Emergency Check List

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends these items:

• Water: one gallon per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food (at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food)
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
• Flashlight
• First aid kit
• Extra batteries
• Whistle (to signal for help)
• Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
• Manual can opener (for food)
• Local maps
• Prescription medications
• Non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids or laxatives
• Prescription eyeglasses and contact lens solution
• Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Cash or traveler’s checks
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container
• Items for pets: collar, leash, picture for identification, or rabies vaccination certificate
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
• A complete change of clothing appropriate for your climate
• Sturdy shoes and possibly waterproof boots
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, bowls, paper towels and plastic utensils
• Paper, pen and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends these items:

• Multiple masks for everyone ages 2 and above, soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes

Emergency Food Check Lists

Power outages from wind and rain storms, ice and snow storms will make life interesting. It can take days or even weeks to get the power restored after an outage. Plan and prepare before a storm hits.

When a Storm is Coming: Pre-storm To Do List

Start by making sure you have or buy a refrigerator/freezer thermometer. This can be found in the housewares department in your supermarket or your local hardware store. During an outage, the only way to know if food has reached an unsafe temperature (above 40°F) is by keeping track of the temperature of your refrigerator.

• If early weather warnings predict possible power failures, set the refrigerator, its freezer and any freestanding freezer to the coldest setting.
• Keep your freezer full. A full freezer will keep cold longer than a half-full freezer. Fill empty spaces with well-cleaned milk cartons or plastic containers full of water.
• Consider purchasing a gas-powered generator to keep your refrigerator running during an extended outage. Learn how to use the generator safely before the storm hits.
• Check/re-stock your emergency food and water supply; make sure supply is not out of date.
• Find out where to buy dry ice.
• Make sure you have enough water on hand for drinking (highest priority), cooking (making coffee, tea, instant cereal, etc.), pets, handwashing, cleaning, and flushing toilets (this does not have to be drinkable water).
• Have a gas or charcoal grill? Purchase enough fuel for several days.

Storing Emergency Food Supplies

• Store your supply carefully; checking often, use older items and re-supply with new.
• Store canned and dry goods in a cool, dry, dark place; 40 to 60°F.
• Keep food away from gasoline, oil, paints, solvents and other household chemicals.
• Protect food from rodents and insects; use containers that are pest-proof.
• •Date all food items. Use and replace food before it loses freshness.

Make a Shopping and Menu Plan

Are you preparing for possible loss of power for a few days (thunderstorms, snow storms, wind storms, tropical storms) or for a more significant period of time (ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes)?

• If you live in an area where power is frequently lost for a few hours or days, plan for a 3 day outage. If you live in an area where it may take longer for a power company to respond, prepare for a longer outage.
• Keep in mind that nutrition becomes even more import-ant when outages last a long time… make your food choices wisely! Don’t forget the nutritional needs of pets, infants, or those on special diets.

Menu Ideas for Three Meals

Breakfast

• Use up any eggs from the refrigerator in the first day in cheese omelet*, bread and butter, juice, coffee* or tea*
• Cold cereal with bananas, reconstituted dry milk, coffee*, tea*, or water
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, canned peaches, coffee*, tea*, or reconstituted dry milk
• Bread and cheese, orange, coffee*, cocoa*, tea*, or water

Lunch/Dinner

• Tuna, whole grain crackers, apple, water
• Canned beef-barley soup*, processed cheese, crackers, reconstituted dry milk
• Bean salad (canned beans, canned green beans, onion, garlic, oil, vinegar), bread and butter, pear, water
• Early in the outage—canned hash, fried egg*, tomato salad with oil and vinegar, water
• Canned chili, crackers, corn, water
• Tuna with white beans, olive oil, vinegar, bread, butter, canned carrots, reconstituted dry milk

Snacks

• Cheese
• crackers
• dry cereal
• granola or cereal bars
• nuts
• dried fruit
• chocolate
• apple with peanut butter

*Requires cooking-gas stove, charcoal grill, camp stove, or wood fire (outside only!). Some foods, such as canned soups, canned pasta dishes, chili, hash, though typically heated before eating, do not REQUIRE heating for safety.

Checklist for Farms

Extreme weather events and seasonal changes can pose risks for farm operations. This series of checklists is a tool for near-term and in the-moment actions that will help you prepare for impending extreme weather events. Keep these sheets in your barn or outbuilding for quick reference when you need to prepare your farm for weather events. This General Strategies checklist will help you make general preparations for extreme weather. Use the last page to include information specific to your farm. Review these general strategies each season and look to the seasonal checklists for more immediate actions specific to the time of year and weather event.

Extreme Weather Preparedness Checklist for Farms: General Strategies