Survival Supplies Checklist

Disaster Preparedness Information



The purpose of any survival kit is to centralize items that will allow you to live in a self-sufficient way for an extended period of time. Disaster can come into our lives in many forms and can be individual, local or global. Know that most catastrophes or disasters can be survived with a minimum of preparation. How comfortable you are during and after a catastrophe will depend on how well prepared you were and on how severely your immediate area was affected. So take advance action: Start putting together a collection of items that will allow you and your family to be in the best possible shape. With all simple items available, don’t let money (or lack thereof) come between you and your family’s survival.

We take the grocery store for granted. In the event of a panic, just think how very few frightened shoppers that it would take for your neighborhood grocery to run out of a product like rice. A few determined families could take most of it! The stores could be stripped bare in minutes. Do not wait.

Try to "rotate" a decent supply of food and still always have plenty on hand in case of an emergency. But many of these items have a very long shelf life, and can be used strictly as emergency storage. This list is designed for some variety. No one can tell you how much to buy, but try to work your way toward a three-month supply.

Of course, you probably won't go out and buy all of this. Realistically, if you had to, you could purchase only bulk size bags of rice, dried beans, flour, shortening, possibly corn, along with some source of Vitamin C. You could last a very long time for very little money. For very basic survival, we would recommend that you have your water purifier, cooking supplies, and a way to stay warm.

In a disaster, your family could be without daily items that we take for granted. Think about life without running water, electricity, food from grocery stores and restaurants, gas for heat, cooking and hot water, then plan accordingly.

There are a handful of other gadgets that every family should have on hand. You will need N95 masks for any trips outside. You will need cash hidden in the house. If the electricity is down, the ATM's will be down, and ATM's are manually filled with money by workers. As contagion spreads, banks will be closed along with other businesses. Also, banks will be harbors for infection due to the degree of money handling. Please do all of this very carefully!
What to do BEFORE disaster strikes:

☐ Post emergency telephone numbers by phones (fire, police, ambulance, etc.).

☐ Teach children how and when to call 911 or your local Emergency Medical Services number for emergency help.

☐ Show each family member how and when to turn off the water, gas and electricity at the main switches.

☐ Take video of your house and all its belongings.

☐ Locate the main electric fuse box, water service main and natural gas main. Learn how and when to turn these utilities off. Teach all responsible family members. Keep necessary tools near gas and water shut-off valves.

☐ Remember, turn off the utilities only if you suspect the lines are damaged or if you are instructed to do so. If you turn the gas off, you will need a professional to turn it back on.

☐ Find a waterproof container to store your supplies in, such as a GoreTex backpack or a rubber bin. You don't want your kit to get ruined in a natural disaster before you have a chance to use the items inside it. A container that is waterproof and fireproof is even better, but a fireproof safe can be heavy, making it hard to carry when you're rushing out of the house.

☐ Buy your disaster supplies. The federal government recommends that you have at least three days' worth of food and water on hand per family member. This equates to about a gallon of water (or three standard bottles) per person. All of the food should be nonperishable, such as unsalted crackers, soup or canned tuna. Cater the amount of food to how much each member of your family will eat, and include baby food if you have any infants. Also add a high powered flashlight with extra batteries, an emergency radio (preferably solar or crank powered), a first aid kit, required prescription medicines and hygiene items, space blankets (made of a metallic material meant to withstand extreme cold), matches and identification. Don't forget supplies for any pets.

☐ Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your needs for at least three days. Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit with items you may need in an evacuation. Store these supplies in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers such as backpacks, duffle bags or covered trash containers.

☐ Put all of your supplies in your waterproof container. If you have a lot of supplies, don't try to fit them into one pack or bin. Instead, separate them into multiple containers so that they will be easy to carry if you need to make a quick exit. Place each container in an area that is cool and as dark as possible. In the home, this would be the basement or bottom of a closet. In your car, of course, store the items in the trunk. In your office, either a desk drawer or storage closet is a good bet.

Location of Main Water Valve: _________________________________________________

Location of Gas Valve*: ______________________________________________________

Location of Wrench: _________________________________________________________

Location of Garage Door Manual Override: _______________________________________

Location of Other Utilities: ____________________________________________________

*Do not shut off gas unless you suspect a leak exists.

*Note: Use “911” only for Emergencies

NON-EMERGENCY FIRE DEPARTMENT: ___________________________________________

NON-EMERGENCY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY: ___________________________________

PRIMARY DOCTOR: ___________________________________________________________

GAS COMPANY: _____________________________________________________________

ELECTRIC COMPANY: _________________________________________________________

WATER COMPANY: ___________________________________________________________

OUT-OF-STATE CONTACT: ____________________________________________________

POISON CONTROL: ___________________________________________________________

OTHER: ____________________________________________________________________

 
What to do AFTER a disaster strikes

☐ Don’t panic - this is easier said than done. With a few must-haves you’ll be able to survive at least 72 hours. By then communications should be back up and help will be on its way.

☐ Use common sense - if it ain’t yours, don’t touch it. If the power line that fell is not yours, don’t touch it, and if the stray dog isn’t yours, don’t touch it. This will help you remain safe.

☐ Don’t wander - wherever you are from, you know the dangers there. This is not the time to learn something new. See rule one.

☐ Seek help - talk to neighbors, friends, and other family members. Don’t go it alone. There is safety and strength in numbers.

☐ Put on heavy shoes immediately to avoid injury from stepping on glass.

☐ Locate a light source, such as a flashlight, if necessary.

☐ Check for injuries and administer first aid.

☐ Check for fires and fire hazards.

☐ Sniff for gas leaks, starting at the hot water heater. If you smell gas, hear a hissing sound or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open the windows and carefully leave the house. DO NOT TURN LIGHTS ON OR OFF. DO NOT STRIKE MATCHES. Do not shut off the gas unless you suspect a leak exists. Only the gas company can restore service.

☐ If necessary, turn off the electrical system at the main circuit breaker or fuse box.

☐ Check on your neighbors.

☐ Listen for advisories using a battery powered radio.

☐ Do not touch downed power lines or objects touching downed wires. Do not stand in water near downed lines.

☐ Remove fallen debris that may cause personal injury.

☐ Assess house, roof, and chimney for damages.

☐ Do not use the phone except in emergencies. Only call 911 for life threatening emergencies. Have a plug-in analog phone in case the power is out, but phone lines are still working.

☐ Be prepared for aftershocks.

☐ Open closets and cupboards carefully because items may have fallen or become rearranged.

☐ Cooperate with public safety officials.

☐ Be prepared to evacuate when/if necessary.

☐ DO NOT GO SIGHTSEEING!

Survival Supplies Checklist
Basic Survival
☐ Food: Light weight, high nutritional value
☐ Water: one gallon per day per person
☐ First Aid kit with book: know CRP, etc.
☐ Tarp: for shelter, shade and water collection
Food, Cooking and Food Care
☐ Portable Camp Stove (Best choice) Bar-B-Q or fold-up metal type at least
☐ Safe fuel container for extra fuel and matches
☐ Heavy duty aluminum foil
☐ Full mess kit for each person: knife, fork, spoon, plate(s)
☐ At least 2 cooking pots with covers
☐ 1 light weight hot water kettle (whistling type)
☐ Set of cooking utensils: 2 large spoons, spatula, tongs, knives, long-necked forks
☐ Paper towels, cooking mitt, napkins, hot pad
☐ Fry pan, 2 if possible
☐ 2 week supply of paper plates
☐ Water filter: portable type plus at least bottles of water purification tablets
☐ Safe cooking oil (rotate for freshness)
☐ High-energy snacks (protein bars, raisins, peanut butter, etc.)
☐ Pre-cooked canned meat and veggies
☐ Canned (or boxed) juices (preferably natural)
☐ Energy bars
☐ Powdered milk (for babies)
☐ Condiments (hey, who wants to eat dull, bland emergency food)
☐ Can opener (for all the Chef Boyardee you’ve stocked-up)
☐ Food for pets
☐ Baking mixes, powder
☐ Baking soda
☐ Barley
☐ Bay leaves (delicious in beans, and insects avoid foods like flour with a bay leaf stored inside the bag)
☐ Beans-dry
☐ Bottled drinks and juices (not refrigerated type)
☐ Brown Sugar
☐ Bullion, concentrated broth
☐ Butter flavoring, like Molly McButter. Freeze for storage if you can.
☐ Candy
☐ Canned beans
☐ Canned broth
☐ Canned chicken breast
☐ Canned chili
☐ Canned diced tomatoes, other tomato products, and sauces
☐ Canned French fried onions for green bean casserole
☐ Canned fruit
☐ Canned milk, evaporated milk
☐ Canned pie filling (don't overlook, great item)
☐ Canned pumpkin
☐ Canned Salmon
☐ Canned soups
☐ Canned stew
☐ Canned sweet potatoes
☐ Canned Tuna
☐ Canned veggies
☐ Cans of lemonade mix, other canned dry drink mixes
☐ Cheese dips in jars
☐ Cheese soups, like cheddar, broccoli cheese, and jack cheese
☐ Chocolate bars
☐ Chocolate chips
☐ Chocolate syrup, strawberry syrup squeeze bottles (about that dry milk, again)
☐ Coffee filters (also for straining silt out of water)
☐ Corn Masa de Harina or corn tortilla mix
☐ Corn meal
☐ Corn starch for thickening
☐ Cream of Wheat
☐ Cream soups (good for flavoring rice & pasta, too)
☐ Crisco
☐ Dried eggs
☐ Dried fruit
☐ Dried onion (big containers at warehouse stores)
☐ Dried soups
☐ Dry cocoa
☐ Dry coffee creamer (big sealed cans, many uses including making dry milk taste better)
☐ Dry milk powder
☐ Dry Mustard
☐ Flour, self-rising flour Flour tortilla mix for flour tortillas, wraps, and flatbread
☐ Garlic powder
☐ Granola bars (not great shelf life)
☐ Hard candy
☐ Honey (also reputed to reduce viral load in throat and esophagus)
☐ Hot chocolate mix
☐ Instant coffee if you drink it, or coffee and a manual drip cone or similar
☐ Instant mashed potatoes
☐ Jarred or canned spaghetti sauce
☐ Jarred peppers
☐ Jellies and Jams
☐ Jerky
☐ Ketchup
☐ Kool Aid
☐ Dry pasta, thinner type saves fuel
☐ Marshmallow cream
☐ Marshmallows
☐ Mayo packets from warehouse store, if you must, not really a good value.
☐ Mexican food ingredients
☐ Mustard
☐ Nestle Table Cream (substitute for sour cream, cream, or half-and-half) in lots of ethnic stores
☐ Nuts (freeze if you have room)
☐ Oatmeal
☐ Oil (Shelf life not great, freeze if you have room)
☐ Olive oil
☐ Olives, green and black
☐ Onion powder
☐ Packaged bread crumbs
☐ Pancake mix, one step, and other mixes that already have the eggs in them
☐ Parmesan
☐ Peanut butter, nut butters
☐ Pepper
☐ Pet food
☐ Pickles, relish (not refrigerator case type)
☐ Powdered sugar
☐ Power bars
☐ Raisins
☐ Ramen
☐ Ravioli or any canned pasta you can stand
☐ Real butter or favorite margarine-keep frozen
☐ Ice (cheap and filling)
☐ Salsa and hot sauces
☐ Salt
☐ Spam or Treet
☐ Spices and herbs your family likes
☐ Stovetop Dressing mix
☐ Sugar
☐ Summer sausage (cheaper around holidays)
☐ Sweetened condensed milk
☐ Syrups
☐ Tea
☐ Trail mix
☐ Ultra pasteurized milk (expensive)
☐ Vanilla (improves dry milk, too)
☐ Velveeta (freeze for storage if possible)
☐ Vienna sausage
☐ Yeast
☐ Baby food
☐ Pet food
☐ Hand beater, non-electric, like in the old days (many uses including mixing dry milk)
☐ Ziploc bags
☐ Aluminum foil
Tools and Other Useful Items
☐ Bible and other reading materials
☐ Axe, shovel, hand saw
☐ Broom, dust pan
☐ Hammer, nails, pry bar, screw drivers
☐ 2 adjustable wrenches
☐ Channel locks or vice grips
☐ 100' 1/4" rope (or 1/2")
☐ Duct tape
☐ Pen, paper, pencil
☐ Camp lantern & fuel
☐ Cards, harmonica, travel games, etc.
☐ Tarp (for shade and shelter and collecting water)
☐ Manual can opener
☐ Radio: portable with batteries and/or solar
☐ Flashlight: one each with extra batteries & bulbs
☐ Essential medication
☐ Fire extinguisher
☐ Watch or clock
☐ Space blankets, sleeping bag, ground cloth
☐ Water purifier & water purification tablets
☐ Salt tablets & vitamins (rotate every 3 months)
☐ Crank- or shake-type flashlight
☐ Crank-type radio with cell-phone charger
☐ First aid kit
☐ Backpack packed before disaster strikes
☐ Knife, Gun, Mace, baseball bat, golf club, self-defense

Car/Travel Survival Kit
☐ Bottled water, canteen
☐ First Aid kit with book
☐ Non-perishable food
☐ Space blanket, sleeping bag
☐ Rain suit/ poncho
☐ Sturdy shoes/ extra socks
☐ Sunglasses and goggles
☐ A change of clothes
☐ Pre-moistened towelettes
☐ Gloves, hat, coat, sweater
☐ Flash light, extra battery
☐ Simple tool set, rubber hose, hammer, pry bar
☐ Fire extinguisher
☐ Road flares, maps
☐ Paper, pencil
☐ Money
☐ Flashlight
☐ Extra batteries
☐ Water
☐ Hearty snacks (such as granola bars)
☐ Blankets
☐ Additional jackets and spare items of clothing
☐ Jack
☐ Tire-patch kit
☐ Signal flares, lighter
☐ Metal lockbox or metal/plastic container to store items

Clothing & Comfort

☐ Sturdy shoes
☐ Heavy work gloves
☐ Warm sport gloves
☐ Goggles & sunglasses
☐ 1 full change of clothes
☐ Tent and/or shelter cover
☐ Candles, waterproof matches, fire starter
☐ Heavy-duty knife
☐ Rain suit and/or poncho
☐ Rubber boots
☐ Extra glasses

Sanitation Supplies
☐ Clothes line rope and other rope (multiple uses)
☐ Surgical type gloves
☐ Work gloves
☐ A small saw, tools or toolkit
☐ Sunscreen
☐ Purell or generic alcohol gel hand cleaner
☐ Nail brush
☐ Bug repellent, skin type
☐ Insect killers, flying type also
☐ Shaving supplies
☐ Nail clippers
☐ Toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss
☐ Tampons or other sanitary needs
☐ Shampoo
☐ Soap
☐ Metal garbage can to burn trash
☐ Paper and pen
☐ Magnifier
☐ A Sharpie type waterproof marker
☐ Oil lamps and pure lamp oil
☐ Coleman lanterns with fuel & mantels
☐ Portable chemical toilet
☐ Toilet paper
☐ Infant supplies if needed
☐ Large trash bags for sealing up waste
☐ Soap: Hand & dish type
☐ Disinfectant: powder form to use on waste & liquid for people
☐ Pre-moistened towelettes
☐ 2 plastic 5-gallon buckets
☐ A large towel & hand towel for each person
☐ Tooth brush & mouthwash
☐ Shampoo & toothpaste
☐ Medium size zip-lock bags for misc. uses
☐ Scrub brushes and pads for washing dishes
☐ 1 or 2 wash tubs
☐ Bandages
☐ Medicine dropper
☐ Flares
☐ Whistle (for alerting distant rescuers of your whereabouts)
☐ Garbage bags (for sanitary purposes)
☐ Matches (preferably waterproof)
☐ Water purification tablets
☐ Toiletries
☐ Canned and non-perishable food items
☐ Bottled water
☐ Soap
☐ Petroleum jelly (lubricants)
☐ Toilet paper
☐ Plastic garbage bags
☐ Household cleaning items
☐ Games, books and other items to pass time
☐ Maps
☐ Flares
☐ Rain gear
☐ Thermal underwear
☐ Hats and gloves
☐ Utility knives
☐ Compass
☐ Camping stove
☐ Sewing kits
☐ Five-gallon solar camping shower
☐ Camouflage water shoes
☐ Water filter.
☐ Gas grill.
☐ Metal coffeepot.
☐ Battery-operated lights and batteries
☐ Weather radio.

The “Leave Now” Bag
☐ Bible and other books
☐ Change of clothes (seasonal)
☐ Socks/underwear
☐ Sturdy shoes
☐ Extra set of car and house keys
☐ Lighter (adults only)
☐ Pocket knife (adults only)
☐ Permanent marker
☐ Notebook
☐ Flash drive with important financial documents
☐ ID tag on backpack
☐ Stuffed animal, deck of cards, games
☐ AM/FM/NOAA radio
☐ Batteries
☐ Toothbrush, toothpaste
☐ Extra pair of contacts/glasses
☐ Tissues
☐ Deodorant
☐ Important Documents
☐ Photo copies of Social Security cards, Driver's Licenses
☐ Photo Copies of Family members prescriptions
☐ CD with all my computer files on it (including family photos)
☐ Sewing Kit
☐ Disposable Camera
☐ Emergency Cash
☐ One Week Supply of Personal Medications
☐ Gasoline in cars, always.
☐ Clorox, plain kind
☐ Dishwashing detergent
☐ Small scrubbie
☐ Paper Towels, Toilet paper, Tissues
☐ Matches
☐ Long-snout type lighters
☐ Candles
☐ Camp stove & fuel

Extra Information

☐ A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that won't spoil.
☐ Water (Two gallons per person per day is ideal which will cover only drinking, not flushing or washing)
☐ One change of clothing and footwear per person, and one blanket or sleeping bag per person
☐ A first aid kit that includes your family's prescription medications
☐ Battery-powered radios/flashlights
☐ An extra set of car keys and a credit card, cash or traveler's checks
☐ Special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members
☐ An extra pair of glasses
☐ Keep important family documents in a waterproof container. Keep an Auto Emergency kit in the trunk of your car
Copyright © 2010 Calolympic Safety. All rights reserved. This information is provided “as is”, in the form of an informational guide, and is not to be considered a warranty of product performance. Due to the diverse field conditions and other variables which can affect a product’s performance, Calolympic Safety disclaims all warranties (expressed and implied) as to any product’s performance or any information provided.


This checklist is available to download as a Word document here.

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