The Pentagon wants every major military base in the country able to run for 90 days on its own: its own power, water, fuel, and communications, with no help from outside.
It's called FORTRESS America, and it's been all over the news the last few weeks.
I spent 25 years in uniform. Planning for sustainment when the supply line gets cut is how the military thinks. Most American homes don't think that way at all. Lose the power for a few hours and a lot of families are already scrambling for flashlights.
Here's the honest truth. You don't need to plan for 90 days to start. Start with the emergencies that actually happen to families every year: a house fire and a power outage. Get those right, and you've built the foundation for everything bigger.
Fire: Prevention Comes First
Check your smoke detectors and fire extinguishers regularly, and make sure every family member knows how to use them. Have a clear escape plan with two ways out of every room and a set meeting spot outside.
Practice that plan. Kids especially need to walk through it, not just hear it. Teach the basics: stop, drop, and roll; feel a door for heat before opening it; and never, ever go back into a burning house.
Winter is the season for this. Space heaters, fireplaces, and candles during outages all raise your fire risk at the same time.
Power Outages: Build the Kit
Put together an emergency kit with flashlights, extra batteries, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, and basic first-aid supplies. Solar chargers or a generator are worth considering. But never run a generator indoors or in an attached garage. Carbon monoxide kills people every winter, and it gives you no warning.
Keep non-perishable food and water for every family member for at least three days. Have a plan for extreme temperatures too: extra blankets for a winter outage, battery-powered fans for summer, and know where your local warming and cooling centers are.
Stay Informed
Have a way to get emergency alerts that doesn't depend on the power: a NOAA Weather Radio, plus alert apps on your phone. Good information is what tells you whether to stay put or leave.
Have a Communication Plan
Every family member should know how to reach the others if you're separated. Pick an out-of-town contact everyone can check in with. Local phone networks often jam up during a disaster, while long-distance calls and texts sometimes still get through.
Protect the Paperwork
Keep important documents in a fireproof, waterproof box, and keep digital backups somewhere off-site. Replacing a birth certificate or deed after a fire is a misery you can avoid.
Know Your House Without Power
Learn how to manually open your electric garage door and any powered gates before you need to. Keep a cooler and ice packs on hand to save perishable food during a long outage.
Stay Calm and Adapt
Emergencies change fast. The family that stays calm, supports each other, and keeps safety first will make better decisions than the family with more gear and no plan.
Your Move This Week
Pick one thing and do it before Sunday. Test every smoke detector in the house. Or walk your family through the fire escape plan. Or put a flashlight and fresh batteries where everyone can find them in the dark.
The Pentagon is planning for 90 days. You can start with 3. Just start.
Stay vigilant,
Jim Mahan
SFC, U.S. Army (Ret.) — 25 years in uniform, three combat tours in Iraq. Senior Master in martial arts. Writes about prepping, self-defense, and family protection. Lives in Copperas Cove, Texas.
Editorial Methodology & AI Transparency
The frameworks, insights, and principles published here are drawn directly from decades of applied field experience and real-world leadership.
Modern AI tools (Claude and Gemini) serve as research assistants and copyeditors under strict human direction. Every concept, analysis, and final recommendation is personally curated, pressure-tested, and verified by the author. AI serves as an editorial force multiplier—the lived experience, domain expertise, and judgment remain entirely human.