Quick Summary
September is National Preparedness Month because it's peak hurricane and wildfire season.
FEMA recommends 72 hours of supplies, but recent disasters prove you might need at least 2 weeks.
Focus on water security, food that works for your family, and scalable power solutions.
Table of Contents
-
Why Is September National Preparedness Month?
-
What Does FEMA Recommend?
-
What Should Your Real Preparedness Priorities Be?
-
What Makes September the Perfect Month to Prepare?
-
How Can You Build Preparedness Without Overwhelming Yourself?
-
FAQ
Last September, while most Americans were settling into fall routines, Hurricane Helene left nearly 4 million people without power.
Some didn’t have power for weeks!
It was the deadliest mainland hurricane since Katrina. Two weeks later, Hurricane Milton struck. The year before that, multiple Category 5 storms.
See the pattern?
September is a wake-up call wrapped in falling leaves and pumpkin spice. It's nature's annual reminder that our comfortable routines can be disrupted in an instant.
A reminder that preparedness isn't paranoia, but common sense!
So let’s talk about how to make this September your best prep month.
Why Is September National Preparedness Month?
September earned its designation as National Preparedness Month for good reason. Historically, September marks the peak of Atlantic hurricane season.
And 2024 demonstrated this perfectly through Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which caused billions in damage and left millions without power.
But it's not just hurricanes. September sits at the intersection of multiple natural disaster seasons:
-
Peak Atlantic hurricane activity (August through October)
-
Height of wildfire season in the West
-
Severe weather transitions as summer gives way to fall
-
Early winter storm risks in northern states
In 2024 alone, the U.S. experienced 27 billion-dollar disasters, according to NOAA. It was the second-highest count since records began in 1980.
Many of these clustered around September, reinforcing why this month deserves special attention for preparedness efforts.
What’s going to happen this year? No one can tell…
But we can do everything in our power to prepare for it.
What Does FEMA Recommend?
FEMA's basic emergency kit recommendations have remained largely unchanged for years:
-
72 hours (3 days) of supplies
-
1 gallon of water per person per day
-
Some non-perishable food
-
Battery-powered radio
-
Flashlight and extra batteries
-
First aid kit
-
Medications and personal hygiene items
On paper, it sounds reasonable. In reality? Recent disasters tell a different story.
In lots of cases, communities were cut off for weeks, not days. And the gap between FEMA's 72-hour recommendation and some real-world disasters is growing wider. Here's why the guidelines can fall short:
Infrastructure takes longer to restore. Modern power grids are more complex and interconnected. Weather-related power outages have almost doubled in the last decade, with about 80% of major outages caused by weather events.
Supply chains are more fragile. Just-in-time delivery means stores have less backup inventory. When disasters strike, shelves empty quickly and stay empty longer.
Disasters are more intense. The 2024 hurricane season featured the first multiple Category 5 hurricanes since 2019, with storms experiencing rapid intensification due to warmer ocean temperatures.
Population density increases impact. More people competing for the same resources means individual preparation becomes even more critical.
Does this mean you should ignore FEMA's guidelines? No – think of them as your absolute minimum, not your goal. If a 72-hour kit is all you have, you're better off than someone with nothing. But if you want real security for your family, it's time to think bigger.
What Should Your Real Preparedness Priorities Be?
Building true resilience means focusing on the fundamentals that keep your family safe and comfortable during extended disruptions.
Here are the three pillars that matter most:
Water: The Non-Negotiable Foundation
FEMA's "1 gallon per person per day" is just for drinking and basic hygiene. But think about your actual water usage:
-
Cooking meals
-
Washing dishes (even minimally)
-
Basic hygiene beyond drinking
-
Pets' needs
-
Medical equipment that requires water
A more realistic calculation is 2 gallons per person per day for comprehensive needs. For a family of four, that's 56 gallons for a two-week supply—far more than most people store.
Here's the smart approach: combine storage with purification. Start with containers like our 5-Gallon Collapsible Water Container that save space when empty.
Add water filtration tablets or a quality filter system as backup. This way, you're covered whether the outage lasts three days or three weeks.
Common water storage mistakes to avoid:
✖️ Storing water in milk jugs (they degrade quickly)
✖️ Forgetting to date containers
✖️ Not having a way to purify questionable water
✖️ Underestimating hygiene water needs
Food Security
Emergency food isn't about suffering through beans and rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's about maintaining normalcy when everything else feels chaotic. The secret is building a system that works with your family's actual eating habits.
Skip the bucket of wheat if you've never ground flour. Instead, focus on:
-
Foods you already eat and know how to prepare
-
A mix of ready-to-eat and simple-cook options
-
Comfort foods that boost morale
-
Variety to prevent appetite fatigue
That’s where ready-made food kits prove their worth. A comprehensive 2-Week Emergency Food Supply takes the guesswork out of planning. You get balanced nutrition, proper calorie counts, and meals your family will actually eat—all with a up-to-25-year shelf life.
It's the difference between hoping you have enough and knowing you do.
Power When the Grid Fails
In 2024, Hurricane Beryl left nearly 3 million Texans without power for days. For many, those weren't just inconvenient days—they were dangerous.
Consider what requires power in your home:
-
Medical devices (CPAP, oxygen concentrators, medications requiring refrigeration)
-
Communication devices to stay informed
-
Basic lighting for safety
-
Refrigeration to prevent food loss
-
Fans or heaters for temperature regulation
-
Cooking equipment
A few flashlights won't cut it anymore. At minimum, invest in:
-
Portable power banks for phones
-
Battery or solar-powered radio for emergency updates
For extended outages, the safest option is to invest in a durable solar generator that can power your essential devices, AND the big stuff in your home – like your refrigerator, kitchen appliances, and water pumps.
What Makes September the Perfect Month to Prepare?
September offers unique advantages for building your preparedness:
End-of-season sales. Retailers often clear summer camping gear and outdoor equipment at deep discounts.
Harvest season abundance. Farmers markets overflow with produce perfect for preserving. September is ideal for stocking up on long-lasting goods, learning preservation skills, or buying bulk staples at seasonal lows.
Mild weather for projects. Unlike the dead of winter or summer heat, September's moderate temperatures make it comfortable for organizing supplies, testing equipment, or building storage solutions.
Pre-winter preparation window. Get ready now, before winter storms add another layer of potential emergencies. Test your heating backup, winterize your emergency supplies, and ensure you're ready for cold-weather power outages.
Natural reflection point. As kids return to school and routines reset, September provides a natural checkpoint for family preparedness. It's easier to establish new habits when everything else is shifting too.
How Can You Build Preparedness Without Overwhelming Yourself?
We get it…talking about extreme weather events and extended power outages can be A LOT.
Sometimes we spend so much time worrying about everything that we can’t figure out the best way to prepare, what we should do first, how to get started, or if there’s something crucial we’re missing…
Analysis paralysis is a real thing.
And it’s responsible for a lot of people freezing in their tracks when thinking about these things.
Our advice? Do one thing at a time.
Take a look at our list of #10 Can Collection. Do you identify something that could make your life easier in an emergency?
That’s how complicated it should be to prepare for emergencies. Simply grab what you need and make this the month you unlock peace of mind for the whole year ahead!
Commonly Asked Questions
Is September too late for hurricane preparedness?
Not at all. Hurricane season officially runs through November 30, and 2024 saw significant storms into October. September preparations can protect you through the remainder of hurricane season and beyond.
What's the most important thing to do if I can only do one thing?
Secure your water supply. You can survive weeks without food but only days without water. Start with proper storage containers and basic purification methods—everything else builds from there.
Should I trust FEMA's guidelines at all?
FEMA's guidelines provide a helpful starting framework, but treat them as your minimum baseline, not your ceiling. The 72-hour kit concept is sound—the timeline just needs updating based on recent disasters. Use FEMA's lists as a checklist to ensure you haven't forgotten basics, then build beyond them for true security.
