Home Medicine Cabinet Checklist for Crisis Preparedness

Your Crisis Medicine Cabinet: The Complete Checklist

This checklist builds a home medicine cabinet that covers the 14–28 day preparedness window. Work through it section by section. Check items off as you acquire them.

Section 1: Medications

Pain and Fever

• Ibuprofen 400 mg — 100 tablets
  • Expiration: _______
• Paracetamol 500 mg — 100 tablets
  • Expiration: _______
• Aspirin 500 mg — 50 tablets
  • Expiration: _______

Gastrointestinal

• Loperamide (Imodium) — 20 tablets (anti-diarrheal)
• Antacid tablets (omeprazole or similar) — 30 tablets
• Activated charcoal tablets — 20 tablets (poisoning/food poisoning)
• Oral rehydration salts — 20 sachets (dehydration from diarrhea/vomiting)
• Laxative (bisacodyl) — 20 tablets (opioid-induced or stress constipation)

Allergy and Respiratory

• Antihistamine (cetirizin 10 mg or loratadin 10 mg) — 30 tablets
• Nasal spray (saline, not medicated) — 2 bottles
• Throat spray or lozenges — 2 packs
• Cough syrup — 1 expectorant, 1 suppressant

Topical Treatments

• Antiseptic solution (povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine) — 500 ml
• Antibiotic ointment (bacitracin or neosporin) — 1 tube
• Antifungal cream (clotrimazole 1%) — 1 tube
• Hydrocortisone cream 1% — 1 tube (itching, minor rashes)
• Burn gel (aloe vera or water-based cooling gel) — 1 tube

Eye and Ear

• Sterile saline eye wash — 2 bottles
• Antibiotic eye drops — 1 bottle (check with pharmacist)
• Ear drops — 1 bottle

Prescription Medications

• [Medication 1]: _____________ Quantity: _______ Expiration: _______
• [Medication 2]: _____________ Quantity: _______ Expiration: _______
• [Medication 3]: _____________ Quantity: _______ Expiration: _______

Prescription target: 60-day supply minimum (request 90-day prescriptions where possible).

Section 2: Wound Care Supplies

Sterile Dressings

• Sterile gauze pads 5×5 cm — 50 pieces
• Sterile gauze pads 10×10 cm — 30 pieces
• Non-adherent dressings (Telfa or similar) — 20 pieces
• Abdominal (ABD) pads — 10 pieces (large wounds)
• Sterile wound pad — 10 pieces

Bandaging

• Adhesive bandages (assorted: small, medium, large, knuckle) — 100 pieces
• Elastic bandages 6 cm — 5 rolls
• Elastic bandages 8 cm — 5 rolls
• Medical tape (paper tape) — 3 rolls
• Waterproof medical tape — 2 rolls
• Triangular bandages — 4
• Wound closure strips (Steri-Strips) — 20 packs

Hemorrhage Control

• CAT Tourniquet — 1 (or comparable model)
  • Condition: _______ Last checked: _______
• Hemostatic gauze (QuikClot or equivalent) — 2 packs
• Israeli pressure bandage — 2

Tools

• Nitrile exam gloves — 2 boxes (50 per box)
• Medical scissors (trauma shears) — 1 pair
• Tweezers (fine-tip and flat) — 1 set
• SAM splint (malleable aluminum) — 2 large
• Tongue depressors — 20
• Safety pins — 12

Section 3: Medical Equipment

Diagnostics

• Digital thermometer — 1 (with batteries)
  • Last tested: _______ Working: Y/N
• Pulse oximeter — 1
  • Batteries: _______ Last tested: _______
• Blood pressure cuff (manual or digital) — 1
  • Calibration date: _______

Optical

• Penlight / small flashlight — 1 (for pupil checks)
• Magnifying glass — 1 (for splinter removal)

Other

• Emergency blanket (mylar, space blanket) — 3
• Hot water bottle — 1
• Ice pack (reusable gel type) — 2

Section 4: Reference Materials

• First aid manual (printed, not only on phone) — 1
  • Recommend: Red Cross First Aid handbook
• Medication interaction guide (or pharmacist-prepared list for household)
• Allergy information for all household members (written)
• Emergency contact list with:
  • Family doctor: _______________
  • Nearest emergency room: _______________
  • Poison control: _______________
  • Pharmacy: _______________

Section 5: Special Needs (Customize)

• Epinephrine auto-injectors (if anyone in household has severe allergy): 2 units
  • Expiration: _______ Location known to all: Y/N
• Blood glucose meter and strips (if diabetic in household)
• Prescription inhalers with 2-month supply (if asthmatic)
• Specialized pediatric medications if children under 6 in household

Storage and Maintenance

Storage Requirements

• Cool, dry location (under 25°C, avoid bathroom — humidity degrades medications)
• Out of reach of children but accessible to all adults
• Waterproof container or bin
• Contents list posted on lid or inside door

Quarterly Check

• Inventory against this checklist
• Remove expired items (dispose of at pharmacy)
• Replace used or expired items
• Test equipment (thermometer, pulse oximeter, blood pressure cuff)

Annual Review

• Review prescription supplies with physician
• Update for household changes (new children, new medications)
• Review and update reference materials

---

A complete medicine cabinet takes 3–6 months to build properly, including prescription refills and sourcing specialty items. Start with Section 1 (medications) and Section 2 (wound care) — these are immediately available without prescriptions.