Family &
Medical Needs
A standard kit list assumes fit adults. Real households have babies, grandparents, medicines and equipment that needs power. Build your plan around the people who need the most.
In a medical emergency call Triple Zero (000). For health advice any time, call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
Small People, Specific Needs
Kids cope best when they know the plan and have something familiar.
Under Two
- Nappies, wipes and rash cream for a week
- Formula, bottles and safe water to make it, if you use them
- Ready-to-eat baby food and a spoon
- A carrier or sling in case the pram can't go
School Age
- A contact card in the school bag with two phone numbers
- A comfort item, a book and a small game
- Their own torch and water bottle
- Snacks they will actually eat
Practise It
- Walk through the plan together, calmly
- Show kids where the kit and meeting place are
- Teach them their address and how to call 000
Parents, Grandparents, Neighbours
Heat, cold and disrupted routines hit older people hardest.
In the Kit
- Spare glasses and hearing aid batteries
- Walking aid, plus a plan if lifts and ramps are out
- Warm layers, and a way to keep cool
- Easy-to-open food and a manual can opener
In the Plan
- Who checks on them, and who is the backup
- How they get out if they don't drive
- A spare key with someone nearby
- Leave early. Moving takes longer
Don't Run Out, Don't Lose Power
Pharmacies close and roads get cut. Hold a buffer.
Rely on powered medical equipment?
Tell your electricity company. Life support customers are registered so they get notice of planned outages, but power can still fail without warning. You need your own backup plan.
Medicines
- Aim to keep at least two weeks ahead on regular medicines
- A written list of every medicine, dose and prescriber
- Ask your pharmacist how to store them if the fridge is off
- A small esky and ice bricks for medicines that must stay cool
Equipment
- Know how long each device runs on its battery
- A charged backup battery or power station sized for it
- Ask your supplier what to do in an outage
- Decide where you would go if the power stays off
Paperwork
- Medicare and health fund cards, or photos of them
- Allergies and conditions written down for each person
- GP, specialist and pharmacy phone numbers
- Copies in the go-bag and on your phone
Plan With Your Support Network
The person who knows what they need best is the person themselves.
Build a Network
- At least two people nearby who know the plan
- Talk to support workers and providers about emergencies
- Decide how you will get warnings in a form that works for you
Getting Out
- Transport that fits a wheelchair or other equipment
- Somewhere accessible to go
- Food, water and papers for an assistance animal
Build a Kit That Fits Your Family
Start with the numbers for your household, then fill the gaps.
More From the Survival Hub
This guide provides general preparedness information only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or equipment supplier about your own situation. In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).