6 points) – Accommodations for pets, children, elderly, or medical needs.
Points are weighted by importance. Water and medical preparedness carry more weight than, say, having a manual can opener—though that $5 tool has prevented many people from staring at a stack of canned food they couldn't open during an outage.
What Your Score Means
Score Interpretation
- 0-25 (Just Starting) – You have significant gaps in basic preparedness. Focus on water, first aid, and flashlights first.
- 26-50 (Foundation Building) – You have some basics in place but missing key elements. Work through your priority action items.
- 51-70 (Solid Foundation) – You're better prepared than most Americans. Focus on extending duration and filling specific gaps.
- 71-85 (Well Prepared) – You can handle most common emergencies comfortably. Consider extended scenarios and helping neighbors.
- 86-100 (Highly Prepared) – Comprehensive preparedness. Maintain supplies, rotate stock, and practice your plans.
Why 72 Hours Is Just the Beginning
FEMA's 72-hour (3-day) recommendation is a starting point, not an end goal. Here's the reality:
- Hurricane Katrina (2005) – Many areas without power or outside assistance for 1-2 weeks.
- Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria (2017) – Parts of the island without power for 11 months.
- Texas Winter Storm Uri (2021) – 4.5 million homes lost power for days in freezing temperatures.
- California Wildfires (ongoing) – Evacuations lasting weeks, supply disruptions affecting surrounding areas.
A more practical target is 14 days of self-sufficiency. This covers the vast majority of regional emergencies and gives supply chains time to recover. For those in remote areas or with medical dependencies, 30+ days provides additional security.
The Compound Effect of Preparedness
Preparedness isn't about buying a mountain of supplies all at once. It's about building capability over time:
- Week 1 – Fill containers with tap water. Gather flashlights and batteries. Locate important documents.
- Week 2 – Buy a basic first aid kit. Stock an extra week of non-perishable foods you already eat.
- Week 3 – Get a battery/crank radio. Withdraw $100 in small bills. Write down important phone numbers.
- Week 4 – Create document copies (physical and digital). Identify evacuation routes. Discuss plans with household.
At $20-50 per week, most households can build solid preparedness within a few months. The key is consistency, not crisis buying.
Common Gaps We See
After analyzing thousands of assessment responses, the most common gaps are:
- Water storage – Most people dramatically underestimate how much they need (1 gallon per person per day minimum).
- Cash on hand – ATMs, card readers, and banking apps all require electricity.
- Prescription medications – Many people don't maintain more than a few days' supply.
- Physical document copies – Cloud storage doesn't help when there's no internet.
- Pet supplies – Pets are family but often forgotten in emergency planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I aim for a perfect 100 score?
Not necessarily. A score of 70-85 represents excellent preparedness for most situations. Beyond that, you're optimizing for increasingly unlikely scenarios. Focus on your specific risks—someone in tornado alley has different priorities than someone in earthquake country. Use your score as a guide, not an obsession.
What if I rent and can't store much?
Focus on portable preparedness: a well-stocked go-bag, important documents, a power bank, a water filter, and non-perishable snacks. Even 3 days of water (3 gallons per person) fits in a closet. Renters often have more flexibility to evacuate quickly, so prioritize evacuation planning and the ability to leave with essentials in 15 minutes.
How often should I retake this assessment?
Every 6 months is a good cadence. Life changes—family size, medical needs, location, budget. Reassessing twice a year also reminds you to rotate food and water supplies, check battery dates, and update plans as needed.
My score dropped because I moved. Is that normal?
Very normal. A move often means starting over on evacuation routes, local knowledge, and sometimes supplies left behind. It's also an opportunity to rebuild with better organization from the start.
Should I share my score with family members?
Consider having each adult household member take the assessment independently. You may discover that one person knows the evacuation routes while another knows where the first aid kit is. Preparedness works best as a shared responsibility.
Beyond the Score: What Really Matters
A preparedness score is a useful benchmark, but the real goal is resilience—the ability to adapt when plans don't unfold as expected. Some things the score can't measure:
- Community connections – Neighbors helping neighbors is often the fastest form of disaster response.
- Mental preparedness – Having a plan reduces panic. Practicing that plan builds confidence.
- Flexibility – The ability to improvise when specific supplies aren't available.
- Physical fitness – Emergencies can be physically demanding. General health matters.
Take the score as a starting point. Use the action items to address gaps. But remember: the family with a 60 score who has discussed their plan is often more prepared than the family with an 80 score who has never had the conversation.