10-Minute Home Readiness Audit
Know where you stand. Know what to fix. Know you're ready.
Most people think they're more prepared than they are. Most people are wrong.
That's not a criticism, it's just the reality. Emergency preparedness is one of those things we intend to get to. We buy a flashlight. We tell ourselves we'll get more water next time we're at the store. We make a mental note about the first aid kit.
But when you actually sit down and audit your home against what FEMA recommends, the gaps tend to surprise you.
That's exactly what this free checklist is for.
What Is the 10-Minute Home Readiness Audit?
The Gear Up Survival Kits Home Readiness Audit is a free printable checklist that walks you through 8 key areas of home emergency preparedness, 48 items total, aligned with FEMA ready.gov recommendations. It takes about 10 minutes to complete and gives you a clear picture of where your household stands right now.
What the Audit Covers
The checklist is organized into 8 sections so you can work through it methodically and see exactly where your gaps are:
Section 1 - Water Supply
How much water do you actually have stored? Do you have a way to purify water if your supply runs out? Do you know where your main shutoff valve is? Most households underestimate their water needs - this section gives you the real numbers.
Section 2 - Food & Supplies
Beyond having canned goods, this section checks whether you have the right tools to use them. Manual can opener, mess kits, supplies for infants if applicable, and food for pets.
Section 3 - Emergency Kit Essentials
This is the most comprehensive section, 16 items covering everything from flashlights and NOAA weather radios to dust masks, plastic sheeting, local maps, changes of clothing, and activities for children. Most households are missing at least a few of these.
Section 4 - Medications & Medical Needs
A 7-day supply of prescriptions. A written medication list. A plan for refrigerated medications and power-dependent medical devices. This section is especially important for seniors, households with chronic conditions, and families with young children.
Section 5 - Family & Household Plan
Supplies are only half the equation. This section checks whether your family has an actual plan. Meeting points, out-of-state contacts, evacuation routes, local emergency alerts, and the FEMA app.
Section 6 - Home Safety
Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguisher, utility shutoffs, and the non-sparking wrench FEMA specifically recommends for turning off your gas safely. Most homeowners miss that last one.
Section 7 - Vehicle & Go-Bag Readiness
Your car kit, your go-bag, your fuel level, and your printed evacuation maps. Being ready at home is only part of the picture, this section covers what happens when you need to leave.
Section 8 - Sanitation & Shelter-in-Place
What do you do when the water is out and you can't leave? This section covers dust masks, plastic sheeting, waste management, hygiene supplies, and how to seal your home from outdoor hazards.
Who Should Use This Audit?
This checklist works for any household. But it's especially useful for:
• Families with young children who want to make sure every member's needs are covered
• Seniors and households caring for older adults with medical or mobility needs
• Pet owners who want to make sure their animals are included in their plan
• New homeowners doing a first-time preparedness review
• Anyone who has a kit but hasn't checked it recently
• Anyone who wants to know honestly where they stand
How to Use It
• Download and print the checklist or pull it up on your phone
• Work through each section, check off what you have in place
• Circle anything that needs attention
• Use the scoring guide at the bottom to see where you stand
• Write your three biggest priority items in the notes section
• Set a review date, readiness needs to be checked annually
What Happens After the Audit?
Most households score somewhere in the middle, good on some things, missing others. That's completely normal. The audit isn't meant to make you feel behind. It's meant to give you a clear, honest starting point.
If your biggest gaps are in kit essentials - water, food, flashlights, first aid, documents - a complete home emergency survival kit covers most of Section 3 in one step. Gear Up Survival Kits offers fully stocked home emergency kits built for families, seniors, pet owners, and more.
If your gaps are more in the planning areas - family communication plan, evacuation routes, utility shutoffs - those are free to fix and just require a conversation and 30 minutes of your time.
Either way, you'll leave the audit knowing exactly what to do next.
Download Your Free Audit - click here
The 10-Minute Home Readiness Audit is completely free. No email required. Download it, print it, and spend 10 minutes this week finding out exactly where your household stands.
This checklist is part of the Gear Up Survival Kits Free Downloads and Checklists Hub. A growing collection of free printable tools for families, seniors, and pet owners. All resources are aligned with FEMA ready.gov recommendations.