
12 Months of Prepping,
One Month at a Time
MONTH 1
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Water-3 gallons per person and per pet
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Hand-operated can opener and bottle opener
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Canned meat, stew, or pasta meals – 5 per person
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2 flashlights with batteries
TASKS:
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Inventory the disaster supplies you already have on hand, including your camping gear
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If you fill your own water containers, mark them with the date they were filled
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Date cans of food and food containers if you have not already done so
MONTH 2
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Canned vegetables – 4 per person
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Toilet paper – 3 rolls per person
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Sanitary napkins – 2 months’ supply
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Instant drinks (coffee, tea, powdered soft drinks)
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Family sized first aid kit
TASKS:
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Change the batteries and test your smoke detectors. Purchase and install smoke detectors if you don’t have them
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Make an inventory of home contents for insurance purposes. Take photographs (digital are easiest) of your house and contents. Store a copy away from your home.
MONTH 3
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Canned fruits – 3 cans per person
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Any foods for special dietary needs (enough for 3 days)
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A large plastic tub or bin for storage of food and other emergency supplies.
TASKS:
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Conduct a home fire drill
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Locate the gas meter and water shutoff points and attach/store a wrench or shutoff tool near them. Also store special shutoff instruction, if any.
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Establish and out-of-state contact to call in case of an emergency
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Identify a location for your storage of plastic bin or tub.
MONTH 4
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Extra baby bottles, formula and diapers if needed
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Extra pet supplies; food, collar, leash, etc.
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A stash of at least $100 in small bills – more if you can afford it
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Begin to stockpile extra supplies of critical prescription medications. Talk to your pharmacist for help in making this happen.
TASKS:
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Place a supply of prescription medicine(s) in a storage container and date the medicine(s) if not already indicated on its label
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Start putting supplies in storage container(s) and include blankets or sleeping bags for each family member
MONTH 5
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Canned, ready-to-eat soup – 4 per person
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Liquid dish soap
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Plain liquid bleach
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Portable am/FM radio with batteries
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Liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer
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Disposable hand wipes
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Disposable latex or nutile gloves
TASKS:
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Make two photocopies of important papers and put one in the storage container, and one away from your home.
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Talk with neighbors about organizing a neighborhood preparedness group.
MONTH 6
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Box of granola or power bars – 1 per person
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6 rolls of paper towels
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Box of N-95 or N-100 face masks – 1 per person.
TASKS:
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Check to see if stored water has expired and needs to be replaced
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Put an extra pair of eyeglasses in the supply container
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Find out about your workplace disaster plans and the disaster plans at your children’s schools
MONTH 7
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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NOAA Alert Weather Radio
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ABC fire extinguisher
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Jug of juice – 1 per person
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Adult and children’s vitamins
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A pair of pliers and/or vise grip
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100 feet of rope or paracord
TASKS:
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Take a first aid/CPR class
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Show family members where and how to shut off utilities
MONTH 8
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Box of crackers or graham crackers – 1 per person
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Dry cereal or instant oatmeal – 1 weeks’ worth per person
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1 box of large, heavy-duty garbage bags
TASKS:
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Make a small preparedness kit for your car. Include food, water, blanket, small first aid kit, a list of important phone numbers
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Secure water heaters to wall studs (if not already done)
MONTH 9
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Extra batteries for flashlights, radio and hearing aids (if needed)
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Duct tape
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Add an additional 3 days of water to your supply per person and per pet
TASKS:
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Follow up on efforts to organize your neighborhood
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Conduct an earthquake drill at home: stop, drop and hold, then go outside. (Remember, and earthquake can happen anywhere as recent events have demonstrated.)
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Replace prescription medicines as required by expiration dates
MONTH 10
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Take the month off from purchases. Yay!
TASKS:
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Secure shelves, cabinets and drawers to prevent them from falling and/or opening during earthquakes
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Imagine your house with no electricity. What more do you need?
MONTH 11
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Package of paper plates
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Package of napkins
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Package of eating utensils
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Package of paper cups
TASKS:
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Exchange work, home and emergency contact phone numbers with neighbors for use during an emergency
MONTH 12
SUPPLIES & GEAR:
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Heavy work gloves
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Begin to try to expand your food supply to twice of what you have on hand right now. Continue with this effort into coming 12 months.
TASKS:
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Check to see if your stored food and water needs to be replaced.
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