I’m starting to get my crap together. Not going to be caught off guard this year.
FOOD SUPPLIES
Get enough nonperishable foods now for two weeks. Then put them in a box and leave them alone Don’t buy foods that are salty or dry or high in fat or protein; they’ll make you thirsty.
Water: 2 quarts to 1 gallon per person (get a week’s supply)
Ice
Shelf-package juice and milk boxes
Canned and powdered milk
Beverages (powdered or canned, fruit juices, instant coffee, tea)
Prepared foods (canned soups, beef, spaghetti, tuna, chicken, ham, corned beef hash, packaged pudding)
Canned vegetables and fruits
Dried fruits
Snacks (crackers, cookies, hard candy, nuts)
Snack spreads (peanut butter, cheese spreads, jelly)
Cereals
Raw vegetables
Sugar, salt, pepper
Bread
Dry and canned pet food
Extra formula, baby food
HARDWARE
Hand tools – hammer, screwdrivers to use now, shovel and pickax for after the storm Power screwdriver
4-by 8-foot sheets of plywood 3/8-inch to 1/2-inch thick to put over your windows. Make sure you ask for exterior plywood.
1/4-inch machine screw sockets and screws
Plastic sheeting to cover furniture
Rope
Sturdy working gloves
Duct tape to waterproof items. Masking tape isn’t strong enough Canvas tarps
Nails. There are many kinds, so look over your home now and determine what you will need. A nail too small, the wrong shape or hammered in wrong will fail, and that will give the storm the breach it needs to get into your home.
BABY NEEDS
Disposable diapers
Wipes
Diaper-rash ointment, petroleum jelly
Baby medicines (pain, cold, cough)
Medicine dropper
Extra formula, baby food
EMERGENCY TOILET
Small can or garbage can with tight lid
Plastic bags for liners
Disinfectant or bleach
Deodorizer
just…ew
HURRICANE KIT
Flashlights and extra bulbs Battery-operated TV or Radio
Fully charged battery-operated lanterns. Don’t get candles and kerosene lanterns. They are fire hazards.
Extra batteries
Matches
Clock (wind-up or battery- operated)
Plastic garbage bags
Working fire extinguishers
Scissors
Toilet paper
Clean change of clothes, rain gear, sturdy swamp boots you won’t mind throwing away later
An inexpensive rabbit-ears television antenna to use when cable goes out
Map of the area
List of phone numbers
Copy of insurance policy
KITCHEN SUPPLIES
Manual can opener
Bottle opener
Matches in a plastic bag
Pocket knife – preferably Swiss Army-style
Camp stove or other cooking device and plenty of fuel. Use canned fuel, not charcoal or gas
Ice chests or coolers
Paper plates, napkins
Plastic cups, knives, forks, spoons
MEDICAL NEEDS
Drugstores will be mobbed just before a storm and closed for days after. Keep a 2-week supply of prescription drugs.
Medic Alert tags
Insect repellent sprays and candles
Feminine hygiene items
Insect bite lotion
Sunscreen
Soap
First-aid kit
First-aid handbook
Extra over-the-counter medicine (for colds, allergies)
Children’s medicines
Aspirin
Diarrhea medication
Bandages
Adhesive tape
Cotton-tipped swabs
Antiseptic solution
Sterile rolls, bandages
Tweezers
Needles
Disinfectant
Plastic bags, jugs or containers to store water and ice.
Water purification tablets
Plastic to line bathtub.
Still a lot to get. Damn.