Wartime emergency preparedness checklist

Vancouver and Lower Mainland, British Columbia

This is a practical household checklist for a situation involving armed conflict overseas, heightened threats to Canada, cyberattacks, infrastructure disruption, or a serious domestic security emergency.

The aim is to be able to shelter at home, communicate without cellular service, maintain water and food supplies, and evacuate if authorities instruct you to leave.

You do not need to assume that war will reach British Columbia to prepare for the disruptions that could accompany it.

1. Water and sanitation

  • Store at least 4 litres of drinking and basic-use water per person per day.

  • Build toward a 14-day supply.

  • Store water in sealed, food-grade containers.

  • Keep a bathtub water bladder for collecting water if municipal service remains available.

  • Keep clean buckets, jugs and large containers.

  • Have water purification tablets and a suitable water filter.

  • Keep unscented household bleach for appropriate emergency disinfection, following public-health instructions.

  • Store toilet paper, wet wipes and hand sanitizer.

  • Keep heavy-duty garbage bags.

  • Have a portable toilet or a planned emergency sanitation arrangement.

  • Know how to shut off your water supply.

Important: Fill drinking-water containers before filling a bathtub. Bathtub water is best treated as utility water unless collected in a clean, purpose-built bladder.

2. Food for 14 days

  • Canned meat, fish, beans and vegetables.

  • Canned fruit.

  • Rice, pasta and oats.

  • Peanut butter and nuts.

  • Protein bars and dried fruit.

  • Crackers and shelf-stable bread.

  • Powdered milk or shelf-stable milk.

  • Cooking oil, salt and basic seasonings.

  • Food requiring no cooking.

  • Manual can opener.

  • Disposable plates and cutlery.

  • Special dietary foods.

  • Pet food, if needed.

3. Electricity and independent power

  • Portable power station.

  • Solar panel compatible with the power station.

  • USB-C power banks.

  • Spare charging cables.

  • Battery-powered lanterns.

  • Flashlights and headlamps.

  • Spare batteries.

  • Battery-powered radio.

  • Car USB charging adapters.

  • Rechargeable batteries and charger.

  • Keep devices charged whenever power is available.

  • Know which household circuits and appliances consume the most power.

4. Communications if phones and internet stop working

  • Two compatible two-way radios.

  • Spare batteries or a charging dock.

  • Portable power bank for radio charging.

  • Printed list of important telephone numbers.

  • Paper maps of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

  • Battery-powered AM/FM radio.

  • Agree on family radio channels and check-in times.

  • Identify an out-of-area contact.

  • Download offline maps and essential documents.

  • Consider amateur radio training and certification for longer-distance communications.

  • Identify local amateur-radio emergency communications groups.

Your DEWALT/Cobra radio comparison is relevant here, but neither 2-watt set should be relied upon for 10–30 km communication across the Lower Mainland. A properly licensed amateur-radio setup with access to local repeaters is a separate option.

5. Medical and personal supplies

  • First-aid kit with bandages, gauze, antiseptic and medical tape.

  • Prescription medications and copies of prescriptions.

  • Essential medications in their original packaging.

  • At least a short reserve of essential medication, arranged with your pharmacist or doctor.

  • Pain relievers and fever medication.

  • Thermometer.

  • Disposable gloves.

  • N95 or equivalent respirator masks.

  • Safety glasses.

  • Spare eyeglasses or contact lenses.

  • Personal hygiene products.

  • Extra clothing, socks and sturdy footwear.

  • Copies of relevant medical information.

  • Medical supplies for anyone in the household who depends on powered equipment.

6. Shelter-in-place supplies

If authorities tell you to remain indoors, you may need to stay there for an extended period.

  • Identify an interior room with few or no windows.

  • Keep blankets, water, food and a radio in or near that room.

  • Keep a flashlight and spare batteries there.

  • Keep a first-aid kit accessible.

  • Keep a battery-powered radio available for official instructions.

  • Keep doors and windows closed when instructed.

  • Know how to turn off ventilation systems that draw outside air into the home.

  • Keep duct tape and plastic sheeting available for specific shelter-in-place instructions.

  • Keep pets indoors and include their food and water.

  • Avoid going outside to investigate explosions, smoke or suspicious activity.

For a chemical, biological or radiological incident, follow the specific instructions issued by authorities. The correct protective action depends on the nature and location of the incident.

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7. Nuclear or radiological emergency preparation

This is a contingency section, not an indication that a nuclear attack is expected.

  • Know which room in your home is most suitable for shelter.

  • Prefer a basement or central interior room, away from windows and exterior walls.

  • Keep water, food, medications and a radio accessible.

  • Keep shoes, clothing and a flashlight nearby.

  • Keep a battery-powered radio for official instructions.

  • Know how to shut down outside-air ventilation.

  • Do not take potassium iodide (KI) unless public-health authorities specifically instruct you to.

  • Do not evacuate simply because of rumours or unverified social-media reports.

If a nuclear incident occurs:

  • Go inside the nearest substantial building.

  • Move to its basement or central area, away from windows.

  • Stay inside and listen for official instructions.

  • If instructed to shelter, close windows and doors and turn off systems that bring outside air indoors.

  • Remain sheltered for the period specified by authorities.

  • If you were outside and may have radioactive material on your clothing or skin, follow official decontamination instructions.

Canadian federal guidance emphasizes going inside, staying informed and following local instructions.

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8. Evacuation and grab-and-go bags

Prepare to leave quickly, even if your main plan is to stay home.

  • One backpack per person.

  • Three days of ready-to-eat food.

  • Drinking water.

  • Essential medications.

  • Identification and copies of important documents.

  • Cash in small bills.

  • Phone and charging bank.

  • Flashlight and spare batteries.

  • Battery-powered radio.

  • Change of clothes.

  • Warm jacket and rain gear.

  • Sturdy walking shoes.

  • N95 masks.

  • First-aid supplies.

  • Toiletries and personal hygiene supplies.

  • Paper map of the Lower Mainland.

  • Written emergency contact list.

  • Spare keys.

  • Pet carrier, food and supplies if applicable.

Also prepare:

  • A primary evacuation destination outside your immediate neighbourhood.

  • A second destination in case the first is inaccessible.

  • Two possible routes out of your area.

  • A meeting location if household members become separated.

  • A plan for someone without a vehicle.

BC recommends keeping grab-and-go bags accessible and following evacuation orders promptly.

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9. Cyberattack and financial disruption

A conflict could coincide with disruption to banking, communications, payment systems or online services.

  • Keep cash in small denominations.

  • Keep physical copies of essential documents.

  • Maintain an offline list of important telephone numbers.

  • Download important documents and maps for offline use.

  • Keep copies of insurance policies and property information.

  • Back up important computer files to an external drive.

  • Keep the external backup disconnected when not in use.

  • Use unique passwords and multifactor authentication.

  • Keep account recovery information somewhere secure.

  • Be suspicious of emergency messages asking for passwords, banking information or money.

  • Do not click links in unverified emergency texts or emails.

  • Have a way to access essential funds if card payments or online banking are unavailable.

10. Vehicle and transportation

  • Keep your vehicle fuel tank at least half full where practical.

  • Keep a vehicle emergency kit.

  • Maintain tires, battery and basic fluids.

  • Keep paper maps.

  • Have a portable phone charger.

  • Keep warm clothing and blankets in the vehicle.

  • Keep water and non-perishable snacks.

  • Know how to manually open your garage door.

  • Identify routes that do not depend on a single bridge or major highway.

  • Consider what you would do if fuel stations were closed or electronic payment systems unavailable.

Do not assume that driving away is always safer. Follow official evacuation instructions and avoid travelling through an affected area.

11. Household and neighbourhood security

  • Keep doors and windows in working order.

  • Have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

  • Keep fire extinguishers accessible.

  • Know where your electrical, water and gas shut-offs are.

  • Keep a whistle for attracting attention.

  • Keep a basic tool kit.

  • Know who your immediate neighbours are.

  • Establish a way to check on vulnerable neighbours.

  • Keep emergency supplies out of public view.

  • Do not spread unverified reports about attacks, threats or suspicious people.

12. Information and official alerts

  • Enable wireless emergency alerts on your phone.

  • Keep a battery-powered radio.

  • Identify local government emergency information sources.

  • Monitor EmergencyInfoBC.

  • Monitor official federal and provincial announcements.

  • Keep a written record of important instructions.

  • Verify alarming reports through more than one reliable source.

  • Do not rely on social media as your only source of information.

Useful official sources:

13. Priority purchasing checklist

If I were assembling a household wartime emergency supply, I'd work through this list in order.

First priority

Basic survival

  • 14-day water supply

  • 14-day food supply

  • First-aid and medication supplies

  • Flashlights and batteries

  • Battery-powered radio

  • Sanitation supplies

  • Fire extinguisher and smoke/CO alarms

Second priority

Independent operation

  • Portable power station

  • Solar charging panel

  • Power banks

  • Two-way radios

  • Water filter and purification supplies

  • Outdoor cooking equipment

  • Fuel stored safely

Third priority

Extended emergency

  • Grab-and-go bags

  • N95 respirators

  • Additional water storage

  • Emergency toilet arrangements

  • Warm sleeping bags

  • Paper maps

  • Cash reserve

  • Offline document backups

One distinction worth keeping in mind: wartime preparedness is not just stocking up for a power outage. It means having two separate plans: one for remaining safely at home, and another for leaving quickly if the situation changes.

For a household in the Lower Mainland, I would prepare for loss of electricity, water, mobile networks, internet, banking services, fuel availability and transportation access before spending money on specialized equipment. Those preparations are useful across several types of emergencies, not just war.