War Preparation Checklist

Identify an out-of-area contact person (family member or trusted friend outside the conflict zone) that all household members can reach. Write down a family meeting point in case members are separated, and ensure everyone memorizes both pieces of information. Include phone numbers, email, and other contact methods on a card each person carries. Practice activating the plan monthly so everyone responds automatically under stress.

Mobile networks will be unavailable or overwhelmed during conflict—do not rely on them as your only backup.

Create copies of all critical documents: passports, birth certificates, property deeds, insurance policies, medical records, and financial account information. Store originals in a fireproof safe and keep encrypted digital copies on USB drives and cloud storage in multiple geographic locations. Each family member should carry photocopies of ID and key documents in their evacuation bag. Include a list of bank account numbers, utility contacts, and healthcare providers.

Without documented proof of identity and ownership, you cannot access medical care, rebuild after displacement, or prove legal rights.

Store at least 1 gallon of drinking water per person per day for 14 days in food-grade containers; rotate the supply annually. Stock shelf-stable, calorie-dense foods: rice, beans, canned proteins, peanut butter, oats, dried fruit, and hard candy for quick energy. Keep a manual can opener, salt, cooking oil, and multivitamins. Rotate food stocks every 6 months and store in cool, dry locations away from pests.

Water supply and food distribution systems fail early in conflict; dehydration and malnutrition accelerate physical and mental decline.

Maintain multiple months of cash in small bills stored in separate locations (home safe, evacuation bag, with a trusted out-of-area contact) because ATMs, banks, and card systems fail during conflict. Ensure anyone on medications has a 90-day supply in original labeled bottles plus written prescriptions. Stock first-aid supplies, antibiotics, pain relievers, antidiarrheal medication, and any specialty items your household needs.

Electronic money becomes worthless when infrastructure fails; running out of critical medications can be life-threatening or cause acute withdrawal.

Assemble a pre-packed bag for each household member containing: document copies, cash, water bottle, high-calorie snacks, medications, phone charger with power bank, flashlight, first-aid kit, sturdy shoes, warm clothing layers, and a whistle. Store bags in one accessible, known location and refresh contents every 3 months. Include a laminated card in each bag with family meeting places, out-of-area contact numbers, and route directions.

You may have only minutes to leave your home; unpacked items will be forgotten or left behind in the rush to evacuate.

Identify your home's safest room—an interior space with no windows, away from exterior walls where you can shelter quickly if strikes approach. Keep your vehicle's fuel tank at three-quarters full or higher at all times; store additional fuel safely if local regulations permit. Memorize multiple evacuation routes out of your neighborhood and practice driving them monthly. Build relationships with trusted neighbors to identify who has medical, technical, mechanical, or security skills to share during crisis.

Fuel shortages trap families in danger zones; incomplete evacuation routes cause dangerous delays or dead ends under stress.