Free for every family. Print it, then share it with a neighbor.
Kitchen Table Ready Get the free guide

Free · 10 pages · Prints on regular paper

If the power went out tonight, would you know what to do first?

The First Night Plan walks your family through the first 3 days without power or water: water, cash, light and the first night, in the order you'll need them. Plus one page for your fridge.

  • Free
  • One page for the fridge
  • Works offline once printed
  • A source for every number
Cover of The First Night Plan

Get the free guide

Two quick steps, then download it right away.

Takes about a minute. We never sell your email.

No fear tactics. No bunker.

A lot of prep content sells panic. This guide sticks to what Ready.gov, the CDC and FEMA actually recommend, and it lists the source for every number.

What's inside

Four jobs, one weekend, one page on the fridge

  1. How much water your family needsA simple chart for 2 to 6 people.
  2. How to flush when the water is offThe part nobody plans for.
  3. Cash for when card readers are downA quick way to find your family's number.
  4. Light and phones, without candlesWhat to get, and how to keep in touch.
  5. Your first hour, and your first nightStep by step, plus what never to do indoors.
  6. One page for the fridgeFill it in once. Find it in the dark.

Take a look inside

Real pages from the guide

Page 3: one gallon per person, per day, with a chart for 2 to 6 people
Water: how much, and how to store it
Page 4: how to flush the toilet with a bucket
The toilet, when the water stops
Page 10: the fill-in page for the fridge
The page that goes on your fridge
Get the free guide

Questions

Before you download

Is it really free?

Yes. There's nothing to pay and no credit card. Enter your email and download it.

Is this about a specific emergency?

No. It covers the basics Ready.gov recommends for any outage, whether it's a winter storm, a hurricane or a heat wave.

Can I print it and share it?

Please do. Give a copy to your neighbor or your parents. Just don't sell it or change it.

Who's behind this?

Kitchen Table Ready makes plain-English guides for families. We're not a government agency, and we're not affiliated with Ready.gov, FEMA or the CDC.