Fortress America and Your Family: Staying Prepared When Outside Help Isn't Coming

The Pentagon recently announced a program called FORTRESS America, aimed at keeping military bases running on their own power and supplies if the grid or supply chains go down. Details are still coming out, and it's a program for bases, not civilians.

I don't think it's a sign we're going to war. But it's a good reminder to stay prepped for a scenario where outside help isn't coming for a while. If the military is planning to stand on its own, it's fair to ask how long our own households could do the same.

Start With the Right Mindset

After a major emergency, you may be on your own for days, not hours. Get your family to 72 hours first, then build toward two weeks. A blizzard, wildfire, or regional outage all put you in the same spot, and the same preparation covers all of them.

Water Comes First

Plan on at least one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation, more for pets, anyone pregnant or sick, and hot weather. Aim for three days at a minimum and two weeks if you can.

• Unopened bottled water is the safest choice. Watch the expiration date.
• If you fill your own, use food-grade water storage containers, label them with the date, and swap the water out every six months.
• Store it in a cool, dark place, away from gasoline and pesticides.
• Keep unscented household bleach on hand for disinfecting water, and follow the label directions.

If you hunt or camp, you probably already own a backpacking water filter. It makes a great backup, but stored water is still the plan.

Food and Cooking

Stock non-perishable food your family will actually eat, plus a manual can opener. Rotate it into your regular meals so nothing expires on the shelf.

A closed refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours, and a full freezer holds for roughly 48 hours. If food sits at 40 degrees or warmer for two hours or more, toss it. Cook with camp stoves and grills outdoors only. A dependable fire starter, like the ones from Black Beard Fire, belongs in the hunting pack and the home kit alike.

Medical, First Aid, and Prescriptions

Keep a real first aid kit, not just a box of bandages. My Medic builds first aid kits and med packs for home, vehicles, and the field, and it's worth looking at what fits your family.

Refill prescriptions early when you can, and try to keep about a week of medications on hand, along with spare glasses and hearing aid batteries. Talk to your doctor about anything that needs refrigeration or power. Gear only helps if you know how to use it, so consider taking a first aid class.

Power, Light, and Communication

Walk through your house and list everything that runs on electricity, then plan around it:

• A flashlight for every household member, plus extra batteries
• A battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA weather radio, since cell service may not hold up
• Power banks for phones
• Battery-backup carbon monoxide detectors on every level of the home

If you run a generator, it goes outdoors only, at least 20 feet from windows, doors, and attached garages. Let it cool before refueling. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, and it kills people every winter.

Heat and Montana Winters

Here in Northwest Montana, we often have winters where we lose power anywhere from a few hours to a few days. That's not a doomsday scenario, it's just part of living here, and it's the best real-world reason to be ready. Losing heat can be a bigger problem than losing lights. Never heat your home with a gas stove or oven. Keep a sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person, layered clothing, and a winter kit in every vehicle with jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, water, and snacks. Keep the gas tank full, and know the signs of hypothermia: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, and slurred speech.

Cash and Documents

When the power's out, card readers and ATMs may be too. Keep some cash at home. Store copies of IDs, insurance policies, deeds or leases, medical information, and bank records in a waterproof container, and save digital copies somewhere secure.

Have a Family Communication Plan

Your family may not be together when something happens. Decide how you'll contact each other and where you'll meet if you're separated. Write it down, put a copy in every backpack and glovebox, and practice it.

Security and Responsible Firearm Ownership

For many of us, firearms are part of how we protect our families. In an emergency, that responsibility gets bigger, not smaller. Secure storage keeps firearms ready for you and out of reach of kids, thieves, and anyone else who shouldn't have them. A quality safe or quick-access lock box, available through retailers like Brownells, is a good place to start.

Readiness also means training. Keep up your safe handling, know your state's laws, and make sure every adult in the house knows the rules.

Neighbors and Community

The strongest preparedness plan in rural America has always been a good neighbor. Know who on your road is elderly or has medical needs, and who has a generator or a tractor. Trade phone numbers now.

Start Small: A Checklist for This Weekend

You don't have to do everything at once. Pick a few:

• Count your water and figure out how many gallons your family needs for 3 days, then 14.
• Check your pantry and add a few days of shelf-stable food and a manual can opener.
• Test your flashlights, radio, smoke alarms, and CO detectors.
• Refill prescriptions early if you can, and write down a medication list.
• Fill out a family communication plan and pick a meeting place.
• Put cash and copies of key documents in a waterproof container.
• Check your firearm storage and talk with your kids about gun safety.
• Put a winter kit in each vehicle.

A little planning now lets your family stand on its own, without fear and without panic.

This article is for entertainment and informational purposes only. It isn't professional, legal, medical, or safety advice. Always check the facts, official guidance, and local laws and regulations for yourself, and use your own judgment before you act on any preparedness, safety, or firearm storage information.

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