Make checklists of equipment and supplies you'll need to respond to an emergency.

When you think about what equipment and supplies you'll need, you'll probably find that there are many things you can pack away in a jump kit that can sit in a closet until you need it, while other things are hard to pre-pack. Personal medication, for example, or things you use regularly like your radio equipment or certain articles of clothing. Or things that may leak or require rotation like batteries or some foods.

So what I've tried to do is determine in advance both what I'll take and how I'll carry it. I've pre-packed some things, and I've made checklists of other things I have to gather or take care of. That way, when I'm activated, I'm less likely to forget something, and I'm less likely to stress out worrying if I've forgotten anything.

Pre-pack written material you may need in the field (Added 1997)

Maintain a collection of the written and printed information you may need when called out to respond to an emergency, and keep it in something like a small plastic file case that you can grab and go. This collection can include:

• Manuals, guides, and procedures from the agencies and groups you serve.
• Instructional materials, notes from workshops and classes (how to observe and report weather conditions, how to format ARRL messages, etc.).
• Maps and charts.
• Phone numbers (including numbers and addresses of nearby relatives in case your family members have to evacuate your home).
• Frequency lists.
• Informative pamphlets and brochures about different kinds of emergencies.
• Instruction manuals for your radios, and lists of the frequencies programmed into the channel memories.
• Extra paper and Radiogram forms.

Things I've learned to keep in my vehicle: (Added 2005)

A hands-free flashlight -- I used to keep one with my camping supplies at home. But you never know when you might have to work inside a building during a power failure. I now have a headband-mounted flashlight that I can wear on my head, or over a hard hat. It has three selectable lights -- a halogen flashlight bulb for brightness; a white LED (which is actually bright enough to read by) for long battery life; and red LEDs, which is less obtrusive than white, and doesn't desensitize night vision. One of those tiny LED squeeze lights with a lock-on feature hanging on your keychain can really come in handy as well.

Lots of disposable vinyl gloves and filter masks -- I used to keep three or four pairs of gloves in the car, but now I keep at least a dozen. A major disaster, or even a serious car accident, could have you caring for multiple casualties. A flood could expose you to real, but manageable, hazards like contaminated water.

Reusable ear plugs -- I used to keep a pair of disposable ear plugs in the car. But during a long-duration event, not only might you find yourself repeatedly exposed to noisy environments, but you also might end up sharing sleeping quarters with people who snore.

A soft full-brimmed rain hat -- Protects you from both sun and rain, keeps your head warm when it's cold, and if you wet it down it'll cool you off when it's hot.

Sunscreen lotion and insect repellant -- The sunscreen was common sense, but I had to learn about having the insect repellant the hard way.

Leave a note to remind yourself to get gasoline and cash.

I have a clipboard that I have set aside to take with me if I'm called out, and I leave a note on it to remind me to stop off at the gas station and the automatic teller machine, and to record my odometer reading so I can claim for milage reimbursement from the agency I serve.

Carry some clean, crisp one dollar bills.

As Hurricane Iniki approached the islands in 1992, businesses like stores and restaurants closed. Electrical service, however, remained available where I was, and having some dollar bills let me use vending machines.

Rev. Apr. 29, 2007