Planning ahead is essential if you live in an area that might possibly either be devastated or isolated by natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, rock slides, landslides, mudslides, volcanic eruptions,  winter storms, etc.. In such an event you and your family might be running for your lives or might be trapped in your home, you should plan for both eventualities.

Listed below are the twenty essential categories of items everyone should have set aside and ready to either take or use in an emergency. The standard always used for emergency planning like this is a “three-day supply;” if that sounds unreasonable in your particular location or circumstance it would be wise to expand the basic list to meet your needs.

Water is the stuff of life:  without it, nothing can survive.  Approximately 60 percent of our bodies are water, making it the most abundant substance in our bodies. In infants, water makes up about 80 percent of their body, so it becomes crucial that infants have ready access to clean drinking water at all times. 

Nothing drives home the importance of water faster than a large-scale disaster, where fresh clean water becomes more valued and sought after than any precious metal.  After a large-scale disaster, it is common that water supplies may be cut off temporarily or may become undrinkable.  Here is information that everyone should know about finding safe drinking water in the midst of an emergency.

Most of us spend a good deal of our day making plans. We plan in which order we'll do our need-to-do things, to help keep order in our lives. We plan what we're going to say to friends, family members and co-workers, as well as how we will say it. We plan our meals, our routes and make daily schedules, but how many of us have planned for the possibility of an event that may find us separated from our homes or our loved ones or, conversely, an event that makes us and our families virtual prisoners in our homes.

If you haven't planned what to do if a disaster, natural or not, disrupts your life you are far from alone; you are, in fact, in the majority. No one enjoys even considering that a devastating event may hit them or their families and very few of us have planned what to do if it did. If the hurricane seasons of the past few years have taught us anything, they should have taught us that its time to stop procrastinating and start planning.

Do You Know Where to Go in Case of an Evacuation? Many towns will issue an evacuation when there is an impending disaster such as a hurricane.  The evacuations are typically called by the mayor of the city.  If you are expecting a disaster in your area, be sure to pay close attention to any warnings from officials.  They will be linked directly to the weather experts and will give you valuable information about the evacuation.  Listen to the news on your television or radio for information.  When an evacuation is announced, be sure to follow it.  Many times people don’t flee because they have no idea where to go.  Use these tips to help you know what to do if an evacuation is announced for your community.

If you live on the coast, or anywhere within a few miles of the coast, you have likely experienced a hurricane or two in your lifetime.  Some hurricanes are as mild as a thunderstorm, while others are treacherous events.  Being prepared is the key to hurricane survival.  Use these ten ways to prepare for the big storm to get your home and your family ready for the next big one!

Training Your Family: When it comes to disasters like hurricanes, you can never be too prepared.  Make a plan with your family.  Devise a system with each person doing specific tasks to ready your home and your family for the hurricane.  Pick a “safe spot” for your family to meet in, in case of bad weather.  You can practice going to this spot several times a year so everyone will know exactly what to do when a hurricane hits. 

Some emergencies (e.g., a fire or gas leak) may require a quick exit from your home, either all together or individually. Other types of emergencies may require you to get your family out of your community or city as fast as safely possible. You need a “master plan” for each type of situation and you also need an alternate plan for each.

Evacuating the Home: In the event of a fire or some other threat that requires your family to leave the house immediately, there may not be much time to figure out the safest way out of the house.

Conditions during a flood can be dangerous for some not so obvious reasons. Flood waters may contain toxic chemicals and will almost certainly breed dangerous bacteria. Its VERY important that you have your own supply of water for drinking and washing. If you have any cuts or open sores do everything you can to keep them protected from flood waters.

The six most important things to remember if you find yourself stuck in a flooded area are: Avoid contact with flood water whenever possible. If you have to walk through flood water only do so while wearing boots that are high enough to protect you from the water. Wash your hands with soap and clean, safe water thoroughly and often. If its available, use antibacterial soap. This is especially important when preparing food or eating.

Emergencies can (and will) happen at any time, in any place and for many reasons. You can be prepared for the most common emergencies by investing the time, energy and money in assembling a stock of emergency supplies.

A basic emergency supply kit should be assembled and ready to use either for emergencies that find you stranded at home or for emergencies that require you to evacuate your home so everything you need should be in one container, ready to pick up and take with you if required. The best form for that container is a large tote bag but the actual kit will conform  to your preference not to a standard.