Earthquakes, Twisters, and Terrorism

It seems like all of the sudden as of late, I’m seeing more and more news articles (or commentaries) on disasters. People everywhere have been talking about scenarios from short lived (a few hours) power outages to the destructive forces of nature. This has been noodling around in my head since the tremors we felt for days after that initial quake a short time back. It was really brought to the forefront of my thinking when the latest tornados wrecked havoc in the southwest heartland.

Last year in my area, we had storms that took the power out for days. Stores closed, schools closed, businesses closed, and generally people freaked out. It dawned on me then that most people don’t really have a plan, much less a pre-packed bag ready to grab and run if their house falls in around their ears. I’m surprised at how many people would cave in if they couldn’t run to WalMart on a moment's notice because they don’t have a flashlight, much less fresh batteries. Many people don’t keep enough food in their homes to last all the people in their families for a week of eating three squares a day at home because they eat out at restaurants so often and just blindly rely on that to always be an option.

Here’s the deal; If there’s ever a disaster, it’s going to take organized help about 72 hours to reach your area. That’s how much stuff you need at the very minimum (per person) to keep you going until help arrives.
You can survive without food (although uncomfortably), but you can’t go forever without water. Your best bet for lightweight food that doesn’t require can openers or heat are meal replacement energy bars. As for water, it’s heavy, but necessary. Start out with what you need for the first 24 hours and keep some of those handy iodine tabs and bottles with charcoal filters on hand. They suck, but it’s better than getting dehydrated.
Generally, count on the weather to work against you. Carry a clean/dry set of clothes in a big Ziploc bag with the air squished out. Make sure you have a poncho or some kind of rain gear at hand. Flashlights are a must, and the kind that you shake to recharge work pretty decently. Grab one of those lightweight waterproof silver thermal covers to keep handy. Don’t rely on your fancy schmancy GPS, grab a map and a compass and something to write with. Baby wipes come in handy for all sorts of issues, so toss them in with your first aid stuff which should include bandages, alcohol swabs, tweezers, and even though it sounds gross; a needle and thread.
You’re gonna need some type of tools for whatever obstacle might arise and I recommend a Leatherman type knife with all the bells and whistles (I bought one for my dad and my brother from www.leatherman.com and they use them just about every day for something or other). I use a much smaller cheapo knock off made by Winchester, myself.
In the tool category, I’m gonna throw a self preservation tool in there: Firearms and ammo.
If you and your family need to either be secure in your home or if your home is destroyed and you have to be out in the elements making your way to your safe destination plan, people who are worse off than you will take desperate measures to ensure their own survival.
My list of things to have ready is in no way an exhausted list, and maybe isn’t even close to yours. It’s just a baseline to think about and adjust according to your needs to get you to wherever you need to go.