Sanitation & Hygiene During Disruption
Staying clean protects your health and your dignity when normal washrooms and laundry aren't available. A few simple supplies go a long way.
Different living situations
No house, car, garage or credit card assumed.
House or apartment
You likely have the most storage. Keep supplies near an exit, not in a locked shed or a deep basement you may not be able to reach.
Single rented room
Think in one tote and one backpack. Under the bed and the back of a closet are your storage. Flat, stackable items beat bulky ones.
Shelter or supportive housing
Ask staff about the building's emergency plan, exits and medication storage. Keep a small personal pouch with ID copies, meds and phone charger on you.
Vehicle
Keep weight low and spread out. Water, warm layers, a light and a phone charger matter most. Never cook or run a heater inside a closed vehicle.
Tent or sleeping outside
Dry beats big. Prioritise waterproofing, warmth off the ground, a light, water and a whistle. Keep the essentials in one bag you can grab and carry.
Workplace or school
A small desk or locker kit — water, a snack, a light, comfortable shoes, meds and a contact card — covers most of what you'd need to get home.
Moving between places
Carry your plan on paper and in your phone. Copies of ID, a contact card and your medication list travel with you; bulk supplies stay with someone you trust.
Accessibility, health and medication
- Mobility: keep supplies at waist height and in a bag you can pull or carry. Store a spare cane, walker part or wheelchair repair kit if you rely on one.
- Vision: label items with large print or texture tape and keep a torch and spare glasses in a fixed, known spot.
- Hearing: turn on text-based emergency alerts, keep a written note card of key needs, and ask someone to text you rather than call.
- Cognitive: use a short one-page plan with pictures or few words. Practise the first three steps only.
- Medication: keep a written list of names, doses and prescriber. Ask your pharmacy about an emergency supply.
- Refrigerated medication: keep a small cooler and ice packs ready, know how long your medication stays usable warm, and ask your pharmacist to confirm.
- Powered equipment (oxygen, CPAP, lifts): register with BC Hydro's medical program, keep a charged backup battery, and know the nearest place with power.
- Service animals: pack water, food, and a copy of vaccination records; a service animal is allowed with you in reception centres.
- Mental health: emergencies make everything louder. Slow down, use the grounding steps, and reach a crisis line at 988 or 1-888-494-3888.
- Substance use: never use alone during a disruption. Carry naloxone, and check it hasn't expired.
- Limited English or reading: use picture cards, keep translated key phrases, and ask an outreach worker to help write your plan.
🚫 Mistakes to avoid
- Do not wait for a perfect kit. A half kit today beats a perfect kit next year.
- Do not skip rent, food or medication to buy survival gear.
- Do not run a generator, barbecue, camp stove or charcoal indoors, in a tent, or in a vehicle — carbon monoxide is invisible and fatal.
- Do not store everything in one place you might not be able to reach.
- Do not rely only on your phone; batteries die and networks jam.
- Do not drive or walk into moving water, smoke, or past a barricade.
☎️ Numbers worth writing down
- Fire, police, ambulance: 911 — Life-threatening emergency, fire, or someone not breathing.
- HealthLink BC: 811 — Free 24/7 nurse advice when you're not sure it's a 911 situation.
- Poison control (BC): 1-800-567-8911 — Swallowed, breathed in, or spilled anything harmful.
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: 988 — Call or text, 24/7, anywhere in Canada.
- Vancouver Island Crisis Line: 1-888-494-3888 — 24/7 local mental-health and emotional support.
- BC Hydro outages: 1-888-769-3766 — Report an outage or a downed line (stay 10 m back).
- Emergency Info BC: EmergencyInfoBC.gov.bc.ca — Current evacuation alerts and orders.
Personal notes: ______________________________________________
Date last checked: ____________________
Key takeaways
- Hand hygiene prevents most illness during disruptions.
- Wipes, gloves, and garbage bags cover a lot of needs.
- Plan ahead for public washrooms and laundry.
Step-by-step
- Hand hygiene first. Keep soap, hand sanitizer, and wipes. Wash hands before eating and after using the toilet to prevent illness.
- Toilet and waste. Have toilet paper, garbage bags, and gloves. If toilets don't flush, line a bucket with a bag and tie it off.
- Menstrual and personal care. Keep a supply of menstrual products, wipes, and any personal items you need so you're never caught short.
- Laundry and washrooms. Know where public washrooms, showers, and laundry are, and plan visits. Keep a change of clean socks and underwear.
✅ Printable checklist
- Soap + hand sanitizer + wipes
- Toilet paper + garbage bags + gloves
- Menstrual products stocked
- Public washroom/shower plan
- Laundry plan + clean socks