Goals |
Discuss with your family what your main worries are for disasters and emergencies. Research to find out more information about specific threats.
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Determine a survival outlook for your family. In it, consider where they will be when disaster strikes (Home? Work? Traveling?) and what problems that might create.
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Discuss what the main issues (below) are and their solutions.
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Develop an Evacuation, or Bug-Out, plan for various scenarios. This should be a layered plan that accounts for all scenarios.
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Create an emergency plan for your family and write it down. Include all pertinant information such as maps, preferred and alternate routes, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and grab lists (Lists of items to grab at the last minute as you evacuate).
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Consider talking to close friends about providing mutual assistance in time of need.
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Create an emergency information package for family and friends who may be unaware, stubborn or resistant to prepare now. Include what the threats are and what they can do to prepare for them.
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Main Considerations |
How many days needed to plan for?
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When should we be ready by?
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Evacuation/Bug-Out plans (when, how, who, where, etc.)
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What can we expect for each type of scenario?
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Power outages
Fire (building/wildfire)
Water shortage
Insect/vermin infestation or disease due to poor sanitation conditions
Political strife
Looting
Riots/social uprising
Martial law and confiscation
Government imposed curfews
Resource shortages (food, water, fuel, medicines, needed supplies)
Explosions
Biological agents
Chemical agents
Nuclear explosion
Radiological bomb (dirty bomb)
Radioactive fallout
Heavily congested roads and highways
Forced evacuation
Call-out of National Guard troops
Economy down-turn/Inflation
Job Loss or wage suspension
Radioactive contaminated food and water
Any other issues
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Issues and Possible Solutions
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Heat/Warmth |
You need to have the ability to keep your self warm, either by providing heat or by preventing the loss of body heat. Items to consider: |
Clothing, including winter clothes and accessories (hats, scarves, gloves, etc.)
Blankets
Sleeping bags
Expedient shelters
Fire making ability (see below)
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Light |
If the power goes out or if you need to evacuate, you will need to provide your own sources of light. Items to consider: |
Flashlights w/ extra batteries (LED flashlights are preferable for most situations as they use less battery power; but you should also have one bright flashlight)
Candles
Oil lanterns
Kerosene lanterns
12 VDC fluorescent light (with a long cord, very handy for use in a vehicle)
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Note: Using fire-based light is dangerous. Before bright LED lights became available, candles were an economical method to providing sustained light. However, this is no longer the case. For example, for about $10, Energizer makes a small LED lantern that uses 4 AA batteries and can run for up to 200 hours. |
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COOKING |
Items to consider: |
Camping white gas stoves
Coleman dual-fuel stove
Grill (propane or charcoal)
Fireplace
Exbit stoves
Sterno stoves
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Note: Using fire is dangerous. If you are in a survival situation, even if you are at home, you might not be able to get medical treatment. Use extreme caution so no one gets hurt. |
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Hygiene/Sanitation and Waste disposal |
Because of the likely absence of medical treatment, the need to prevent disease and stay clean is crucial. Items to consider: |
Water sprayer (expedient shower)
Sun shower
Soap (anti-bacterial preferred)
Toothbrushes and toothpaste
Feminine hygiene items
Any other toiletries that you use on a regular basis
Chemical toilet or bucket with seat
Heavy-duty plastic bags
Powdered lime (put a little on waste to control smell)
Chemical toilet chemicals
Large rubber bands (hold plastic bag in bucket)
Kitty Litter (absorbs odors and waste water)
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First-Aid |
You will be responsible for your own medical treatment until things return to normal. Items to consider: |
Extensive first-aid kit(s)
Drugs, over-the-counter and prescription
Information (first-aid manuals and texts)
Consider taking a first-aid and CPR class
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Shelter |
Shelter items are necessary even if you plan on staying home. You might be forced to leave your home or your home can be damaged/destroyed. Items to consider: |
Tent
Tarps
Stakes
Cordage
Plastic sheeting
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Fire |
Having the ability to create fire is a vital necessity. Items to consider: |
Matches, preferably the windproof.waterproof type, but the wooden strike-anywhere type are good to (just make sure they don't get wet)
Lighters
Flint and steel
Tinder
Firelogs, fire sticks, and other fire starters
Newspaper
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Water |
You cannot live long without water. Store water and have a means to purify water. Items to consider: |
Stored water
Filters
Iodine
Bleach
Containers (type, size, quantity, etc.)
Information (disinfecting water with chemicals such as iodine or bleach require you to know exactly what you are doing)
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Food |
Items to consider: |
Stored everyday foods
Stored staples and spices
Salt
MREs
Freeze-dried, dehydrated and other long-term storage foods
Paper and plastic products to keep down on water use (plates, napkins, sppons, forks, knives, cups)
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Clothing |
Items to consider: |
Clothes for cold weather
Clothes for wet weather
Durable clothes
Sturdy boots
Work gloves
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Information |
Items to consider: |
Survival manuals
Military field manuals
Outdoor cookbooks
Storage food cookbooks
First-aid manuals
Advanced first-aid manuals
Threat specific information (e.g., nuclear, biological, chemical attack info)
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Navigation and Signaling |
Items to consider: |
Map of city, county, state
Topo maps of relocation and bug-out areas, including routes
Dry erase markers, rulers
Compass
GPS
Notepad
Pencil
Whistle, on lanyard
Mirror
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Pet stuff |
Items to consider: |
Pet food
Bowls
Leashes and long tie-downs
Toys
Brushes
Collars
Water (make sure you account for your animals in your water storage)
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Electricity |
The ability to supply your own electricity or even recharge batteries would go a long way to extending comfort. Items to consider: |
Generator
Extension cords
Fuel for generator
Solar battery charger
NiMH batteries in the needed sizes
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Communications |
Items to consider: |
Scanner
Hand-held radios
AM/FM/short-wave
Spare batteries
Weather radio
Spare batteries
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Eyecare/Eyewear |
Items to consider: |
Glasses
Spare glasses (especially for those who wear contacts)
Hard shell glasses case
Contacts
Saline
Cleaning solution
Contact cases
Sunglasses
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Weapons and Self-Protection |
During a crisis, Law Enforcement will be too busy to come help you. Protecting you and your family is no different than any other survival preparation. Items to consider: |
Handguns
Rifles
Shotguns
Ammo for the above
Knives
Pepper spray
Stun-gun
Wrist-ties or large cable ties (after you stop an intruder, you need to immobilze him until the police arrive, which may be days)
Bat, baton, heavy stick
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NBC/Terrorist Action |
Items to consider: |
Protective equipment
Potassium iodate/iodide
Filtration masks
Plastic sheeting and duct tape
Information manuals
Radiation dose rate meters
Radiation dosimeters and charger
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Tools |
Items to consider: |
Shovel
Axe
Sledge hammer
Hammer
Basic tools (screwdriver, wrenches, etc.)
Wedge
Chainsaw (also: gas, oil, 2 cycle oil, spare chain, case)
Rope
Saw
Files
Nails, various sizes
Screws, various sizes
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Vehicle |
Since you mught have to evacuate, you need to consider you vehicle, too. Items to consider: |
Keep you vehicle in good repair
Spare parts
Tools needed to work on your vehicle
Spare oil, transmission fluid, coolant, etc.
Spare fan belts
Fill up your tank when it is half-empty instead of when it is empty. This will keep at least a half a tank of fuel in your vehicle at all times.
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Repairs/Cordage |
Items to consider: |
Sewing kit
Twine
Duct tape
Cable ties
Super glue
Safety pins
Fishing line (makes a strong thread)
Sewing awl
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Economic |
Be prepared for an economic downturn, such as a recession or depression. You should also be prepared for a loss of income. Items to consider: |
Gold
Silver
Financial records
Cash on hand
Insurance papers
Wills, deeds, birth certificates, etc.
Pay down your debt and keep it low
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