Government agencies provide disaster checklists to help people prepare for emergencies. The US FEMA checklist includes sections on first aid, food and water, tools, and documents. Starting with the basics is recommended for those on a budget. The purpose is to make people think about what they would need in an emergency.
Nobody wants a disaster to happen, but most emergency agencies advise people to prepare for one. Following this recommendation can help people survive the initial aftermath of a disaster until a government agency can begin providing help. To this end, a number of government agencies in many countries prepare disaster checklist forms for people to follow so that they are duly prepared in the event of an emergency.
A disaster checklist is a little different than a list of things a person might need in a dire situation. Instead it is usually followed by several places for ticks, and emergency supplies could be purchased for a home, a car, and an office, and then ticked off. Some find it just as easy to get off a disaster list. Or one, if created by government agencies or by organizations like the Red Cross, will do. The important part is getting what’s on these lists and keeping your stock in the recommended places.
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) breaks down the disaster checklist into a few simple sections, which can make putting the kits together a little easier. Another benefit is that the FEMA Disaster Watch List is easily accessible on the FEMA website, so people can download and print a copy of the list. This can be helpful when people are putting together emergency preparedness kits.
The sections of the FEMA disaster checklist are First Aid, Prescription and Non-Prescription Drugs, Hygiene and Sanitation Supplies, Food and Water, Bedding and Clothing, Tools, and Documents and Keys. Each section suggests a variety of things. For example, in Food & Water, recommendations are made on how much water to keep per person, and food types such as canned or instant food that are easy to prepare are recommended. List of documents is a great idea, where copies of driver’s licenses, social security cards, marriage licenses or birth certificates, property deeds, and ownership of any stock, bond, or account bank accounts are kept in a recommended place.
These lists are quite extensive and anyone on a budget may find it very difficult to get everything in one go. If people need to incrementally follow a disaster checklist, they might want to start with buying the basics, like food and water and first aid supplies. Not everything has to be bought in other sections, although it’s nice if it can be. Having heat, light, a way to heat food, and a way to hear news or contact someone are all good plans. While full ownership of everything listed on a disaster checklist is desirable, people may be able to give up certain things, such as air fresheners, children’s toys and games, and others.
The point of these lists, aside from helping people prepare for potential major disasters, is to make people think about what they would need in an emergency. Again, no one really wants to think about such a scary thing happening. However, emergencies do happen and people may be better off if they are prepared to survive the first few days before help arrives.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
