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12 Months of Prepping,

One Month at a Time

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MONTH 1

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Water-3 gallons per person and per pet

  • Hand-operated can opener and bottle opener

  • Canned meat, stew, or pasta meals – 5 per person

  • 2 flashlights with batteries

TASKS:

  • Inventory the disaster supplies you already have on hand, including your camping gear

  • If you fill your own water containers, mark them with the date they were filled

  • Date cans of food and food containers if you have not already done so

MONTH 2

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Canned vegetables – 4 per person

  • Toilet paper – 3 rolls per person

  • Sanitary napkins – 2 months’ supply

  • Instant drinks (coffee, tea, powdered soft drinks)

  • Family sized first aid kit

TASKS:

  • Change the batteries  and test your smoke detectors.  Purchase and install smoke detectors if you don’t have them

  • 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:

  • Canned fruits – 3 cans per person

  • Any foods for special dietary needs (enough for 3 days)

  • A large plastic tub or bin for storage of food and other emergency supplies.

TASKS:

  • Conduct a home fire drill

  • 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.

  • Establish and out-of-state contact to call in case of an emergency

  • Identify a location for your storage of plastic bin or tub.

MONTH 4

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Extra baby bottles, formula and diapers if needed

  • Extra pet supplies; food, collar, leash, etc.

  • A stash of at least $100 in small bills – more if  you can afford it

  • Begin to stockpile extra supplies of critical prescription medications. Talk to your pharmacist for help in making this happen.

TASKS:

  • Place a supply of prescription medicine(s) in a storage container and date the medicine(s) if not already indicated on its label

  • Start putting supplies in storage container(s) and include blankets or sleeping bags for each family member

MONTH 5

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Canned, ready-to-eat soup – 4 per person

  • Liquid dish soap

  • Plain liquid bleach

  • Portable am/FM radio with batteries

  • Liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer

  • Disposable hand wipes

  • Disposable latex or nutile gloves

TASKS:

  • Make two photocopies of important papers and put one in the storage container, and one away from your home.

  • Talk with neighbors about organizing a neighborhood preparedness group.

MONTH 6

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Box of granola or power bars – 1 per person

  • 6 rolls of paper towels

  • Box of N-95 or N-100 face masks – 1 per person.

TASKS:

  • Check to see if stored water has expired and needs to be replaced

  • Put an extra pair of eyeglasses in the supply container

  • Find out about your workplace disaster plans and the disaster plans at your children’s schools

MONTH 7

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • NOAA Alert Weather Radio

  • ABC fire extinguisher

  • Jug of juice – 1 per person

  • Adult and children’s vitamins

  • A pair of pliers and/or vise grip

  • 100 feet of rope or paracord

TASKS:

  • Take a first aid/CPR class

  • Show family members where and how to shut off utilities

MONTH 8

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Box of crackers or graham crackers – 1 per person

  • Dry cereal or instant oatmeal – 1 weeks’ worth per person

  • 1 box of large, heavy-duty garbage bags

TASKS:

  • Make a small preparedness kit for your car. Include food, water, blanket, small first aid kit, a list of important phone numbers

  • Secure water heaters to wall studs (if not already done)

MONTH 9

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Extra batteries for flashlights, radio and hearing aids (if needed)

  • Duct tape

  • Add an additional 3 days of water to your supply per person and per pet

TASKS:

  • Follow up on efforts to organize your neighborhood

  • Conduct an earthquake drill at home: stop, drop and hold, then go outside. (Remember, and earthquake can happen anywhere as recent events have demonstrated.)

  • Replace prescription medicines as required by expiration dates

MONTH 10

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Take the month off from purchases. Yay!

TASKS:

  • Secure shelves, cabinets and drawers to prevent them from falling and/or opening during earthquakes

  • Imagine your house with no electricity. What more do you need?

MONTH 11

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Package of paper plates

  • Package of napkins

  • Package of eating utensils

  • Package of paper cups

TASKS:

  • Exchange work, home and emergency contact phone numbers with neighbors for use during an emergency

MONTH 12

SUPPLIES & GEAR:

  • Heavy work gloves

  • 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:

  • Check to see if your stored food and water needs to be replaced.

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