r/preppers • u/Equivalent-Tie620 • Mar 27 '26
Question What people forget when preparing for emergencies (from what I’ve seen)
I’ve been going through a bunch of preparedness threads recently and noticed a pattern -- most people focus on the obvious things (food, water, flashlight), but miss the stuff that actually causes problems later.
A few examples I keep seeing:
• Printed contact list -- people rely on phones, but if battery/network is gone, you’re stuck
• Copies of documents -- passports, insurance, etc. (a lot of people only think about this after it’s too late)
• Simple “what do we do first” plan -- not gear, just steps
• Cash -- surprisingly common one people forget
Even in threads across Reddit you see people emphasizing things like hard copies of documents and contact info, not just survival gear.
I feel like preparedness is less about having more stuff and more about having things organized and thought through ahead of time.
I'm curious, what’s something you realized you were missing?
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Mar 27 '26
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u/Ruthless4u Mar 28 '26
I have a couple slipped disk, 2 hernias, and 4 heel spurs.
Doubt I’ll be hiking far 🤣
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u/VisualEyez33 Mar 28 '26
Wagon time! Or game cart, perhaps. Shopping cart in a pinch.
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u/dachjaw Mar 28 '26
It wood have to be a big pinch for me to use a shopping cart. They are fine on smooth surfaces but noisy and hard to push on anything else. And impossible to use on open ground.
And I always get the one with the wheel that goes clunk clunk clunk.
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u/Gabbiani Mar 28 '26
Make sure you always have a good pair of boots, Tylenol, icy hot, support/compression socks, supportive insoles, CBD pain relief cream, and a Velcro back brace. All are light can easy to carry and use. Also make sure you do mobility training regularly.
You might be slow but you can still make your way if you have some good preparation for your specific needs.
My hip is janky AF so I feel your pain (literally), but as our bodies get older or worn down, we can try to preserve what we have with supplemental items.
No one is young forever and I figure worst case scenario I get to keep my compatriots alive while the bears or wolves take me out for being slow lol.
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u/Poegeno Mar 31 '26
Electric Trike with at least 2 batteries, a way to charge it and a trailer if you can't carry your bug out kit on the bike
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u/Equivalent-Tie620 Mar 28 '26
This one hits different when you've actually had to move fast. We had neighbors in Kyiv who had every piece of gear imaginable and couldn't carry it three blocks. The bag is almost secondary to whether your body can handle stress + weight + no sleep for 48 hours. People really underestimate that until they're in it.
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u/Recent-Potato-6926 Mar 28 '26
Having an E-bike helps if at all possible, or just a regular bike would be better for some than walking for a long distance. Same with having a collapsible wagon for kids, pets, gear, etc. I imagine in a real SHTF situation however, those items would get stolen by others unless you were willing to “fight” for them.
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u/shyshyshy014 Mar 28 '26
Goodness, this is so true. We evacuated and had to go down 7 flights of stairs with a dog and the backpack then up again when it was all clear. It sucked and my back really hurt.
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u/Tiny-Sink-9290 Mar 28 '26
I'm in my 50s.. too late for that. lol. If youre in your 20s/30s even 40s.. yes. But once you get to that age where you're own body is starting to have issues, while it is important for sure.. nobody is carrying my 280lbs ass. Now am I carrying my go bags/etc and a person. lol. I do have a solid wagon with rugged wheels to carry my ammo, extra gun, food/water, supplies, and a leash on it to wrap around so just in case I am on a hill I dont trip and lose it! But otherwise.. anyone gets injured they are forked. Can't do much about that short of just make camp till they heal or leave them.
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u/ActiveShipyard Mar 29 '26
Respectfully, you know exactly what you can do - it's right there in your reply. I'm 54 btw.
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u/SurfaceThreeSix Mar 27 '26
Recently went on a multi day hike in moderately rough mountainous terrain: walking with weight.
A lot of people would be in a bad spot if they suddenly had to put on a pack and walk 10 miles. People usually get packs with 72 hour/assault bag in mind. These are fine in a pinch but they typically don’t have a kidney belt system or framed suspension system or it leaves a lot to be desired. Hiking style bags make moving weight less taxing because it is properly supported and secured.
Basically get out there and walk, preferably every day. Also look into a bag that is good for long ground movements because that might be your only option and if I had to choose between a hiking bag and a Jan sport I’d choose the hiking bag every time.
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u/JayCDee Mar 30 '26 edited Mar 30 '26
Plus hiking is a great hobby, and has a lot of crossover with prepping: shielding yourself from elements, being fit, using the correct materiel, packing efficiently, sleeping outdoors, knowing what you’d actually need in a med kit, having coffee if coffee gets you going, water filter AND tablets, etc…
Like you said, that Jansport bag is gonna kill your back, and let’s not even get started on duffle bags.
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u/EnaicSage Mar 27 '26
Toe nail clippers. People always laugh when I say this because they picture walking 20 miles…. but even during Covid you would be shocked how many people had to go into highly infectious doctor offices because of a hang nail or ingrown nail that got infected. Any soldier can tell you that they always value their feet and their back.
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u/Arlieth Mar 28 '26
Nail clippers are definitely important. So are:
- Moleskins (in a pinch, bandaids will do)
- Bodyglide/SNB
- Sunblock
- Hats. Spare hats. Hat in the car. Hat in the bag. ALWAYS HAVE A HAT
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u/PhantomNomad Mar 28 '26
I agree with the hat, but not baseball hats. While better then nothing, hats with a brim all the way around are better. I've got a couple of Aussie style cowboy oil skin hats and a full length oil skin duster. I can spend all day out in the rain and not get my clothes wet. Add the sheep's wool liner and I'm even good in the winter. I'm in Canada so when we talk prepping for out door weather we need to consider winter in that mix.
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u/jjohnisme Mar 30 '26
I picked up a duster recently. Do you oil it yourself or...? Mine looks like dry leather, didn't know if it needs it or not. Haven't broken it in yet.
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u/PhantomNomad Mar 30 '26
When I got mine it was almost wet looking until it wore off. Had to be careful where I sat with it on as it would leave oil behind. After about 2 weeks it looked dry.
I bought some duck butter (it's a brand) to re-oil the seams every 6 months or so.
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u/lilroguesnowchef Mar 28 '26
Extra socks and athletes foot cream.
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u/Equivalent-Tie620 Mar 28 '26
Yeah this comes up a lot, feet seem to be one of those things people only realize are critical after walking a lot, espetially under stress.
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u/Ruthless4u Mar 28 '26
Don’t forget extra dry socks.
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u/PhantomNomad Mar 28 '26
If possible wool socks are the way to go. You don't have to settle for those extra scratchy old school wool socks. There are wool out there that are soft and do the same job. I switched over and my feet are always comfy, warm, and most importantly dry. They are more expensive though. I found mine at costco and where 30 bucks CAD for 3 pairs.
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u/R1chard_Nix0n Mar 28 '26
Go with the old-school extra scratchy ones and wear them over wool dress socks, best of both worlds.
And since the dress sock isn't rubbing on anything they don't wear out.
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u/Dolphinsunset1007 Mar 28 '26
Me. I had to go to the podiatrist all masked up in spring 2020 to get an ingrown nail cut out of my toe. I do have nail clippers and regularly trim, I guess I just am prone to them bc of my nail shape.
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u/HappyCamperDancer Mar 27 '26
Make sure your pet is crate trained so they are calm and comfortable if they have to be crated for any reason.
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u/SunOnTheInside Mar 28 '26
The cat carriers get rotation in cat enrichment/entertainment, sprinkled with catnip and some treats, doors left open.
They’ll willingly take naps in them or sit on top and survey the land. When they actually have to go into the crates and be locked in (like when we all go to shelter from severe weather), they’re at worst annoyed. But not scared!
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u/LeopardFragrant115 Mar 28 '26
Scent anchors like the familiar carriers or bedding is how cats take their homes with them. The scent of their people too. If a cat is adopted, send its familiar bed with it or toy or some anchor. If people are going to adopt and they know it a few days in advance, leave one of their socks or at shirt or something with the cat to familiarize itself with. The transitions are much easier on cats doing these things. Familiarity is a sense of security.
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u/Averiella Mar 28 '26
I posted this text literally one parent comment above, but it’s relevant here:
People need to feed their cats in carriers. We can round up every cat in less than a minute by just carrying food (not even dropping it in) because the cats know they get fed in there and jump in immediately.
At our peak we had 12 cats (due to four crazy cat people living together) and could crate them all in 2 minutes flat.
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u/DeFiClark Mar 27 '26
Printed copy of your insurance policies
Printed deed and mortgage statements
Securely stored but ready to go: any financial account numbers and passwords. You may think you remember them, but after 48 hours with no sleep and on the phone fighting with insurance and dealing with the aftermath of what happened you just won’t .
Area lighting. In a disaster you can fix stuff with headlamps and flashlights but you can’t live normally in an otherwise habitable dark house.
Sandbags, pick axe, shovel —- sometimes the difference between a flooded house disaster and a bad storm is some emergency water diversion
The biggest fire extinguishers everyone in the house can wield. A real fire isn’t out in under 5 seconds, and you get a second a pound.
A way to make hot coffee or tea as soon as physically possible.
Leashes and carabiners and other ways to secure pets for travel. Do not assume your otherwise always obedient dog is going to stay in the car under evac chaos, clip them in!
Mops, brooms, dustpans, simple green, bleach, sponges, buckets: used these more than any other preps I have and I almost never see them in a list
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u/Equivalent-Tie620 Mar 28 '26
The cleaning supplies thing is so real and nobody talks about it. After any kind of structural damage or flooding the first thing you're doing is cleanup, not survival movie stuff. Also the area lighting point, headlamps are fine for tasks but living by headlamp for days does something to your mental state that people don't anticipate. Even a cheap camping lantern changes the atmosphere of a room completely.
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u/GrillinFool Mar 28 '26
You traveling or staying put? Seems like two different things with that list of items.
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u/DeFiClark Mar 28 '26
The question was overlooked gear for preparing for emergencies. Whether it’s staying put or evac depends on the scenario, but the things I mention are often overlooked on lists, e.g. the classic “important documents” doesnt mean “I need a hard copy of my insurance policies” to everyone.
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Mar 28 '26
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u/NefariousnessTrick63 Mar 28 '26
Or a small pair of scissors that can be used for other things too.
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u/-jspace- Mar 28 '26
I do need to update my hard copy contact list, thanks for the reminder.
I put off a toilet plan for my earthquake kit for a very long time, but I finally figured that out. What we don't have is a decent way to heat our house. No fire place, not trying to pretend I can get gasoline for a generator.
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u/Academic_Win6060 Mar 28 '26
Get Mr Buddy heater and some propane (and a hose adapter if you'll use a larger tank), so you can at least keep one area warm enough to survive in. Keep a battery powered O2 detector with the Buddy in storage so it's handy. Crack a window open if your place is very airtight.
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u/-jspace- Mar 28 '26
Yeah we have one, and a shop heater with 2 big tanks. I just don't love this method and it won't keep us warm very long.
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u/wakanda_banana Mar 28 '26
You need a camping tent and 0 degree or below bag I believe (I’d test the warmth). Also a sleeping pad to separate you from cold ground. Add emergency blankets, beanies, good socks, gloves, high quality layers
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u/WishIWasThatClever Mar 30 '26
If you’re using a hose with Mr Buddy, be sure to get a filter. I just spent hours disassembling and reassembling my heater to blow all of the oil out so it would stop making an awful high pitched whine.
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u/TwerkingJello Mar 28 '26
Could you prep with a propane generator as an alternative?
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u/fairmountvewe Mar 28 '26
Or diesel. Long fuel life, simple(ish) motor. Potentially diverse fuel source. It’s what we use.
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u/NuggetIDEA Mar 27 '26
A way to use the restroom while on the move. Whether I'm stuck in my car for hours or on foot.
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u/Academic_Win6060 Mar 28 '26
Yep, ladies, look into a p-style. It's something even a lot of ultra lightweight backpackers carry. Very handy.
For little girls learning to squat, something as simple as a skirt or poncho can conceal a great deal. Lift the front a bit and make sure they're facing downhill a bit.
They make disposable urine bags like these - https://a.co/d/02HYhuGa Handy for traveling or emergencies. I keep a couple in the car for traffic jams or motion sickness.
Carry a small trowel for #2 and make sure you're a couple hundred feet from any water source.
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u/Arlieth Mar 28 '26
Compressed towelette tablets are kind of a godsend for personal hygiene too. Since you need to rehydrate them, they become a wet wipe.
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Mar 28 '26
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u/SheistyPenguin Mar 28 '26
For ladies, there are pee funnels!
No, it's not the most graceful thing... but ladies, the ability to pee standing up is an AWESOME power, and frankly you are missing out
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u/NuggetIDEA Mar 28 '26 edited Mar 28 '26
Gross
ETA: This comment is to the user who said "All you need is something to lean against."
In my mind I'm thinking of leaning up against what exactly while I'm stuck in my car 😂
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Mar 28 '26
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u/ManyThingsLittleTime Mar 28 '26
They make squueze bottle bidets for travel and there's one that is basically a cork that goes into any normal water bottle for hikers and these are perfect for emergencies. Good luck wiping with leaves and rocks.
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u/_head_ Mar 28 '26
A few simple supplies can go a long way. Importance will vary based on your family situation.
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u/FederalEconomist5896 Mar 28 '26
Most will be obvious to everybody, but here are my thoughts.
1) Garden variety - include plants with antibacterial properties. Do you have the ability to make vinegar from fruits? Do you have herbs to creat insect repellent? What about distilled alcohol for medicine or other purposes such as fuel? This leads me to another point.
2) Fermentation materials. Do you have stock/starter for sourdough? Kimchi? Pickled foods? Food safe yeast for fermentation in general? Do you otherwise have the easy, natural means to preserve food?
3) Cooking space - do you have the ability to use traditional fuel sources? This could be a brick oven, a smoke house/shed or a smoker in general? Do you know how to mix sand with gasoline for use as an outdoor heat source if you happen to aquire some? Do you own a solar oven? Do you have an underground fire pit or the ability to make one?
4) Water purification. Do you know more than a few methods to produce clean water? Do you have a Berkey-style water filtration system? Life straws? Do you know how to build solar stills?
5) Basic engineering capabilities and tools.Can you build a shelter? Can you fix more than one type of vehicle? Do you have spare tires? Can you solder? Do you know how to make a basic generator or simple batteries? Do you own solar panels? You can buy effective solar panels and battery pack combos for $150 or less. I have a brand that can attach directly into devices or straight into the battery because the set comes with many different connectors and plugs. Can you work metals?
6) Insulation materials. If you lose power, how can you maximize heat retention in your house? Can you turn a room into a "warm room" if you need to? A small tent for yourself or your family helps to retain a lot of heat when set up inside.
7) Hunting. Can you set traps? Passive fishing techniques? Here's a more uncomfortable question: do you have the means to guard yourself against the dangers of bush meat? This alone makes me want to avoid meat when possible - it would be far better to rely upon a large amount of legumes, much safer and easier.
8) Consider soap. Can you make it?
9) Laundry day deserves a place on the list. Washrack?
10) what about dentistry? No idea how to mitigate this factor.
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u/siredgar Mar 28 '26
Dentistry suggestions to consider:
Book - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CX5891JB/ Basic tools - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LGSYTLM/ Basic tools - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1DFW6XT/ Dental wax - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WD677N9 Dental repair kit - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UB6UWUG
And floss, mouthwash, toothbrushes, and toothpaste of course.
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u/Unbreakable_DM Mar 30 '26
I'd love to know what brand of solar/ battery pack combo you recommend. Keep getting lost in marketing rabbit holes. I can solder and follow basic wiring diagrams.
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u/leggomyeggle Apr 22 '26
Solar panels as in portable or on house? I had both. The solar guy was NOT amused when I joked about plugging it into a generator. I don’t believe there’s a way to utilize the house ones unfortunately
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u/Spiley_spile Community Prepper Mar 28 '26
Sanitation. If there's an earthquake and I dump water in the toilet to flush it, and the pipes are broken and just leaking out? Hello dysentary!
Also, disasters that impact water supply leave us with nasty hands. A hands-free handwashing station can be a huge boon for the family's health. Immune systems are already borked from stress, potential lack of heat or air conditioning, injuries that may have to wait longer than recommended for hospital treatment. Ready sanitation solutions are up there next to food and water.
Also, water purification and filtration for beginners is better than nothing. But we dont have to stay beginners. There is a difference between "safer" and "safe". There are different products depending on what's in the water. Not all purification tablets cover the same ground. Filters vsry considerably. Many natural and human-created disasters lead to heavy metal pollution for rivers, lakes, and ground water. chemical purifiers do not protect against that and most filters dont either. (Not all filters protect against the same bugs, either for that matter.) Then there are volatile organic chemicals. Not to mention the poor soul who "cleans" toxic algea bloom water and offers it to their family and pets.
Anything is better than nothing. And, if one can do more when it comes to leveling up one's water knowledge and resources, it's a worthy priority to advance beyond the beginner-sphere.
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u/Equivalent-Tie620 Mar 28 '26
Sanitation is massively underrated on these lists. The psychological cost of not being able to manage basic hygiene is also real, it's demoralizing in a way that compounds everything else. And the point about water purification levels is important. People treat "I have a LifeStraw" like they've solved water, but heavy metal contamination from infrastructure damage is a completely different problem that most filters don't touch.
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u/starfyrflie Mar 29 '26
Do you have any recommendations for good sources to learn more about water knowledge and resources?
I often get bogged down trying to sift through the internet for information.
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u/Spiley_spile Community Prepper Mar 30 '26
- Sanitation
The advanced wound care class I attended taught me that soap and water (doesnt even have to be "antibacterial" soap) is one of the most effective ways to kill germs and get them off of our bodies. The more medical science does comparison studies between regular soap and even a lot of fancy, medical cleaning products, regular old soap out-performs many of them. Takes 20 seconds of soap contact. So, wash for the full 20 seconds. Yes, it also performs better than alcohol hand sanitizer.
I attended a fantastic Disaster Sanitation class with Dr. Karr some years back. I believe you can find her class curriculum and handouts on her website.
https://www.merileedeborahkarr.com/disaster-sanitation/
- Purifying & filtering water in cold temperatures
And this article offers good information for purifying and filtering water below 40F(4.44C) https://sectionhiker.com/how-to-filter-purify-water-in-freezing-temperatures/
- What's in the water
There are many sources of waterbourne illness and types of contamination. I dont know them all. But youll level up in a big way if you understand how to filter and/or purify water to make it free from the following:
Heavy metals + arsenic (Activated carbon filters work. Distillation also works. Boiling does not.)
Volatile inorganic compounds (I need more info because at least some of this crosses over into heavy metals.
Volatile organic compounds aka VOCs (Activated carbon filters specifically rated for VOCs work. Distillation does not work, so ignore google AI when it says it does)
Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi. Some of these animals are smaller than the others. So size matters when looking at a filter's specifications. I'd aim for 0.1 micron or smaller. (Some filters, some chemical purifiers, water distillation, boiling but see exception.)
Exception: Toxic "algea" blooms are actually bacterial blooms, not algea. This is NOT the bacteria situation your (or my) water filters were designed to handle. They might filter out the bacteria, but not toxins these blooms produce. There are various bacteria that can form toxic algea blooms. But it takes water tests kits to determine which bacteria. The nuances between the different blooms is outside the scope of my knowledge. At my level, If I see toxic algea bloom, I go find a different water source. Even municipal water plants struggle to make bloom water safe to drink with their high level filters and chemicals etc. I am not going to mess with the stuff. It's bad enough that even walking in bloom water is not recommended.
There is a lot more to know. That's all Ive got for now though. There are several filters and forms of water purification and sanitation that Im not yet familiar with. And there are more exceptions that Im not aware of as well.
I hope this helped at least a little! Improving our knowledge, methods, and techniques is a journey that takes time. If all you have starting out is a dishcloth to pour the water through, and a pot to boil water in, it can still add a lot of protection.
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u/starfyrflie Mar 30 '26
Wow thank you so much! I genuinely appreciate your well thought out comment and learned new things!
Thank you for the sources as well, i will most definitely be checking those out.
Its always incredible to see how little one knows and how much knowledge there is to gain.
Also, algae bloom sounds scary as fuck. This has really motivated me to definitely want to learn more.
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u/Spiley_spile Community Prepper Mar 30 '26
Algea blooms terrify me. We had blooms in over 15 surrounding lakes and rivers some years back when a friend and I were trying to plan a wilderness backpacking trip. I couldnt find testing data for the lake along the trail we picked. I even contacted the department that does the testing. It hadnt gotten tested. 🫠 It was alpine and away from industrial and agricultural areas. But I didnt know how busy it had been. So many people dont know not to pee/poop near lakes and rivers etc, which can contribute to blooms. So we carried 3 days of water for the two of us and my friend's service dog, along with all our food and gear. I wish water did not weigh so friggen much. 😭
Anyhow, you're welcome and Im glad the information was useful!
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u/Mjslim Mar 27 '26
Cash is a big one. I think it’s pretty likely for payment systems to be disrupted at some point. Even if it’s only for a day it will cause chaos.
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u/mynamesnotcarter Mar 28 '26
How much cash would you suggest and in what denominations?
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u/ManyThingsLittleTime Mar 28 '26
How much would you pay for a ride out of a hell scape? You need a mix of denominations.
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u/NieleDaKine Apr 01 '26
When I lived on a boat, I heard about folks who would put a gold coin under their mast with the hope that if their boat got dismasted, the coin would be enough for repairs. However, with one gold coin, you have to find one source for repairs. Or someone who can make change for that amount of value.
For prepping, silver one ounce coins might be a good option. Depending on the disaster, cash may not have any value?
The other reason for silver instead of gold (or $5 instead of $100 bills) is that you can buy a chicken for a smaller amount but the person with the chicken may not have change for a larger amount.
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u/RavennaHawk Mar 28 '26
EDIT: I'm probably not answering your question right, but you pointing out some stuff that I just needed to rant about:
I didn't start prepping until this year. The last few years I made the decision to become prepared and started planning.
The preps I started my journey with are 1. Get current with my bills and 2. Wrap up any health concerns. I suggest this to everyone because y'all worried about having food in a famine when most Americans are morbidly obese. Like, no offense, (and as someone that is not in the best shape either) but we need to be prepping for heart attacks, because we're not making it to the apocalypse...
Anyways, because I started with this, I prevented the furthering of melanoma that I suspected I had but didn't know. Cancer free now, and it cost me $80. Lost weight, got some much needed dental care, and am currently on antibiotics for an infection I've been fighting.
Also super important to go through your personal items and get rid of anything that you just don't use. It makes for a better headspace. Organization and cleanliness are super important if you need to know when things are at in a hurry. Can't get your bottled water you set aside if it's hiding beneath a years worth of dirty clothes.
After I got most of my health issues and bills paid off I started working on preps I can rationalize to myself. Things like stocking water and food and getting extra of the things I normally use on a day to day basis so I can make a rotational pantry. Paying off my car and fixing it, and investing in an E-Bike because of raised gas prices. (Helps with health too). Investing in hydroponics for food (I have yet to do this but it's high on the list) and eventually a freeze dryer and solar batteries.
The issue I've had with the prepping community is that they are primarily represented by people that are paranoid about off the wall issues that may happen, but probably won't. However, if we as a country (I'm referring to America) were to self reflect and learn from history then applied aspects of prepping into our lives, emergencies won't be people panicking, they would be people banning together to fight the fight like our ancestors did. It's a real shame the loss of that culture we've had. (I blame the invention of the internet, advanced tech, and social shift to valueing the "entertainment" industry)
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u/Equivalent-Tie620 Mar 28 '26
This framing is genuinely underused in prepping conversations. Getting your baseline health sorted like medications, dental, things you've been putting off is prep. An untreated infection or a dental emergency during a disruption is a serious problem. The rotational pantry approach to everyday items is also just smart budgeting that happens to also be prep. It doesn't have to be a separate identity.
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u/photojournalistus Mar 28 '26 edited Mar 28 '26
Messaging/marking/signage-making tools:
- Sharpies: fine-point, large-point.
- Grease pencils: white, black, yellow.
- Index cards, Post-Its, notepads, 8.5" x 11" copier paper.
- Clear adhesive tape.
- Dry-erase boards + markers.
- White paper tape/cloth tape (for writing on).
- Spray paint: white, black, red, yellow, fluorescent.
- Foamcore or posterboard for making signs.
- Large wooden stir-sticks (used to mix house paint) to mount in-ground signage.
- 3M Super77 spray mount adhesive spray (to attach signage to other surfaces).
Optional:
A. Yellow barrier-tape (i.e., "caution" tape).
B. Marking flags (e.g., utility marking flags).
C. Inverted marking spray paint (i.e., to mark driveways, grounds, perimeters, etc.).
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u/Equivalent-Tie620 Mar 28 '26
This is one of those lists where you read it and think "why have I never seen this on a prep list before." The ability to leave clear information for people coming to find you, or mark which buildings have been checked, or just communicate without power, genuinely underrated. Sharpies in every bag from now on!
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u/Elegant_Location8182 Mar 28 '26
Who here has actually done some practicing? Like turn the power off for a couple days and see if you and the family can do it right. I’d love to try it out but what are some tips, tactics, lessons learned?
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u/616c Mar 27 '26
Somebody put things in storage after our last camping trip. Empty water jugs, lamps, crank radio, spare backpack, duffle, tools, water filter.
So, we have stuff. But it's several miles away, inaccessible in case of emergency. I failed the regular "where's our stuff?" test.
But, we've got roller suitcases and ski pants in the house.
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u/Dumbkitty2 Mar 28 '26
I feel this in my bones. I bought a power station for Christmas. I bought the solar panels soon after. The station was stored in an ottoman, the panels slid behind a cabinet. Both were easy to reach. But no! They were kidnapped to the barn of chaos, a lair holding a life time of accumulated junk where nothing is ever seen again.
I feel like I just set hundreds of dollars on fire for all the good I did.
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u/Slut_for_Bacon Mar 28 '26
I mean 75% of the people on this sub buy tons of medical gear and have no idea how to use it so I would say most people forget to actually learn to use the things they buy.
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u/Merlock_Holmes Mar 28 '26
The printed phone list might be useful but if the network is gone chances are the people you are trying to call have no service either. No one has home phones anymore.
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u/6gunsammy Mar 28 '26
Copies of documents and Cash have the same issue. Copies of documents are not really good enough, you need your actual passport, drivers license, etc. Copies of your cash are also worthless. My first step in prep is the "GO" bag. Original birth certificate, marriage certificate, social security card, passport, cash, silver and gold, thumb drive with photos and other documents, etc. Grab the "GO" back and be out of the house in less than one minute.
My biggest concern is that in practice runs I have not been able to get the cat into the carrier quick enough. I will be sad to leave him behind, but if necessary I can be out of my house in 1 min. By car or on foot.
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u/Equivalent-Tie620 Mar 28 '26
Completely agree on originals vs copies. Copies create a false sense of security. One thing worth adding is a thumb drive is great but encrypt it. People put their whole financial life on a USB and lose it during the chaos they were prepping for. Also worth laminating the documents you can't replace. Sounds fussy until your bag gets wet.
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u/kingofhearts778 Mar 28 '26
Jock itch spray.
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u/PhantomNomad Mar 28 '26
We always have a tin of zinc cream (diaper rash) with us. It really does help and I've used it while camping especially on hot days. It's not for the rash as much as it just helps with chafing.
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u/TroutDoors Mar 28 '26
Keep in mind, this community will have far less people who neglect the following, but it’s what I see anecdotally.
The top 2 things I see neglected in preps are:
1: Mask with filters 2: Stitch kits
-Air is a big one. If stuff goes bad and the air is compromised that’s a game changer. Having a couple masks with filters will make a huge difference.
-Stitch kits. This is massive and cannot be stated enough. You need to be able to stitch wounds.
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u/SheistyPenguin Mar 28 '26
I think it's more that Tuesday emergencies don't have the same amount of danger/thrill to them that Doomsday scenarios do. If they did, then this sub would read a lot more like r/personalfinance.
But that's ok. Nothing wrong with discussing the improbable, because sometimes the improbable happens!
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u/Cain-Man Mar 28 '26
I pick up fishing rod and reel plus tackle for cheap. If a lake near by source of protein.
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u/nakedonmygoat Mar 28 '26
People often talk about documents, but most people only need ID, a passport (if near a border), health insurance card, and any other official docs that it would be a pain in the ass to replace, like Social Security card, birth certificate, deeds, titles, marriage certificate, and things like that. For any official business, these must all be originals or certified copies. If an authority asks for your ID, you can't just show them an image on your phone. Try doing that with a cop tomorrow and let me know how it goes.
You don't need copies of your various insurance plans. Why? Because one of two things is happening. If it's a doomsday scenario, your no one is paying out, ever. In all other scenarios, once you're at a safe place with internet, if you need to access your plan, just go online and do it. All reputable insurance companies have backup data centers. I used to work on the business side of IT in a large organization and believe me, there has to be some very widespread scorched earth going on for all that data to get lost. Besides, a lot, if not all of that data is also in the cloud these days.
And if a huge area of catastrophic destruction is the scenario in question, refer back to my earlier point. Even if you want copies to prove to some future organization stepping up on your insurer's behalf (lol) unless you printed all that paper on the day of the disaster, with screen shot evidence that your plan was in place and active, how are they to know that you hadn't canceled it two weeks earlier? Paper is only useful in a broad-scale cyberattack, but that's not what I see folks prep for much here.
Aside from all that, I'm a big believer in checklists. In a scenario where leaving your home is advisable, no matter what the reason, have a list specific to the reason in question. When you're in a rush, you're apt to forget things.
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u/chicagotodetroit Mar 29 '26
I guess I don’t understand why people say it’s a pain to replace documents.
You go online and order them, and they show up in 5-7 business days. I’ve ordered replacement docs with the last year.
In before someone tries to come at me: librarians will help those who need assistance with that. There are also outreach programs that help with that.
For the average person, you literally just go online and do it. You can even get multiple copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce papers, and death certificates, titles, etc.
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u/nakedonmygoat Mar 30 '26
For a copy of my marriage license, I had to go to the downtown courthouse, wait in line, and pay. A name change document would also require going to the courthouse. For a certified copy of my birth certificate, I had to send away for it and pay.
For anything requiring a courthouse visit, that means having all relevant original documents on hand, so if any of those are missing, you'll have to replace them, first. And that's a lot harder. It quickly becomes a chicken and egg situation.
Yeah, in a normal situation where everything is just fine, you have all your supporting documents on hand, and mail and courthouses are functioning normally, it can be kinda nice. You take a half-day off work to visit the courthouse, and if you're lucky you'll have enough time left over to enjoy a bit of free time. But last I checked, we don't prep for normal times.
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u/s1gmanet Mar 28 '26
def agree, hands-free is key! after my last emergency drill, we realized how chaotic it can get with pets. def investing in a good carrier made a huge diff for us, especially with our cats lol
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Mar 28 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ZestyCinnamon Mar 31 '26
Jolly Ranchers are great, but for a go bag, I would recommend packing them with a moisture absorber. Sugar is hydroscopic, and will pull moisture from the air into the candy, making them unpalatable (to my family, anyway). Learned that one the hard way :(
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u/Own_Role6503 Mar 29 '26
A sewing kit. Learning to do basic repairs to clothing will go a long way. Emergency blanket - essential if you live in a cold climate and applicable in many situations. A bar of soap.
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u/HairyAd6483 Mar 29 '26
Be sure you have plenty of rodents control materials on hand. With the lack of garbage pickup, there will be an abundance of pests. Mice, rats, racoons.
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u/MissingRedditProfile Showing up somewhere uninvited Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 12 '26
I experienced this during the initial invasion into Iraq. When there was no electricity for weeks, no running water, garbage wasn’t being properly disposed of, etc… just flies alone were unbearable. I remember how disgusting it was just trying to eat an MRE. I would use my mosquito net like a poncho and drape it over my head. Flies would be swarming all around still. The two worst things were when you were eating and flies followed the food into your mouth! They didn’t seem to care if you swatted towards them. The second was when you were inside a port-a-John and the flies would come up from feasting on a hundred other people’s poop and try to invade your “back door.” It didn’t help that it was freaking stupid hot most of the time.
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u/MNConcerto Mar 28 '26
We have all that in a fire proof bag. We add to the cash a little bit every month.
It has all our important documents like birth certificates, social security cards, marriage certificate, deeds etc.
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u/bardwick Mar 29 '26
Cash -- surprisingly common one people forget
I would caution the expectations around this. Cash will only be good for a few hours.. Depending on what's going on, it might be a day, possibly two.
Any scenario where you can't pay electronically, or with a card will also impact the vendor. They will run out of change and have to shut down rather quickly. 83% of transactions are made with cards, they only keep enough change to support 17% of expected buyers using cash.
You won't be able to pay any of your bills either.
The use case would be to get any gaps/immediate supplies quickly, and that's going to be hit or miss.
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u/Crazy-Abroad7878 Mar 29 '26
The document thing hit home for me! I had to evacuate my house once before a riot because people were robbing homes and my address was getting passed around. First thing I grabbed was my dogs. Second was documents and data (as in hard drives, laptops, old phones, etc). Everything else came third….You don't really know what you'd grab until you're actually doing it.
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u/Somebody_81 Mar 28 '26
Printed list of current meds, allergies, and medical history for each person too. They can be essential in an emergency. Keep these lists in several different locations too. In your home (in a container in the freezer is great), in your car, in your go bags, and in your wallet. EMS frequently looks in those locations.
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u/Equivalent-Tie620 Mar 28 '26
The freezer thing is smart and more people should know it, EMS actually does check there. Laminated sheet with meds, allergies, blood type, emergency contacts. Takes 20 minutes to make and you only do it once (then update it if needed). The wallet version is also underrated as most people's wallets have everything except the information that would actually help someone help them.
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u/Comfortable_Area6414 Mar 29 '26
Our frig/freezer was melted shut by a house fire, so definitely keep a 2nd copy elsewhere. The wallet idea worked for us.
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u/HolyCheezuzSonOfCod Mar 28 '26
Imho, the often overlooked Prep no 1. Be as fit and healthy as possible. Unless disabled, ensure you can easily run at least 5 miles without stopping and can easily bench 1.5 times your own bodyweight
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u/BluelunarStar Mar 28 '26
I have a printed list of contacts covered in tape & rolled up into a watertight keychain capsule. I carry that everywhere with me.
My phone battery is always dying on me (I have an emergency 1 use charger & usually a power bank) & I realised if I had a car crash or something I’d be screwed. Easy to borrow a phone nowadays- if you have the number.
I’ve also memorised my flatmate/carers number. Just in case.
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u/JellyOk6019 Mar 28 '26
The documents point is the one I always put off. Is there a structured list somewhere of what to actually prep?
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u/Equivalent-Tie620 Mar 28 '26
Yeah, this one took me embarrassingly long to sort out too. The short version of what actually matters: passport, ID, birth certificates for everyone in the household, marriage certificate if you have one, any property deeds or titles, insurance cards, and a printed list of medications/allergies/blood type. Cash in mixed denominations. If you have kids, make sure to prep their docs as those are the ones people most often forget.
The thing that changed it for me was stopping treating it as a "someday" task and just doing it in one evening. Fireproof bag or even a ziploc in a consistent spot. Once it's done it's done.
I actually wrote and lectured a more detailed breakdown of this with the mistakes people tend to make. Happy to share if useful. There's actually a link in my profile if you want it.
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u/JellyOk6019 Mar 29 '26
Thank you, your guide is truly excellent. This information is very important to me, and I found it very useful
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u/kida182001 Mar 29 '26
Saving this post to refer to later and see which suggestions I can focus on for my scenario.
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u/XRlagniappe Mar 29 '26
How to take a hot shower with no running water. I saw a YouTube video from the Texas Deep Freeze of 2021 that talked about showering and realized I didn't have anything set up for that. I now have a few different options. If I have electricity or backup power, I have a bucket warmer. If no electricity I have a propane burner and a large pot to boil water. For the shower itself, I have a few of those battery powered camping showers. I also have some makeshift lawn sprayers that can be used in a pinch.
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u/Financial-Parsley482 Mar 29 '26
Would you say a little bit more about your makeshift lawn sprayers?
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u/soaker Mar 29 '26
May seem trivial to some, but a deck of cards or something similar. Can’t forget about mental health. It may be incredibly boring for a while or you need a distraction. Cards are light, don’t take a lot of space, and you can do a lot with them.
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u/coof_7 Apr 04 '26
Personally, I think a lot of people overlook security! I’m just getting started myself, but even as someone living in a country where guns aren’t allowed, I’ve noticed that many people don’t have basic things like door barricade devices or blunt weapons such as baseball bats. I think that’s something worth considering! Another thing I’d add is that watches are important too. If your phone stops working, it becomes really hard to tell the time. We need a watch to know the exact time when we can’t rely on our phones!
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u/Cute-Consequence-184 Apr 18 '26
Have scans of all documents on your phone.
Have paper copies of contacts and all documents in a water proof bag inside a second waterproof bag
Have a thumb drive with all documents contacts list and such inside the bag as well.
Have a small solar panel and extra charging cables in the bag as well.
Have the bags in your go bag.
Always have extra charging cables, wall chargers and car chargers in your car. One is none mentality because when you need that cable, it will break.
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u/leggomyeggle Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 22 '26
Any time a med goes expired I toss it in the bag.
Antibiotics. Pain med. Beta blockers, and two epi pens.
Expired may be better than nothing. I think there’s a medrol dos pak in there somewhere
Edit to add: plan B
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u/leggomyeggle Apr 22 '26
Dry spray deodorant can double as dry shampoo. And you can blow it up if need be
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u/Guyyoutsidee Apr 24 '26
Precious metals over cash. If shtf hard enough that I need to “bug out” then the dollars value is gonna be in question
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u/BackwoodsJ12 Apr 26 '26
While the survival stuff is important, mental and emotional wellbeing is as well, especially if you have kids.
Puzzles, board games, books all are things you may want because think about if say a hurricane comes through and knocks power out. What ya gonna do, stare at each other for hours?
If internet goes down and you only stream, dvds are still a wonderful thing to have.
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u/2009impala May 14 '26
Another thing is people don't consider morale. Everyone thinks they're going to be some billy badass, but we are just people. Keep food that you actually want to eat, have some things kept for entertainment, if there are some small sentimental things you can take, take them.
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u/Hefty-Squirrel-6800 Mar 28 '26
Make an actual binder with all insurance info as well as blank paper to wrote in.
Open claims before the storm, etc. has passed. You will be at the front of the line for an adjuster afterwards. If it turns out you don’t need to file a claim, call them up and close it. They love those types of calls.
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u/kida182001 Mar 29 '26
I remember reading somewhere that when you open a claim, even if the insurance doesn't end up paying a penny on it, you still get marked in your file that a claim was made and would affect a "score" that every insurance company uses to price your premiums. I'm not sure how accurate that information is but if it is, you would have to weigh the risk of doing what you suggested.
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u/1000AdamantAdams Mar 30 '26
People dont think about books. I feel like a lot of people buy lots of things but lack the proper knowledge to use them properly. Just having some simple books about first aid or gardening would very beneficial in the long run. We'll at least more beneficial than buying your bodyweight in ammunition that you probably will never need.
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Mar 31 '26
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u/1000AdamantAdams Mar 31 '26
I never in my life want to be put in a position where I have to treat a bullet wound. But if I did I would have an IDEA of what to do or at least know enough to not make it worse.
Edit: too many words
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u/grey___lady Mar 27 '26
Not "missing" per say - but found out one Tuesday that backpack pet carries are way better in an emergency because you can keep your hands free.