Emergency Preparedness Quiz: How Prepared Are You Really?

Most people believe they’re reasonably prepared for emergencies: and most people are wrong. Studies consistently show that household preparedness levels are significantly lower than self-assessment scores suggest. This emergency preparedness quiz cuts through the assumptions and gives you an honest assessment of where you actually stand: plus specific, actionable recommendations for closing the gaps.

Answer each question honestly. Score your answers and find your preparedness level. Then follow the recommendations for your tier.

The Quiz: 10 Questions, 30 Points Maximum

Score each question honestly using the point values shown. Total your points at the end.

Question 1: Water Storage

How much drinking water do you have stored and accessible right now?

• 0 points: None, I’d rely on the tap
• 1 point: Less than 1 gallon per person
• 2 points: 1–3 gallons per person (1–3 day supply)
• 3 points: 4–14 gallons per person (4–14 day supply) OR a gravity filter + natural water source

Question 2: Food Supply

If grocery stores were closed for 2 weeks, how long could your household eat from what you currently have?

• 0 points: Less than 3 days
• 1 point: 3–7 days
• 2 points: 1–2 weeks
• 3 points: 2+ weeks with shelf-stable food specifically stored for emergencies

Question 3: Power Outage Readiness

If the power went out tonight for 7 days, which of the following do you have?

• 0 points: Flashlights only (or nothing)
• 1 point: Flashlights + extra batteries + a phone power bank
• 2 points: Above + a battery or solar lantern AND a way to cook without electricity
• 3 points: Above + a generator OR large solar power station sufficient for critical loads

Question 4: Emergency Information

Right now, if your phone died and the internet was down, how would you get emergency information?

• 0 points: I couldn’t: I’d have no way to receive information
• 1 point: Battery-powered radio (AM/FM)
• 2 points: NOAA weather radio (battery-powered) programmed for my county
• 3 points: NOAA weather radio + paper maps of my area + a backup communication plan with family

Question 5: Family Emergency Plan

Does your household have a written family emergency plan that everyone knows?

• 0 points: No plan at all
• 1 point: We’ve talked about it but nothing is written down
• 2 points: Written plan with meeting points and an out-of-area contact
• 3 points: Written plan + all household members know the out-of-area contact number by heart + we’ve practiced it

Question 6: Go-Bag / 72-Hour Kit

Do you have a go-bag or 72-hour emergency kit assembled and accessible?

• 0 points: No
• 1 point: A partial kit: some items assembled but incomplete
• 2 points: A complete 72-hour kit for at least one person
• 3 points: Complete 72-hour kits for every household member, checked and updated in the last 12 months

Question 7: First Aid

What is your first aid capability right now?

• 0 points: A basic store-bought kit with band-aids
• 1 point: A comprehensive first aid kit with wound care, OTC medications, and a manual
• 2 points: Above + at least one household member with first aid training (Red Cross or equivalent)
• 3 points: Above + trauma supplies (tourniquet, pressure bandage, hemostatic gauze) AND at least one person with Stop the Bleed or higher-level training

Question 8: Emergency Cash

How much cash do you have at home right now that you could use if ATMs and card readers were down?

• 0 points: None / only large bills (over $50)
• 1 point: Under $100 in mixed small bills
• 2 points: $100–$500 in mixed small bills
• 3 points: $500+ in mixed small bills, stored securely

Question 9: Medications and Medical Needs

If your pharmacy was closed for 2 weeks, how long could all members of your household manage with current medication supplies?

• 0 points: Less than 3 days
• 1 point: 3–7 days
• 2 points: 1–2 weeks
• 3 points: 2+ weeks OR household has no prescription medication requirements

Question 10: Sanitation

If your toilet stopped working and you had no access to public facilities, what do you have?

• 0 points: Nothing: I haven’t thought about this
• 1 point: I know I could use a bucket and bags but don’t have them staged
• 2 points: I have a 5-gallon bucket with bags, toilet seat, and something to treat waste
• 3 points: A dedicated portable toilet AND waste treatment plan AND sanitation supplies for 2+ weeks

How to Score

Add up your points from all 10 questions. Maximum possible: 30 points.

Level 1: Unprepared (0–5 points)

You’re in the majority: FEMA surveys consistently find that nearly half of American households have minimal or no preparedness. The good news: the gap between 0 and basic preparedness is small, inexpensive, and achievable in a single weekend.

Your Priority Action List

1. Water this week: Buy 3 gallons per person at the grocery store. Store under the kitchen sink or in a closet. This is your #1 priority.
2. Food this week: Add one extra can of food per shopping trip. In one month you’ll have 30 cans: roughly a 1-week supply for 2 people.
3. Light and information this weekend: Buy a battery-powered flashlight and a NOAA weather radio. Both available at hardware stores under $50 total.
4. Cash this week: Withdraw $100 in $10 and $20 bills and put it in an envelope in your home. That’s your emergency cash starting point.
5. Family plan this month: Have one 30-minute conversation with your household about what you’d do in a 3-day power outage. Write down the key decisions (where do we go, who do we call, where do we meet).

Level 2: Minimally Prepared (6–12 points)

You have some awareness and probably some supplies, but significant gaps remain. A 72-hour regional disaster would be manageable but stressful. Your next steps build on what you have.

Your Priority Action List

1. Extend your water supply: Get to 14 gallons per person. Consider a gravity filter (Berkey or ProOne) that can purify water from questionable sources.
2. Extend your food supply to 2 weeks: One pail of freeze-dried food per person ($100–$150) bridges the gap efficiently.
3. Complete your go-bag: Assemble a complete 72-hour kit for every household member and store it accessible.
4. First aid upgrade: Add trauma supplies: at least one tourniquet, pressure bandage, and hemostatic gauze. Take a Stop the Bleed course (free, 2 hours, offered by hospitals and fire departments).
5. Power solution: A large power bank (20,000 mAh) handles phone charging for several days. Plan your next step: a solar panel, a generator, or a larger power station.

Level 3: Moderately Prepared (13–19 points)

You’re better prepared than most. You could weather a 72-hour event with reasonable comfort. Your gaps are typically in the 2-week-plus range and in planning depth.

Your Priority Action List

1. Extended food to 30 days: A 30-day supply per person is achievable with 1–2 additional pails of freeze-dried food plus your existing pantry rotation.
2. Medication supply: Work with your doctor on a 30-day emergency medication supply for all household members.
3. Power: Move from flashlights and power banks to a solar panel + power station (500 Wh+) that can sustain important loads for days.
4. Communication upgrade: Add GMRS radios for neighborhood communication and consider a ham radio license.
5. Financial preparedness: Review your insurance coverage, build your emergency cash toward $1,000, and establish or grow your emergency fund.

Level 4: Well Prepared (20–25 points)

Strong preparedness: you’ve built real systems. Your focus now is depth, durability, and community.

Your Priority Action List

1. Community: Build a neighborhood preparedness network. Your individual preparedness is greatly extended when surrounded by prepared neighbors.
2. Skills: CERT training, wilderness first aid, ham radio license, food preservation: add skills that don’t require restocking.
3. Long-term food production: Garden, heirloom seeds, and potentially small livestock (chickens) to supplement stored food with production capacity.
4. Bug-out location: Identify and equip a location if you haven’t already.
5. Financial resilience: 6+ months expenses saved, diversified income, precious metals allocation.

Level 5: Advanced Prepper (26–30 points)

You have strong systems in place. Your continued focus areas:

1. Annual audit: Rotate and update supplies on a consistent schedule. Preparedness decays without maintenance.
2. Community leadership: Share knowledge with neighbors. The community around you is your extended preparedness system.
3. Skill development: There’s always more to learn: advanced medical, construction, agriculture, and trade skills all add resilience.
4. Plan for scenarios you haven’t planned for: Earthquake when you’ve only planned for hurricanes, extended economic disruption, etc.

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