Get Your Facility Emergency-Ready: Medical Supply Checklist

Emergencies don’t always come with much warning. A medical incident, severe weather event, power outage, or other unexpected situation can quickly put your facility’s preparedness to the test.

September is National Preparedness Month, making it a good time for healthcare facilities, schools, workplaces, senior care communities, and other organizations to review their emergency plans and supplies.

But preparedness shouldn’t stop when September ends.

A simple inventory check throughout the year can help make sure essential medical supplies are available, accessible, and ready when they’re needed.

What Medical Supplies Should You Have for an Emergency?

Every facility has different needs, but these are some of the key areas worth reviewing.

1. First Aid and Wound Care Supplies

Start with the items most likely to be used during everyday injuries.

Check your supply of:

• Adhesive bandages
• Sterile gauze and dressings
• Medical tape
• Antiseptic wipes and wound cleansers
• Disposable gloves
• Instant cold packs
• First aid kits

Look beyond whether you simply have these products. Check quantities, packaging condition, and expiration dates where applicable.

2. Your AED and AED Accessories

If your facility has an automated external defibrillator (AED), make sure it is easy to locate and ready for use.

Include these checks in your routine:

• Confirm the AED is in its designated location
• Check the device status indicator
• Review electrode pad expiration dates
• Check battery replacement dates
• Make sure the cabinet and signage are clearly visible
• Confirm accompanying CPR or responder supplies are available

An AED readiness check only takes a few minutes and can identify items that need attention before an emergency.

3. Bleeding Control Supplies

Severe bleeding requires a fast response, so consider whether your facility has appropriate bleeding control supplies in an accessible location.

Depending on your setting, this may include:

• Tourniquets
• Trauma dressings
• Compressed or hemostatic gauze
• Disposable gloves
• Bleed control kits

Staff should also know where emergency equipment is kept and follow applicable training and response procedures.

4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE is useful for more than routine clinical care. It can also help provide barrier protection during an emergency response.

Review commonly used items such as:

• Medical gloves
• Face masks
• Protective gowns
• Face shields or protective eyewear

Pay particular attention to products your organization uses frequently so normal everyday use doesn’t leave emergency supplies depleted.

5. Cleaning and Infection Control Supplies

Emergencies can create additional cleanup and infection-control needs.

Keep appropriate quantities of products such as:

• Surface disinfectants
• Disinfecting wipes
• Hand sanitizers
• Disposable gloves
• Waste disposal supplies

Store products according to manufacturer instructions and make sure staff know where they are located.

There isn’t one emergency supply list that works for every organization.

A school health office may prioritize first aid supplies, cold packs, and emergency medications managed according to school protocols.

A workplace or warehouse may need first aid stations, bleed control supplies, and accessible AED equipment.

A healthcare or senior care facility may require a broader range of PPE, wound care, diagnostic, mobility, and patient-care supplies.

Start with the emergencies most relevant to your environment, then build your supply plan around them.

Make Regular Inventory Checks Part of the Plan

Emergency preparedness is not just about buying supplies once.

Set a regular schedule to:

• Check inventory levels
• Replace expired products
• Inspect packaging for damage
• Review AED pads and batteries
• Replenish frequently used items
• Confirm emergency supplies remain easy to access

For supplies your facility uses regularly, recurring ordering can make replenishment more predictable and reduce the need to manage every reorder manually. With our Subscribe & Save Program, you can save 10% on eligible recurring orders while creating a more streamlined, consistent procurement process for frequently used supplies.

A Few Minutes of Preparation Can Make a Difference

You can’t predict every emergency, but you can make sure your organization has the basics ready.

Use National Preparedness Month as a reminder to walk through your facility, review your medical supplies, identify gaps, and create a regular process for keeping essential products on hand.

Need to replenish your emergency supplies?

American Hospital Supply offers first aid, wound care, PPE, AEDs, bleed control, CPR, infection control, and other medical supplies for healthcare facilities, businesses, schools, and organizations.