Know Where You Stand

We have at least 30 days of caloric food stored for every household member.

~2,000 calories/day/person. Count what you actually have, not what you intend to buy.

We have a manual can opener, and all stored food can be eaten without power or cooking.

Ready-to-eat, no prep required.

We rotate our food storage — nothing is expired.

FIFO (first in, first out). If you don't know the dates, score this 0.

We have 90+ days of caloric food stored.

Three months of independence for your household.

We can cook without grid power (propane, wood stove, rocket stove, or similar).

Not just a camp stove — a real cooking solution.

We have at least one food production capability (garden, chickens, hunting/fishing license + skill).

Something that grows or is harvested, not just stored.

We have 12+ months of food production capacity.

Enough to feed the household primarily from production, not storage.

We have surplus food we could share with another household.

The Two-Family Standard: prepared for two.

We have 30 days of cash or accessible emergency funds.

Not counting investments or retirement — truly accessible within 24 hours.

We have copies of all critical documents stored securely off-site or digitally encrypted.

Birth certificates, deeds, insurance policies, passports.

We have a basic first aid kit and at least one person trained in basic first aid/CPR.

A stocked kit, not just a box of Band-Aids.

We have 90+ days of emergency funds and carry zero consumer debt.

No credit card balances, no BNPL. Mortgage/auto loan acceptable.

We have a defensible home security posture — hardware, awareness, and a plan.

Reinforced entry points, exterior lighting, a practiced plan for intrusion.

At least one adult in the household has Wilderness First Responder or equivalent medical training.

Beyond basic first aid — can manage emergencies when EMS is unavailable.

We have 12+ months of operating expenses in accessible funds, plus a fully funded investment position.

Dynasty Wealth: the household can weather a year-long income disruption.

We have estate planning complete (will, trust, guardianship designations, medical directives).

The dynasty plan extends past your lifetime.

We have basic hand tools and know how to use them (hammer, saw, wrench set, drill).

And they are maintained, not just owned.

At least one adult can perform basic home repairs (plumbing, electrical, carpentry) without calling a contractor.

Fixing a running toilet, replacing an outlet, patching drywall.

We can navigate and communicate without smartphones (paper maps, two-way radios or HAM).

Minimal dependency on cell networks.

At least one adult has trauma care skills beyond basic first aid (tourniquet, wound packing, airway management).

Stop the Bleed trained or equivalent.

We have a full complement of hand tools capable of building or repairing major household systems.

Not just fixing — building if needed.

At least one adult holds a HAM radio license and operates regularly.

Technician class minimum; General class preferred.

We have a workshop or dedicated skill-building space with power tools and full hand tool complement.

A real maker space, not a junk drawer.

We can teach the skills we have — we have passed them to the next generation or to others in our circle.

Knowledge that lives beyond one person.

We have 72+ hours of emergency lighting and can maintain basic home temperature without grid power.

Candles, headlamps, lanterns. Blankets, sleeping bags rated to local lows.

We have a water storage of at least 1 gallon/person/day for 14 days.

In sealed containers, rotated. Tap water in jugs counts if dated and rotated.

We have a water filtration method capable of producing safe drinking water from non-tap sources.

Berkey, Sawyer, or equivalent gravity/pump filter.

We have a generator (gas, propane, or solar) capable of running critical appliances.

Refrigerator, well pump, medical equipment, communication gear.

We have 30+ days of fuel for heating and cooking systems.

Propane, firewood, or other stored fuel source.

We have a rainwater collection or alternative water system beyond stored bottles.

Cistern, rain barrel, or well.

We have solar + battery backup capable of powering the household for 7+ days without grid input.

Not just a panel — a whole-home system with storage.

We have a gravity-fed or year-round alternative water supply independent of municipal systems.

Well, spring, or cistern fed by reliable collection.