Emergency Items That Will Disappear First

If you wait too long, everything you can conveniently buy now will be gone when a major catastrophe happens. When determining which things will vanish first, we look historically at other major events to see what disappeared at the beginning of a panic buying rush.

Below, you’ll find emergency items that will disappear first after a disaster. These are based on the items we saw disappear first during Hurricane Katrina, the Greek financial meltdown, the collapse of the USSR, and other disasters. WaterBricks and Water Preserver

Related: Emergency Preparations

Emergency Items That Will Disappear First

Many of these items you should already have if you have been prepping for any disaster. However, if you haven’t been prepping, these are the things you need to grab now so you don’t have to be the FIRST ONE at the store when a disaster hits. Items are categorized by food, supplies, medicine & health, household, and outdoor items. 

Food

Food should be your top priority, and you should stock up on it before an unforeseen disaster. Here are some of the things that will disappear first during the panic:

Related: Survival Food and Emergency Food Storage

• Bottled water: The first thing to disappear. Read How to Store Water for Drinking and Cooking. Also water containers and ice chests.
• Canned Goods: These are good barter items people place into carts without caring what they are. Things families use to make quick meals, like peanut butter and jam, are also important to have.
• Rice, beans, wheat, flour, and yeast. These are the basic ingredients that will be traded in mass and hoarded. 
• Milk: condensed, instant, and powdered milk will vanish from the store shelves.
• Cooking oils: Vegetable oil will be crucial for cooking and can be used to make lamps if needed.
• Livestock: Livestock will become a hot commodity. They will be sold, hoarded, slaughtered, and hidden quickly.
• Wild game: Local game will be shot and depleted in your area quickly. 
• Salt: This is a vital nutrient and is used to preserve meat. It was often used as payment or barter in earlier days.
• Seeds: Most people will know they are going to need garden seeds to grow and harvest food. This is where I buy my seeds: SeedsNow
• Jerky: Jerky and long-lasting meats will go quickly as they can be stored.

Food Supplies

Items that are needed to cook or store food will also go quickly. Here are some emergency items that will disappear first:

• Charcoal: People without access to firewood will see this as the only way to cook their food. Propane cylinders will become scarce along with the propane to fill them.
• Water filters/purifiers: It will only take a few days, and these will disappear. 
• Cast iron pots and pans: These last forever and can be used over an open fire. You will need them. 
• Canning Supplies: Jars, lids, pressure cookers, pectin, and other supplies will go fast since most stores don’t carry much of these anyway. 
• Gardening Supplies: Seeds, books, tools, and fertilizers will go fast. 

Medicine and Health Emergency Items

When disaster strikes, it’s only a matter of time before hospitals and care facilities shut down. This means you will be on your own when it comes to medical and health-related items. Here are some of the things that will disappear:

• Hygiene supplies: Things such as shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine hygiene pads and other products, mouthwash, dental floss, antibacterial soap, and deodorant will be gone. 
• Toilet Paper: This is literally for when things go down. 
• OTC Medications: Everyone will be stocking up on pain relief meds like aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, cold and flu medicine, and cough syrup. Expect them to be gone quickly. Read 35 OTC Medications You Should Store.
• Vitamins and Herbal Supplements: For some people, daily vitamins could mean the difference between surviving and experiencing severe health problems.
• First Aid Kits: People will want to be prepared since hospitals and medical facilities may shut down. Make sure your kit is up to date with things like bandages, ointments, gauze,  
• Liquor: It is a great bartering tool, but it can also be used medicinally and to make herbal medicines. 
• Baby Supplies: Formula, diapers, cloth diapers, baby wipes, and other items will fly off the shelves.

Related: What You Need in Your Hygiene Kit

Household Items

Lots of household items will vanish within a few days of panic. Here are household items that will disappear first when a disaster hits:

• Candles: Candles provide light and heat, so they burn quickly. Unscented and long-burning candles are preferred. You’ll need matches to light those candles.
• Bleach: Bleach is a household cleaner used to purify drinking water. You will want 4-6% sodium hypochlorite bleach. 
• Knives and Sharpening Tools: Knives are versatile and crucial for survival. Other utensils for cooking and eating like paper plates, napkins, plastic knives, forks, and spoons are essential.
• Backpacks: Fantastic for hauling, running supplies, and bugging out. 
• Garbage bags: These are good for garbage and can even be used for shelter if you are in dire need. I like the heavy-duty versions since they can carry more and don’t rip as easily.
• Sleeping bags: You could be without heat. This means you will need items to keep you warm. 
• Buckets and Containers: These can be used for everything, including making a portable toilet. 
• Glue, duct tape, nails, nuts, bolts, screws: Various uses
• Weapons of all kinds: People get out of control. You want ways to protect yourself. 
• Washboards, plungers, mop buckets: Mop buckets with a wringer work well for laundry. 

Outdoor Emergency Items to Stockpile

Since most places will be closed down after a disaster, people will spend much more time outdoors; here are the outdoor emergency items that will disappear first:

• Guns: Hunting will become a way of life, and that means people will need guns. 
• Flashlights: Electricity will most likely be gone, so anything that offers light, such as flashlights, glowsticks, or lanterns, will be quickly gone. This includes batteries. I like my solar flashlights!
• Outdoor tools: Other items such as bows, saws, axes, hatchets, wedges, machetes, hunting knives, and sharpening stones will fly off the shelves. 
• Fishing Supplies: Everyone can fish. This means fishing poles and supplies will quickly vanish. 
• Animal traps: Trapping animals is a way to get food when you have none. Think rat stew…
• Shelter Supplies: Things such as tarps, plastic rolls, stakes, duct tape, twine, nails, rope, hammers, and spikes will be grabbed early for a makeshift shelter. 
• Gasoline Containers: When emergencies hit, people want to bug out. This means they will need lots of gas. Please keep your gas tanks 3/4 full.
• Lumber and Wood: Building supplies will go fast. 
• Outdoor attire: Coats, work boots, gloves, jeans, scarves, thick socks, rain gear, and heavy clothes will be necessary during the colder months. Look for wool or polyester. Have extra sets of underwear, including long johns.
• Wagons and Carts: These are a great way to transport things from one area to the next. 

Other Items that Will Disappear Fast and Create Shortages

These are items that will go out fast as well but may not be a necessity: 

• Prescription medications. Do you know how you will continue your medications without a pharmacy?
• Duct Tape and Electrical Tape: It can fix just about anything.
• Bicycles: Bikes will become extremely valuable as they will be the most efficient method of transportation.
• Hand pumps & siphons:  For gas, water, oil.
• Cigarettes: These could be a good bartering item, but salt is probably a better one. Don’t forget lighter fluid.
• Generators: The options include solar, gas, diesel, propane, and kerosene. 
• Firewood: Seasoned Firewood seasoned for 6 – 12 months.
• Lighters, matches, flint, and steel fire starters: You should get three times more than you think you will need. 
• Batteries: You will need these for flashlights and other essential items. Buy all sizes and try to find a solar-powered rechargeable option. Solar is even better.
• Solar Power: A basic (and portable) system can power necessities for a few hundred dollars.

Related: Pandemic Supplies You Will Need For Survival

Critters We Don’t Want

Thanks to my friend Teddy,
These may not seem like emergency supplies, but insecticide and snap rat traps. The last thing one needs is wasps, bee stings, or spider bites. Also, as we see, when restaurants shut down, rats and mice may lose their ‘dining rooms,’ so they travel. Don’t bother with glue traps, the old-style wood traps, or the smaller mouse traps. There are black snap rat traps by Harris and others that will eradicate rats. They could catch other creatures with the right bait.

Final Thoughts

Luck favors the prepared. If you don’t have any of these items stocked, start stocking them today because when disasters strike, there won’t be any left on the shelves. 

What items do you need to start grabbing at the store? Share in the comments below! Thanks for being prepared. May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: Water Shelving Depositphotos_599562488_S By ColleenMichaels, Grocery Stores With Egg Shelves Empty Depositphotos_364430272_S By Yongtick