Loading ...Top 100 Items to Disappear First During a National Emergency
1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy…target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.)
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman’s Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes…buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {”Strike Anywhere” preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, “No. 76 Dietz” Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men’s Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles…Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. “Survival-in-a-Can”
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress’s
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Livestock
Why we need to prepare
Once again nature shows us why we need to prepare and why we need to diversify our preparedness efforts. Some had their homes destroyed and all of their supplies along with it. Others got out in time and were doing just fine in a hotel room or an alternate bugout location. Now with billions of dollars in damage and millions without power it becomes clear that emergency preparedness is not for some distant end of the world scenario. Disasters are a common occurrence. Being prepared is just plain common sense.
Mental Preparedness
When something traumatic happens in our lives it is a natural human reaction to experience resulting stress or even shock. Just as soldiers at war experience post traumatic stress disorder, victims of natural disasters or other catastrophic events can also experience PTSD in varying degrees. The level of distress depends on several factors including age, experience, mental and physical health to name a few. Obviously there is not much we can do to prevent our brain’s natural defense mechanisms from kicking in when such things occur. But there are certain actions we can take to minimize the effects of such trauma and lesson the feelings of stress and shock we may experience as a result.
Those of us who are actively engaged in disaster preparedness are already aware of the physical and economic threats we face today. We work to prepare ourselves logistically to ensure immediate physical safety by obtaining certain gear and equipment that we know will be needed in such circumstances. Being ready physically also contributes to preparing the mind for what may come.
Just as we see police officers, firefighters and paramedics undergo extensive training and disaster simulations to help them mentally prepare for their jobs, we see that these professionals typically experience PTSD less often than those who have not had the benefit of such experiences. We can follow this example and do our own version of disaster simulation with our families.
1. Try spending a day without electricity in your home and see what life would be like without power.
2. Pretend that some local disaster has happened and run through your contingency plan as if we’re really happening.
3. Do a mock evacuation of your home and practice your roles in such an event. Get creative and do something that appeals to your individual needs. Picture that whatever it is you’ve been preparing for takes place using a worse case scenario and practice your plan, your evacuation routes, family meeting place, etc.
4. Do a run through of what you think you might actually experience in such circumstances. If you have kids, include them – make a game out of it, make it fun so that they will be involved and mentally ready when the real thing goes down.
All of these exercises are great ways to prepare yourself and your family for what may come and you may discover some things that you hadn’t thought about before, thus giving you a better idea of anything you might have overlooked in your initial preparations.
Having a strong social network prior to and immediately following the trigger event can help prevent severe PTSD and lesson the negative emotional affects suffered by the victim. Soon after the incident is over, have a group discussion with family, friends, neighbors or anyone who was present at the time of the trauma and wishes to participate. Discuss what happened, specific things each person witnessed, how it made them feel, etc. Having this opportunity to vocalize emotions in a supportive environment will help to reduce anxiety and provide a feeling of empowerment.
This article focuses more on the mental aspects of disaster preparedness because it seems that more efforts are focused towards physical rather than mental preparedness. While physical preparedness is of the utmost importance in a survival situation, let’s not forget the fact mental preparedness can also ensure that you make the best use of your tools and plans already in place, and prevent shock, fear and bad decision making when a disaster occurs.
Emergency Contingency Plan
Have you ever thought about what you and your family members would do if disaster strikes and you have no way to communicate with each other? How would you know if everyone was okay? How would you be able to get to each other if the roads were impassable?
Let’s just picture a scenario where say there is an earthquake or some other natural disaster in your area. Your kids are at school, you are at work and your spouse is at home. The phone lines aren’t working and the power is out. You have no way to contact your family to make sure everyone is okay. So your first instinct is to go to your kid’s school and pick them up but then it hits you that maybe your spouse or other family member has already gotten the kids. Then you wonder where they might be if something happened to your house and they had to leave. Or maybe they are trying to come to you at work? You think about heading to your house but then what if they aren’t at home? What if they’re not at a neighbor’s house? What if your whole neighborhood had to be evacuated? Then you start to wonder where your parents, siblings and other extended might be and how you will get to them if you can’t call? This is the worst possible position to be in when disaster strikes. You’re adrenaline is already kicked in and you’re ready to go get your family and protect them – but you don’t know where to go. It’s a scary thought huh? Something as simple as taking some time to write an emergency contingency plan can help protect you and your family from such an emotional tragedy. And ensure that you can all find each other and make it to safety should an emergency occur. (more…)