Supply Chain Disruptions

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• Identify critical goods and services your household or business depends on.
• Understand which products are most likely to face shortages or delays.

• Gradually stock up on non-perishable foods, bottled water, toiletries,  cleaning supplies, and other essentials to last at least 2–4 weeks. Don’t forget any special dietary or medical needs. 

• Get to know several local stores and online sources for your essentials. This way, if one place runs out, you have alternatives. 
• Support local food initiatives such as farmers markets to ensure they can remain active and available.
• Consider growing your own food, even in small spaces, to supplement your food supply.
• Learn to preserve food through canning, freezing, or dehydrating to extend shelf life.

Sign up for local news alerts or community groups to hear about potential shortages or disruptions early. 

Think about alternatives for your favorite or necessary products. For  example, know how to make simple homemade cleaning solutions or bread if  store-bought versions aren’t available. 

 Pick up simple repair skills-like sewing, patching, or fixing small appliances-to extend the life of your belongings. 

• Make sure everyone knows how you’ll stay in touch and where to meet if you’re separated during a disruption. 
• Check out the Zello App for communication during intermittent connectivity issues.

 Keep track of what you have and use items wisely. Consider rationing or prioritizing essentials for the most important needs. 

Be ready to adjust meal plans, routines, or purchases based on what’s  available. Try new brands or products if your usual ones aren’t in  stock. 

• Check in with family, friends, and neighbors. Share information about  what’s available locally and help each other out if possible. 
• Create neighborhood contact lists, social media groups, or messaging  apps to share alerts, updates, and resources quickly.
• Encourage neighbors to sign up for official emergency notifications. 

• Resource-sharing and bartering within communities can ease the burden of shortages during disruptions.
• Pooling skills and tools helps families stretch limited supplies and maintain daily routines. 

Substitute ingredients in recipes, use reusable products (like cloth napkins), or borrow items from neighbors if needed. 

Remember, disruptions are usually temporary. Avoid panic buying, which can make shortages worse for everyone. 

 Once things return to normal, rebuild your home reserves so you’re better prepared next time. 

• Talk with your family and friends about what was most challenging and what  strategies helped. 
• Update your home reserve list and plans based on what  you learned. 

 Stay in touch with neighbors and local groups-strong community ties make everyone more resilient in future disruptions. 

 Take note of any skills or items you wished you had, and make a plan to learn or acquire them.