Doomsday has been a thing foretold since man emerged from eons of hunting a gathering to build the first communities. One need only look at the natural world to realize that everything with a beginning inevitably has an ending. This holds true for civilization as we know it.

Men of means and resources forebode the possibility of doomsday or at the very least a major shift in our global notions of civilization by preparing themselves. Some have luxury bunkers, or safehouses with stockpiles of supplies they will need to ride out a time of prolonged turmoil. Others simply make sure they have the things they’ll need to withstand the destruction and restoration of their region after a severe natural disaster.

Whether you are concerned about the end of the world drawing nigh, or you simply live in an area that could be ravaged by a hurricane, earthquake, or other natural disaster, there are some basic steps you can take to prepare. Here are some essential topics to consider based on your location and situation.

Access to Clean Water

A human being can survive weeks without food. Yet even the strongest among us has little chance of making it more than three days without water. Not only is it essential for staying hydrated, it can also play an important role in things like cooking, washing, and basic hygiene.

Of course, the question you need to address first, is just how much water you need. On a basic level a single individual will go through around 30 gallons of water in a single month. Which isn’t that much when you consider drinking, cooking, and washing. So, if you have a family of four you should make space and accommodate for at least 120 gallons of water.

This should provide you with enough water to last a month, and also give you enough of a supply that will conservation and thoughtful recycling you could possibly extend indefinitely. Part of this includes different storage options.

Water Storage

is critical for maintaining a healthy supply. Multiple tanks ensure that you still have a supply in the event of a leak, storage bottles and canteens also help you and yours to maintain and transport a personal water supply. Keep in mind that just any old jug might not be a good idea for long-term storage. Whenever possible, you should source food grade plastic containers.

In some hurricane and other natural disaster areas, there are special bladder devices that can be placed in a bathtub and filled to hold around 100 gallons of water. Keeping one of these in your home or other safe location can help you quickly fill and store water anytime a problem appears on the horizon.

Water Filters

are also important to keep on hand. If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have a sufficient supply stored up, or you are on the move a water filter can help you clear and purify alternative water sources. They are especially important in a bugout bag.

Fortunately, sportsman and outdoor enthusiasts have to deal with these issues when hiking, camping or hunting. There are several options to consider. Some of them like LifeStraw or Steripen are designed to be small enough that you can keep them in your backpack or pocket. Keeping some chlorine tablets or iodine in your bugout bag will also allow you to purify water on the go. Yet you shouldn’t see this as more than a short-term option.

Food and Vitamins

Without proper nutrition your body simply will not have the calories and energy you need to continue to survive. Of course, you can’t just pile empty calories in your mouth and expect to stay healthy. So you’ll need to make sure that you’re stocking up a long-term supply with a complete nutrient profile. Even if you have a mountain of beef jerky, something as silly as a case of scurvy could still kill you!

Food staples

are basic things that you eat every day. Stocking up on fresh milk and cheese probably isn’t the best idea. Instead, target dried foods and canned goods that have a long shelf life.

Grains

placed in sealed containers can help prolong their shelf life. Try to prioritize high nutrient items like whole grain flour over white flour, brown rice over white long grain, beans and other static carbohydrates.

Seasonings

like salt, sugar, whole peppercorns, vinegar and honey can also help improve the flavor of what might otherwise be bland food. Honey also has a much longer shelf life than white sugar.

It’s also worth noting that there are companies that specifically sell doomsday survival food supplies in highly condensed ration packs. With most you just open the pack and add a small amount of water. The price per unit is typically affected by the volume of your purchase at one time. Some have a shelf life of more than ten years!

Food storage options

also need to be considered. Things like sunlight, humidity, bacteria, fungus and microscopic organisms can potentially accelerate the food degradation process. Whenever possible, you should store food in a cool dry place away from the sun and dramatic changes in temptation. Sealing them inside Mylar bags or some type of airtight container is preferable.

Vitamins

and other supplements should also be considered. Taking a daily multivitamin can help you remain healthy while ensuring that you get key nutrients, which might not be in full supply while consuming a rationed diet.

Cookware

should also be considered an allotted space. Many camping supply stores sell small condensing units with a basic cup, pot, serving ware, and perhaps a pan or plates that all fit together neatly. This can allow you to keep some cookware in your bugout bag.

Fire access or a stove

may also be essential, especially if your safe spot or bugout location doesn’t provide safe access to open flame. Depending on your location a stove might also help provide added heat. A wood-burning stove is easier to replenish, but often heavier than a gas stove which might be made from light-weight aluminum and only requires a one-pound propane canister.
Seeds may be worth considering if you’re planning for a long-term disaster or a complete collapse of civilization. With some decent soil, sunlight, and water you could start producing your own food. Try to target vegetables that have a long storage life such as shade tolerant beans, cowpeas, and winter squash. Other leafy greens like spinach or a mesclun blend also grow quickly and can augment your diet. Certain root vegetables like beets and radishes can grow from very small seeds and require less total storage space than seed potatoes.

Medical Items

In a long-term disaster or doomsday situation something as simple as a small cut or burn that gets infected could prove lethal. All your bugout bags need to be stocked with a basic first aid kit which includes bandages, topical antiseptic, and topical antibiotic creams. Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications, allergy creams, burn creams can further help treat minor cuts, scrapes and other issues.

Also take the time to consider any family members who have chronic health conditions such as diabetes, asthma or require prescription medications like antibiotics. Stocking up on these critical medications can make a life or death difference.

You never know what to expect during a Doomsday situation. It can give rise to several health issues. Also, you may have family members with health issues, and there is always the chance of one getting injured, and if the wound is left unattended, it can lead to infection. Emergency medications, a first aid kit, and a few other medical tools are a vital part of Doomsday Prepper List.

Hygiene and antiseptic items

should also be included in your bugout bag as well as your safe location. This can help clean wounds to prevent infection as well as limit the potential spread of disease. Something as simple as antiseptic hand wipes can also cut down significantly on water usage, while also ensuring that things like food preparation is done with clean hands. And of course, remember to stock up on toilet paper and feminine hygiene products.

Preventive care items

like sunscreen, lip balm, toothpaste, and dental floss can also be important in a long-term disaster situation. It might seem minor, but a bad sunburn, or a dental abscess could lead to potentially life-threatening complications.

Simple medical tools

should be included in your bugout bag, with an expanded selection at your safe location. This could include things like medical scissors, syringes, clamps, hydrogen peroxide, a suture needle, gauze, sterile bandages, a sling and material for making a splint.

Keeping an N95 Mask

for each family member might also be a good idea to help prevent the possible spread of an airborne infectious disease. Broadband antibiotics like doxycycline, oxytetracycline can also help deal with systemic infections.

Potassium-iodide tablets

are also important in a situation where radiation is an issue, they help to prevent the human body from absorbing radiation through the thyroid gland.

First aid and medical manuals

in your safe location can also help guide you through diagnosing and treating more complex medical issues.

Electricity and Lighting

Any time the power grid fails, the convenience and safety of modern life is threatened. In some of these scenarios you could be without power for an extended amount of time. There are essentially several options to consider, both related to personal needs as well as your safe location.

Keeping a simple flashlight

with fresh batteries in your bugout bag is certainly a good idea. You should also stock an ample supply of batteries in your safe location. If possible, try to stock rechargeable batteries with multiple charger units.

A 1000 Watt power inverter

can be connected to a DC source of power like a car battery to run small appliances or to transfer power to something like a rechargeable battery. This can also be handy for storing power collected from a basic solar cell array.

A generator

helps provide you with long-term power and light sources. Yet it will require you to store a significant amount of fuel. If possible try to source a tri-fuel generator which can run on gas, propane, or natural gas.

Candles and oil lamps

might seem old-fashioned but they were the most common and effective form of lighting used by humans for over a thousand years. They are often a simple and inexpensive way to light an area during a power outage and can also provide a little extra heat.

A Fire extinguisher

is also nice to have on hand. Primitive and improvised fire sources have a knack for causing fire safety issues. The last thing you need is a simple fire from a knocked over candle destroying your structure or potentially requiring a large amount of precious water to put out.

Security and Self Defense

In a time where resources are distressed for the entire population, what one person has can easily tempt another person to want to take. Being able to defend your person and your family is critical for long-term survival in a desperate situation.

A good knife

can help with self-defense in a hand-to-hand situation, it also helps serve a purpose in cleaning or breaking down the animals you hunt, or simply serving as a daily tool. One old saying is “Never go into the forest with less than a knife.”

A collapsible baton

can also be a very effective and easy to carry weapon for self-defense. They are easy to find on the internet and are designed to be lightweight.

A handgun

such as.9mm, .40, and .45 caliber pistol can serve as a deterrent as well as an effective weapon against unwanted persons who mean to harm to you or your family.

A shotgun

is relatively inexpensive and in certain applications they can wound a large number of individuals with little need for aiming. It also doubles as an effective weapon for hunting small game.

High powered rifles

tend to be less effective for short range protection. They are better for long distance shots, such as danger on the horizon or for hunting big game that might be indigenous to your region.

Ammunition

for all these weapons is also essential. Acquiring more once a disaster strikes can be dangerous if not impossible. If possible, try to stock up on more than you think you could possibly need.

Financial Security

The minute the power grid goes down your debit card turns into an ineffective tool for scraping paint! In some situations, cash itself might not be honored or might be so inflated as to be nearly worthless.

Precious Metals Such as Gold, Silver

In a situation like tangible assets and currency like precious metals has historically trumped everything save the barter system. Keeping a modest to significant amount of physical gold, silver, or platinum in your safe location can provide you with financial solvency.

Gold Bars, Coins & Jewelry

It’s a good idea to diversify the amounts as well as the locations they are stored. Small coins and jewelry can be easy to carry on your person and may even be discreetly hidden in transport. Larger amounts like fraction size bars should be stored in one or preferably multiple secured and hidden safes for making potential large purchases.

You may want to also consider looking into locations where you can make a secure “Dead Drop.” This is a location where something valuable can be left for bartering or sale, that doesn’t necessarily require face to face interaction. When a large transaction is completed the information, such as the code to a strong box can be transmitted to the other party.

Communication Methods

Communication is not only important for understanding what’s going on in the world at large, but also for communicating with neighbors and potential trade partners. If you need to move to a new location, monitoring others and emergency broadcasts can also provide you with key insights.

HAM Radio is capable of sending and receiving long-range messages. This can give you better insights into what is going on farther afield as well as contacting those who are nearby. Of course, this will also require an antenna.

A hand crank radio can allow you to monitor basic FM and AM radio transmissions without needing to immediately connect to a source of electricity. . This can help for receiving emergency information in a doomsday situation, or simply to monitor the weather forecast in the result of a long-term power outage resulting from a natural disaster.

Creature Comforts

Blankets, Canes, Childrens Toys

If you are going to be traveling with your family and they have special needs or considerations, you might want to take them into account. A small child without their favorite stuffed animal or blanket might be inconsolable. An aging parent without their cane or walking shoes can significantly hamper group movements.

Books, Games, Entertainment

Stocking your location with simple food items that you know certain family members enjoy can further help to bolster morale in desperate times. Books and games can also keep people entertained, distracted from their anxieties, or simply placated. Sometimes something as simple as a family game night during a natural disaster can help people bond and take their mind off their worries.

Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

While it might seem unnecessary now, preparing for a possible future time of distress can go a long way toward easing future fears. Keeping valuables secure yet available, and making sure to prepare for basic needs in the short as well as long-term will go a long way toward helping you thrive in a variety of distressing scenarios.