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Basic Emergency Preparedness Checklist

My Prepper Checklist

Courtesy of preppersillustrated.com

Today I'm going to be providing you with a basic list of items that I think preppers should store in order to be more prepared for any number of doomsday scenarios that we might be faced with somewhere down the road.

With that said, it's important that you all realize that this emergency preparedness checklist is simply the list of things that "I" personally think are important. Your situation may be entirely different than mine so you'll likely have to modify this list for the particular needs of you and your family. This will, however, give you a good starting point if you haven't already begun prepping.

If you're not familiar with what a prepper is, might I suggest you take a minute and read my article called, "What is a Prepper“.

Food – You'll want to have plenty of food stored up so that you'll have something to eat in the event of an emergency. Just exactly how much you should store is entirely up to you. Some people feel like they will be okay with as little as a one month food supply while others feel like they need several years worth of food stored up.

Clean Water – FEMA recommends that we all have at least a three-day water supply on hand. Over the years, they have changed their recommendations about exactly how much water an individual needs per day but as of the time that this article was written, here is a direct quote from their website regarding the matter: "You should store at least one gallon of water per person for three days. A normally active person needs about three quarters of a gallon of fluid daily, from water and other beverages. However, individual needs vary, depending on age, health, physical condition, activity, diet and climate." I think most preppers would agree with me when I say that it would probably be a good idea to store more than FEMA's recommended amount. My personal opinion is that you should store as much water as you possibly have room for.

Medical Supplies – Everyone should store some basic medical supplies such as a well stocked first aid kit at the very least. In addition to that, you should make a comprehensive evaluation of the health of each member of your family. This will enable you to make sure that you store the appropriate medical supplies for the specific needs of your family members. Some of you may have medications that you need to take on a daily basis and therefore, you should store as much as you possibly can, keeping in mind that medications do have an expiration date that should be observed.

Backup Generators – I personally believe that all preppers should have more than one emergency backup generator, you can read why in my article called, "Why I Think All Preppers Should Own More Than One Generator ".

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Fuel – It's probably a good idea to store a supply of gasoline, diesel, and/or propane, depending upon the particular type of fuel that your vehicles or generators use. My advice regarding this is to make sure that you treat any gasoline that you'll be storing with a fuel stabilizer additive. If you'd like to read about why, I suggest that you check out my article called "Fuel Stabilizer for Storing Gasoline for Emergencies Called PRI-G". If you do decide to store fuel, make sure that you store it in a manner that is in compliance with your local county or city codes, and never store it indoors.

A Method of Cooking Food – If you're like most people and you have an electric oven, you probably won't want to waste your precious gasoline just so that you can fire up your generator to cook a can of beans. Some people have found that they can use solar ovens to cook if the weather conditions are appropriate. Keep in mind that these types of ovens will "warm" food but not many of them can cook food at a high enough temperature to make certain foods such as meat safe to eat. A good alternative might be to use a camp stove or barbecue grill to prepare your meals with. It should go without saying that you should never use these devices indoors. It's also worth pointing out that if you choose to use a camp stove, you'll need to store the appropriate type of fuel for the particular stove that you plan on using. If you choose to use a barbecue grill, make sure that you store charcoal, lighter fluid, propane, or even wood that you can use to cook with.

A Way to Start a Fire – There are lots of ways to start a fire but my favorite is simply with a good old fashion butane lighter. That being said, I personally store many different devices that I can use to start fires with such as magnesium sticks, waterproof matches, and even a MAPP gas torch.

Bug out Bags – Everyone should have at least a 72 hour survival kit in a bag that they can grab and run with if they should have to abandon their home for some reason. I actually have an e-book on Amazon that is devoted specifically to this topic. If you're interested in reading it, you can purchase it for only $2.99 by clicking here: Build the Ideal Bug Out Bag

Self Defense Items – This is a very sensitive topic and I won't get into the specific details regarding this subject but I'll just say this; I believe that everyone should have some way of protecting their family from looters and marauders who might intend to steal their supplies or cause them harm. How you choose to do that is entirely up to you.

Alternative Lighting – When the power grid goes down, you'll want to have some way of providing light at night. Some popular choices are candles, oil lamps, hand cranked flashlights, and solar lights.

Warm Clothing and Bedding – If the power goes out during the winter season, you may find yourself without a heat source. If you do, it will be very important that you have warm clothing for all the members of your family as well as very warm bedding so that you can try to keep your family warm.

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Alternative Heating Sources – There are some companies that make portable propane heaters that are specifically designed to be used indoors. If you choose to use these devices, take extra precautions to make sure that the heater you are using is actually designed for indoor use. Most propane heaters are not. Additionally I wouldn't recommend using one in an area that you will be sleeping in because the oxygen levels may become too low to sustain life. Additionally, if the device were to malfunction, it might produce deadly carbon monoxide gas. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions precisely if you choose to use one of these heaters! If possible, my recommendation would be to install a wood burning stove in your home instead. I feel like this is a much safer option and not only can you use it to keep warm with, many models are designed to allow you to cook on them in an emergency situations. It should go without saying that whatever method of alternative heating you choose that you also should store an appropriate amount of fuel for it.

Tools – I suggest that you collect a wide variety of hand tools for making necessary repairs around your home.

Gas Masks – I personally believe it's important that each member of your family has a well fitting gas mask. To learn why, you can read my article called "5 Reasons to Buy Gas Masks Today".

Duct Tape – There are so many uses for duct tape that I won't even begin to list them here. Suffice it to say, I suggest that you have several rolls of high quality duct tape stored up.

Glue – It would probably be a good idea to keep several kinds of glue and epoxy on hand. You never know when you'll need to make a repair that requires these items. If you have it on hand, you may just find that you'll be able to extend the life of many essential survival items.

Sewing Supplies – During a survival situation, you may find that sewing supplies will come in extremely handy when you accidentally tear something.

Emergency Radio – If you ever find yourself in a situation where you're trying to survive a major crisis, an emergency radio will give you the ability to receive important messages that are being broadcast by government officials. I suggest that you buy one that has a hand crank charging feature.

Toilet Paper – It's no great mystery why storing this item is so important. If you don't believe me, try going for a few days without it. I'm sure you'll change your tune very quickly and start buying extra rolls right away.

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Plastic Sheeting – In the event of a situation where there might be contaminants in the air such as nuclear fallout or a dangerous virus, you can use this to help seal your doors and windows along with the duct tape that you have stored up.

Vehicle Survival Kit – I think it's a good idea to keep a bag similar to a bug out bag in all of your vehicles in the event that something ever happens and you get stranded while driving.

For more great articles on prepping and emergency preparedness in general, I invite you to visit preppersillustrated.com!