Emergency plan for medication and medical equipment

If someone relies on medication, medicine that needs a fridge or equipment that needs power, a little planning ahead makes a disruption much less stressful.

Who this plan is for

Two adults. SupKit's planning assumptions for this household:

Who	Energy a day	Drinking water a day
Adult × 2	18,828 kJ (4,500 Cal)	6 L

Water and food for 2 adults

	3 days	7 days
Drinking water	18 L	42 L
Food energy	56,484 kJ (13,500 Cal)	131,796 kJ (31,500 Cal)

What a household where someone relies on medication or medical equipment should add

Backup plan for powered equipment Essential
A backup power source or plan for equipment that needs electricity.
Essential medication Essential
A supply of any medication your household relies on.
Plan for medication that needs a fridge Essential
Know how you'd keep it cool during a power cut.

What official guidance in Australia says

Queensland advises your cyclone kit holds at least seven days of medical supplies.²

Everything else every home needs

Food: food for everyone, manual tin opener
Water: drinking water
Hygiene: hand sanitiser, wet wipes, toilet roll and bathroom products, personal hygiene supplies
Power & warmth: torch, spare batteries, charged power bank, battery or wind-up radio, blankets or sleeping bags, camping stove, warm clothing
Health & safety: first aid kit
Plans & essentials: emergency contacts, meeting point, utility shut-offs, some cash, important documents, insurance details

See the full household checklist for what each one involves.

A sample shopping list for 3 days

One way to reach 56,484 kJ (13,500 Cal) with long-life food. SupKit estimate Swap in what your household likes.

Item	How many
Tinned chilli	7
Tinned soup	8
Baked beans	7
Microwave rice pouch 250g	4
Tinned tuna	6
Crackers	1
Peanut butter	1
Dried fruit and nuts	2
Cereal bars	1
Tinned fruit	4

Allergies, dietary needs and children

Plan around everyone at home: allergies, intolerances and diets come first, and familiar food matters most for children. Recipes vary between brands, so always read the label of the product you buy.

Food	Typical allergens	Typically suitable for
Tinned chilli	varies by recipe	check the label
Tinned soup	varies by recipe	vegetarian
Baked beans	none of the main allergens in its main ingredient	vegan
Microwave rice pouch 250g	none of the main allergens in its main ingredient	vegan
Tinned tuna	fish	check the label
Crackers	cereals containing gluten	vegan
Peanut butter	peanuts	vegan, gluten free
Dried fruit and nuts	tree nuts	vegan, gluten free
Cereal bars	varies by recipe	vegetarian
Tinned fruit	none of the main allergens in its main ingredient	vegan, gluten free

Typical allergens and diets are SupKit's guide to the main ingredient, not a product's label.

Labels must declare wheat, fish, crustacean, mollusc, egg, milk, lupin, peanut, soy, sesame, named tree nuts, gluten cereals (barley, oats, rye) and added sulphites.³
Allergens must be in bold in the ingredient list, plus a separate bold summary starting with 'Contains' near the ingredients.³
'May contain' statements are voluntary and not regulated by the Food Standards Code.³

Young children

Questions

How much water should a household where someone relies on medication or medical equipment store?

18 L for 3 days or 42 L for a week, for 2 adults, at 3 litres per person per day.

What extra does a household where someone relies on medication or medical equipment need?

Backup plan for powered equipment: A backup power source or plan for equipment that needs electricity. Essential medication: A supply of any medication your household relies on. Plan for medication that needs a fridge: Know how you'd keep it cool during a power cut.

Sources

We summarise official guidance in our own words. Always follow advice from your local authorities.