Glenn Beck told Americans to “prepare for impact.” Now he is spelling out what families should do before an emergency turns everyday necessities into urgent needs.
In a follow-up to his viral warning, Beck moved from concerns about war and political unrest to a practical checklist. Water comes first. A working family communication plan matters. So does knowing who lives next door.
“Don’t go out and buy a bunch of stuff because I’m saying it,” Beck said. “Preparation is the opposite of panic.”
In the video, Beck acknowledged that his predictions can miss the mark. His instructions emphasize gradual preparation within a family’s budget, with faith and community at the center.
Here are 10 priorities he outlined:
- 1. Store Water Before the Taps Run Dry. Beck recommends planning around a gallon per person per day. A family of four would need 56 gallons for two weeks. He suggests stackable containers, rotating stored water every six months and obtaining a reliable filter. “Do you have 56 gallons?” he asked. He also encouraged identifying nearby water sources, paired with his repeated instruction to have a good filter.
- 2. Stock Food Your Family Already Eats. An emergency is a poor time to discover that nobody will eat what fills the shelves. Beck recommends buying familiar staples such as rice, beans, oats, canned meat and peanut butter. “Every trip to the store, just buy a little extra,” he said. Put newer purchases behind older supplies and rotate through them. His easily overlooked addition: a can opener that does not require electricity.
- 3. Deal With Medication Needs Now. “If somebody in your house depends on a prescription, that’s your weakest link,” Beck said. He urged discussing a 90-day supply with a doctor and asking a pharmacist which medications store well or require refrigeration. Beyond prescriptions, he called for a substantial first-aid kit and training in CPR and bleeding control. His concern is that emergency responders could become unavailable during a severe disruption.
- 4. Prepare for a Power Outage. Beck lists flashlights, batteries and a solar phone charger among useful supplies. He also urges families to consider how they would heat one room during a winter outage and to keep vehicle fuel tanks above half full. Generators demand particular care. “Run it outside far from the windows,” he said, warning about deaths when people operate them in garages.
- 5. Keep Cash When Cards Cannot Work. A wallet full of cards offers little help when payment networks fail. “Your cards are a piece of plastic,” Beck said. “If the network goes down how are you going to pay for things?” He recommends keeping cash at home in small bills for groceries and gasoline. Throughout the discussion, he discourages panic buying or selling assets because of a frightening headline.
- 6. Know How Your Family Will Reconnect. Beck urges people to write important phone numbers on paper, select a family meeting place and choose a backup location. An out-of-state relative can serve as a shared contact. “Your phone is a miracle right up until it isn’t,” he said. He also recommends a battery-powered or hand-crank radio with AM reception and discusses amateur radio training as an additional step.
- 7. Put Documents and Evacuation Bags Within Reach. Birth certificates, passports, deeds, insurance information and prescription records should be organized for quick access, Beck said. He recommends waterproof folders and a bag for each household member containing essentials, including walking shoes, medicine, cash and document copies. “If you have to leave, you’re going to have to leave in minutes, not hours,” he said.
- 8. Make Security Responsible and Practiced. Beck calls for safe firearm storage, familiarity with state laws and regular training. “A tool you’ve never practiced with is not protection. It’s a hazard,” he said. He also draws a firm boundary against offensive violence, warning listeners away from groups organizing attacks. “We can protect ourselves and defend ourselves and our families,” he said.
- 9. Build Relationships Before You Need Rescue. Know which neighbor is a nurse, who has a generator and who is elderly and alone. Beck urges people to know their pastors and local leaders, then prepare to help vulnerable neighbors. “A house full of food in a hungry neighborhood is not safe,” he said. “A neighborhood that can take care of each other is.” He specifically encourages buying extra for the widow down the street.
- 10. Settle Your Convictions and Strengthen Your Faith. Beck urges people to study Scripture, know their constitutional rights and decide which moral lines they will refuse to cross under pressure. “Hard times do not build character. Hard times take inventory,” he said. He also warns against rumors and demands scrutiny of his own claims: “Check it. Check me.” His spiritual instruction is direct: “Put on the full armor of God.”
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Beck’s final push is to start with one manageable task, then keep going. Store water, set aside cash, prepare the bag and introduce yourself to a neighbor.
“Preparation is how love shows up before it’s needed,” he said.
He tied that preparation to the strength to remain standing when trouble comes, closing with an appeal that reaches beyond emergency supplies.
“Get your house in order. Know your neighbor. Know what you believe. And prepare to stand.”
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
