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About Checklists
Checklists are used for a wide variety of topics. Some types of checklists you might be most familiar with from your personal life include a shopping list, a to-do list, or a packing list. In the work world, many industries use checklists, such as safety checklists in transportation industries, performance checklists in the human resources field, or procedural checklists in the medical field. Innumerable types of checklists are commonly used in daily life. If you’re interested in learning more about the history and current use of checklists, I suggest checking out articles published by TechBullion, Canva, and the Hawaii International Conference on System Science. The type of checklist I’m offering is an emergency preparedness checklist.
Types of Emergencies: Natural Disasters, Armed Conflicts, Health Crises, Theft
Lately I’ve been sensitive to emergencies of many kinds. For example, natural disasters seem increasingly common. Last year, Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc not far from where I live in western North Carolina. This brought back memories of when I lived in Rhode Island and the eyes of Hurricane Gloria and Hurricane Bob passed over my family’s house. Just a few months ago, raging wildfires devastated the Los Angeles area. And these are just a few examples. The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System shares information about natural disaster alerts that have been issued around the world for earthquakes, tropical cyclones, floods, volcano eruptions, droughts, and forest fires. At any one time, this website lists close to 100 events that have occurred over the past several months. That’s a lot of natural disasters! When might the next one strike where you live?
Another type of emergency that’s drawing my attention is war. In the US, the war between Russia and Ukraine is in the news practically on a daily basis. Similarly, the latest flare up in the long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians gets a lot of news coverage. The United States recently attacked Yemen in retaliation for its attacks on ships passing by its borders. But these are not the only armed conflicts occurring right now. According to the Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights based in Geneva, Switzerland, there are over 100 armed conflicts happening in the world today. While it may seem far-fetched to imagine war breaking out in the United States, it’s not unprecedented. As listed by ThoughtCo., wars that have taken place on American land include King Philip’s War, the Cherokee War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. We’ve also seen plenty of violent civil unrest on our soil that, while not resulting in full-fledged war, has been catastrophic for those involved. While Wikipedia isn’t always the most reliable source, it contains the most comprehensive accounting of American civil unrest I could find, listing close to 400 events in the 240 years between 1783 and 2023. Could such types of violence lead to war in the United States? According to Science, as of 2022, almost half of all Americans expected a civil war to erupt in the next few years. Given such an environment, taking steps to be prepared seems wise.
Then there are health emergencies, such as epidemics, pandemics, or personal health crises, that can strike at any time. The COVID-19 pandemic was declared a health emergency five years ago, and we are still feeling its effects. According to ABC News, there were 2,100 COVID-19 deaths in the United States in January 2025, with another 761 worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has been so deadly that Live Science lists it among the worst 21 pandemics in global history. With rising numbers of measles deaths reported in the US, Europe, Africa, and Asia and cases of bird flu being found in humans, health concerns are making the news. And such widespread health concerns don’t account for personal health emergencies. Are you ready for the aftermath if you have to be rushed to the hospital due to a life-threatening situation?
Finally, there are emergencies due to theft, including identity theft, to be prepared for. If your wallet were stolen, for example, would you know your driver’s license number and how to contact your state’s department of motor vehicles? What about how to contact the customer service departments of your credit card companies? Or your bank, assuming you have a debit/ATM card in your wallet? And this is just a few impacts having your wallet stolen could have. What other cards do you keep in your wallet? And what about other kinds of theft? For example, fears of identity theft have risen recently, with both National Public Radio (NPR) and the Washington Post covering the risk to personal data due to actions the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has taken lately. Do you know what to do either to protect yourself from nefarious uses of your data before it happens or to recover from malicious use of your personal data after identity theft occurs?
Why and How I Created This Checklist
Perhaps this foregoing litany of possible emergencies stresses you out. Me too! But note: taking action in the face of a stressful situation can be soothing. In an article published in Psychology Today, Dr. Esther Sternberg, an expert in the mind-body connection, recommended the three-step process of “parse, prioritize, and act.” Step one is “break the situation down into its smallest controllable parts.” Step two is “decide which of the parts is easier to control….” And step three is “take action.” Hopefully the checklist I’ve come up with will help you follow her steps!
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| “Let’s DO this” checklist (Pixabay/Gerd Altmann “geralt”) |
One note about this checklist: I developed it using my own ideas and a few checklists I found online, namely ones published by the American Red Cross, AARP, Lifehacker, Consumer Reports, PCMag, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), although it’s worth noting that the FEMA checklist may disappear from the web, as reports by Government Executive, CNN, and CBS News, among others, indicate the agency is set for elimination or a major reorganization. If it does disappear from the web, you can look for it on the internet archive at https://archive.org/. I’m sure there are other checklists available, too. Hopefully the checklist I’ve come up with is comprehensive, but if you find anything I’ve missed, let me know!
Emergency Preparedness Checklist
This checklist is broken down into categories: packaging, food and water, clothing, toiletries, medicines and medical paperwork, identification and ownership paperwork, finances and financial paperwork, insurance paperwork, electronics, vehicles and appliances, and comfort items. When it comes to paperwork, aim to keep three copies of all documents: a local hard copy, a local digital copy protected by password, and a remote digital copy protected by password (some remote copies might be stored by providers, such as medical providers, banks, credit card companies, etc.).
Depending on the type of emergency you want to prepare for, you may decide to collect only some of the recommended materials at any one time. This is because while it might be helpful to be prepared for all types of emergencies, some of the materials required to prepare for an imminent natural disaster, for example, might not make sense to stockpile too far in advance, such as food and water, both of which can spoil over time. Therefore, I suggest keeping the checklist handy and preparing as much as possible in advance, saving only a small number of items to organize should a last minute emergency situation arise.
You should review this checklist annually or any time you make a major life change, such as moving, getting a new job, finding a new doctor, or the like, and appraise the items you have prepared, updating or refreshing as needed (such as paperwork, stale batteries, expired foods, etc.).
Packaging
o For food and water in an evacuation emergency, one or more medium-sized, durable, portable containers such as reusable shopping totes, crates with handles, or wheeled carts
o For clothing, toiletries, and medicines in an evacuation emergency, a medium-sized, durable, portable, zip-up container such as a backpack, duffle bag, or roller bag
o For electronics in an evacuation emergency, a durable, portable, zip-up container such as an electronics organizer, tech pouch, messenger bag, or backpack (you may choose to keep several smaller electronics and accompanying cords in their own organizers or pouches within a larger bag or backpack)
o For documents in either an evacuation or shelter-in-place emergency, a water resistant, fire resistant, durable, portable, sealable container, such as a zippered document bag, zippered briefcase, or lidded box with handles (note that while resealable plastic food bags are fine for providing water resistance, they won’t help with fire resistance)
Food and water
o For an evacuation emergency, at least three days of food and water
o For a shelter-in-place emergency, at least two weeks of food and water
o One gallon of water per person per day (for shelter-in-place, fill bathtubs or washing machine for flushing toilets in addition to stockpiling bottled water for drinking)
o Easy to prepare nonperishable foods (such as cereals, instant oatmeal, crackers, breads, protein bars, protein powders, nuts, nut butters, dried fruits, dried meats, canned goods, freeze dried meals, and shelf-stable or powdered milks—for shelter-in-place with a generator or outdoor grill, perishable foods can be an option)
o Pet foods
o Manual can opener
o Pair of scissors and/or sharp knife
o Eating utensils
o Dishware (for evacuation emergencies, non-breakable, lightweight is best)
o Cookware (for evacuation emergencies, a small, multi-use pot or pan is best)
Clothing
o This section is mostly applicable to evacuation emergencies, as you will have access to all your clothing in a shelter-in-place emergency; however, if you keep off-season items in storage, make sure you can access those items at will
o Cold weather—hat, gloves/mittens, snow boots, parka or other warm jacket
o Warm weather—sun hat, sunglasses, rain boots, rain coat
o Layerable shirts and tops of easy-care, durable fabrics
o Pants/shorts (depending on weather) of easy-care, durable fabrics
o Pajamas
o Blanket (fleece is a good lightweight yet warm option useful year-round)
o Socks (woolen or synthetic wool for cold weather)
o Undergarments
o Pet blanket/sweater/coat/booties/leash/carrier
Toiletries
o For evacuation emergencies, travel size products to last at least three days
o For shelter-in-place emergencies, enough supplies on hand to last two weeks
o Body soap/cleanser
o Shampoo and conditioner
o Deodorant
o Toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash
o Hair styling products (including comb or brush and hair ties for long hair)
o Body and facial moisturizer
o Sunscreen
o Shaving products
o Feminine products
o Facial tissue
o Toilet paper/diapers/adult incontinence supplies
o Washcloth, hand towel, and bath towel (made of quick-dry material if possible)
Medicines and medical paperwork
o For evacuation emergencies, travel size products are recommended
o First aid kit (adhesive bandages of various sizes, gauze pads of various sizes, adhesive cloth tape, antiseptic ointment, antiseptic wipes, hand sanitizer, non-latex gloves, hydrocortisone ointment, tweezers, thermometer, instant cold pack, N95 or KN95 face masks, COVID/flu tests)
o Prescription and daily over-the-counter medications to last two weeks (including for pets)
o Over the counter pain relievers to last two weeks
o Bug repellant (including flea collar/treatment for pets)
o Contact lenses and supplies/extra glasses
o Medical equipment (such as CPAP machine, oxygen tank, syringes, diabetic testing supplies) to last two weeks—portable versions for evacuation emergencies
o List of all doctors with contact information (including veterinarian for pets)
o Pharmacy contact information
o List of all prescription medications including date of prescription, prescription number, prescriber name, and dose (including for pets)
o Vision prescription information, including prescriber name and date
o Medical history including immunizations, screenings, allergies, surgeries, chronic conditions (including for pets)
o Disability documentation
o List of medical equipment suppliers and contact information
o Advance directive and medical/healthcare power of attorney
Identification and ownership paperwork
o Driver’s license (original and digital copy of front and back)
o Social Security card (original and digital copy of front and back)
o Passport (original and digital copy of first two pages)
o Naturalization documents
o Green card (original and digital copy of front and back)
o Birth certificate
o Adoption certificate
o Child custody documents
o School registration forms
o School ID (original and digital copy of front and back)
o Pet adoption certificate/ID tags/microchip information
o Service animal/emotional support animal certification
o Marriage license
o Divorce decree
o Military/veteran identification and records (including DD214, duty stations and assignments, medals and decorations, qualifications, licenses, certificates)
o Federal employment records (including SF50 and other items in your Official Personnel Folder, or OPF)
o Car title
o Home/property deed, rental lease, or elder care housing agreement
o Photographs of interior and exterior of home
o Photographs of household belongings
o Appraisals of personal property
o Will/estate plan and contact information for lawyer
o Church/house of worship membership documentation and contact information
o List of contact information of loved ones and essential business colleagues (don’t rely only on the contact list in your cell phone or in your email in case your phone or computer is lost, damaged, or loses power—include phone number, email address, physical address)
Finances and financial paperwork
o For evacuation emergencies, enough cash in a variety of bill sizes to last at least three days
o For shelter-in-place emergencies, enough cash in a variety of bill sizes to last at least two weeks
o Credit card numbers and contact information
o Debit card numbers and contact information
o Bank account numbers and contact information
o Retirement account numbers and contact information
o Investment account numbers and contact information
o Government benefits information (most recent Social Security statement of earnings, enrollment paperwork for TANF, SNAP, VA, etc.)
o Loan agreements and payment receipts (home, vehicle, student, etc.)
o Alimony payment agreement and receipts
o Child support payment agreement and receipts
o Property tax statement and receipt
o Vehicle tax statement and receipt
o Income tax statement and receipt (to apply for an emergency loan, you may need up to the most recent three years, but in general, you should keep the most recent seven years—you might keep the most recent three years in your evacuation emergency kit and the next older four years in your shelter-in-place kit)
o Employment contract, most recent paystub, and employer contact information
o Utility account numbers and contact information (water, gas, electric, cable, internet, cell phone, etc.)
o List of accounts paid with automatic debit from your bank account, such as memberships, utilities, rent, mortgage, credit cards, etc.—if you’re unable to work during an emergency and stop receiving income, you’ll likely need to turn off automatic debit to avoid overdrafts of your bank account and make other arrangements with creditors to pay your bills
o FICO Score and copy of most recent credit report (these can be obtained weekly from https://www.annualcreditreport.com/—find out more about the program at https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/10/you-now-have-permanent-access-free-weekly-credit-reports—if this page has been removed due to government restructuring, you can check for it on the internet archive at https://archive.org/)
o For an identity theft emergency, place a fraud alert and/or freeze on your credit (find out how at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/credit-freeze-or-fraud-alert-whats-right-your-credit-report— if this page has been removed due to government restructuring, you can check for it on the internet archive at https://archive.org/—note that if you already have a freeze on your credit and need to apply for a loan due to natural disaster or other type of emergency, you’ll have to lift the freeze before any loan requests can be processed)
o Rewards account numbers and contact information (frequent flyer, hotel rewards, grocery rewards, etc.)
o Durable financial power of attorney and contact information for lawyer and financial planner
Insurance paperwork
o Health plan account number and contact information
o Medicare plan account number and contact information
o Medicaid plan account number and contact information
o Dental plan account number and contact information
o Vision plan account number and contact information
o Pharmacy plan account number and contact information
o Disability plan account number and contact information
o Long-term care plan account number and contact information
o Life insurance plan account number and contact information
o Funeral insurance plan account number and contact information
o Homeowners/rental/condo/co-op insurance plan account number and contact information
o Flood insurance plan account number and contact information
o Fire insurance plan account number and contact information
o Earthquake insurance plan account number and contact information
o Vehicle insurance plan account number and contact information (including car, truck, boat, motorcycle, RV, etc.)
o Business insurance plan account number and contact information
o Commercial property insurance plan account number and contact information
o Pet insurance plan account number and contact information
Electronics
o Flashlight, headlamp, or lantern and batteries (using your cell phone flashlight briefly is ok, but long use can drain its battery)
o Radio with weather band and batteries
o Cell phone and chargers (both car charger and wall charger)
o Laptop/tablet and charger
o Flash drive or external hard drive
o Power strip with surge protector
o Portable charger or power bank
Vehicles and Appliances
o Vehicle in good working order
o Vehicle fuel
o Paper or offline maps
o Cooking appliances in good working order (for shelter-in-place emergencies)
o Portable stove (for evacuation emergencies)
o Cooking fuel (for home or portable appliances)
o Generator/portable generator
o Generator fuel
Comfort items
o Note: these items are NOT essential but can help with mental health—if preparing for a shelter-in-place emergency, entertainment items can keep boredom at bay, and if preparing for an evacuation emergency, grabbing a few key sentimental items on the way out the door can help soothe your emotions)
o Entertainment (such as hardcopy or downloaded books or magazines with e-reader, downloaded or hardcopy videos with player, downloaded or hard copy card games, downloaded or hard copy word games, downloaded or hard copy jigsaw puzzles, children’s toys, pet toys)
o Keepsakes (such as family photos or other mementos)
o Child’s favorite stuffed animal/blanket
o Pet’s favorite toy/blanket
