Table 1 Checklist for packing for volunteering during a humanitarian crisis
From: Volunteerism during humanitarian crises: a practical guide
Category | Item |
|---|---|
Documents | Driver’s license |
| Â | Medical license |
| Â | Health insurance |
| Â | Medical travel insurance |
| Â | Passport including vaccination status documentation (COVID, yellow fever, etc.) |
| Â | VISA (if needed) |
| Â | Itinerary and local contact(s) |
| Â | Emergency contact(s) list |
| Â | Plane or boat tickets |
Equipment | Backpack |
| Â | Money belt (or similar) |
| Â | Headlamp |
| Â | Tourniquet |
| Â | Vehicle window breaker/seat belt cutter |
| Â | Smartphone (new) |
| Â | Solar charging or hand-crank device |
|  | Rainsuit ± insulation (depending on locale) |
| Â | Thermal blanket (depending on locale) |
| Â | Water purification device |
| Â | Hat, gloves, sunglasses, goggles (depending on locale) |
| Â | Pants with multiple pockets (some should zip closed) |
| Â | Vest with multiple pockets (some should zip closed) |
| Â | Boots (waterproof, non-crushable toe, puncture resistant, nonskid sole) |
|  | Personal medications (3X’s the amount required for length of deployment) |
| Â | Device to secure door locking mechanism (if staying in a hotel) |
| Â | Local map with 2 routes of egress clearly marked |
| Â | Emergency locator beacon labelled using the local language |
| Â | Satellite phone or sat phone cradle for a smartphone |
|  | Small denomination local currency including a “give-away” roll |
| Â | RFID wallet or sleeve for chip-based credit card or license |
| Â | Internet access device |
| Â | Prepackaged food (i.e., protein bars, etc.) |
| Â | Inexpensive watch |
| Â | Plain jewelry (if any) |