Preparedness Checklist

[drewbear]

Okay, so here's a checklist of items I should have on hand in the case of an emergency, whether limited or major. Feel free to comment if you have anything you'd like to add or suggest replacements; I'm always willing to accept advice.

Bolding the ones I have and in no particular order:

Food & Water:

* flour
* sugar (I have white, light brown and dark brown)
* rice
* beans (dry black beans and canned pinto beans)
* pasta (thin spaghetti and macaroni)
* airtight containers for all above
* 15 1-gallon jugs of water (currently empty, but can be filled as needed)
* canned soup (I only have 5 or 6 cans, though)
* canned meat (2 cans of tuna)
* canned bread
* canned fruit
* canned veggies (1 can each of spinach, corn kernels, green beans and diced tomatoes)
* powdered milk
* root vegetables (sack of potatoes, 2.5 onions, 3 bulbs garlic and 2 carrots)

Transportation:

* car/truck in good repair (gotta get the oil changed, the alignment fixed and have the guys who did my brakes take another look at 'em, but otherwise, yeah)
* bicycle

Clothing (assume all should be durable and fit comfortably):

* hiking boots, broken in
* 4 pair thick cotton socks
* 2 pairs long jeans
* 2 pair underwear
* 2 cotton t-shirts
* 2 long-sleeved shirts (not dress shirts)
* raincoat/rain slicker
* towel (yes, who HASN'T read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but it's still good advice)

Health & Hygiene:

* stocked & current first aid kit (2 of 'em: smallish one in the car & medium one in the apartment)
* 30-day supply of any necessary medicines (getting the refill this weekend)
* stock of OTC meds like aspirin and antifungals
* stock of antibiotics (if possible)
* large bottle of multivitamins
* bar soap
* travel sizes of toothpaste & shampoo
* new, clean toothbrush
* bleach
* topical disinfectants such as hand-cleanser gel or Clorox wipes
* toilet paper
* latex gloves

Camping:

* tent
* sleeping bag/mat rated for local climate
* hiking backpack
* easy-to-understand survival guide (like the Boy Scout Handbook)

Emergency Gear:

* taper or pillar candles
* matches
* flashlight
* battery- or crank-powered radio

General:

* spare glasses or contacts (if needed)
* digital camera
* portable entertainment (lightweight books, music players, deck of cards, etc.)
* spare batteries
* duct tape
* heavy-grade plastic sheeting
* current maps of the area you are or are traveling to
* dust mask(s)
* utility knife (2 or 3 Swiss Army knife knockoffs)

Okay, I know I'm missing or forgetting things, so please feel free to add to the list.

Comments

Re: Survivalist of the fittest

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

I'm somewhat leery of the DHS, but their guidelines are a good place to start. Unfortunately, most of them assume that some form of government will be along soon to take care of things. I'd rather not trust blindly in government efficiency.