The following advice is lifted from a webpage which has generally good advice. I have highlighted my own additions in red, with an asterik, or made this [ * best advice ] designation for particularly important sections:
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Pre Event Actions:
1. Learn about the natural disasters that could occur in your community from your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter. Learn whether hazardous materials are produced, stored or transported near your area. Learn about possible consequences of deliberate acts of terror. Ask how to prepare for each potential emergency and how to respond.
2. Talk with employers and school officials about their emergency response plans.
3. Talk with your household about potential emergencies and how to respond to each. Talk about what you would need to do in an evacuation. If someone in the family has a critical job, expect them to be gone.
[ * best advice ]
4. Plan how your household would stay in contact if you were separated. Identify two meeting places: the first should be near your home—in case of fire, perhaps a tree or a telephone pole; the second should be away from your neighborhood in case you cannot return home.
[ * best advice ]
5. Pick a friend or relative who lives out of the area for household members to call to say they are okay.
6. Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two escape routes from each room.
[ * best advice-- cell phone for everyone ]
7. Post emergency telephone numbers by telephones. Teach children how and when to call 911.
[ * best advice ]
8. Make sure everyone in your household knows how and when to shut off water, gas, and electricity at the main switches. Consult with your local utilities if you have questions.
[ * best advice ]
9. Take a first aid and CPR class. Local American Red Cross chapters can provide information. Official certification by the American Red Cross provides “good Samaritan” law protection for those giving first aid.
10. Reduce the economic impact of disaster on your property and your household’s health and financial well-being.
• Review property insurance policies before disaster strikes—make sure policies are current and be certain they meet your needs (type of coverage, amount of coverage, and hazard covered—flood, earthquake)
• Protect your household’s financial well-being before a disaster strikes— review life insurance policies and consider saving money in an “emergency” savings account that could be used in any crisis. It is advisable to keep a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks at home in a safe place where you can quickly gain access to it in case of an evacuation.
• Be certain that health insurance policies are current and meet the needs of your household.
11. Consider ways to help neighbors who may need special assistance, such as the elderly or the disabled.
12. Make arrangements for pets. Pets are not allowed in public shelters. Service animals for those who depend on them are allowed.
If you have a disability or special need, you may have to take additional steps to protect yourself and your household in an emergency. If you know of friends or neighbors with special needs, help them with these extra precautions. Hearing impaired may need to make special arrangements to receive warning. Mobility impaired may need assistance in getting to a shelter. Households with a single working parent may need help from others both in planning for disasters and during an emergency. People without vehicles may need to make arrangements for transportation. People with special dietary needs should have an adequate emergency food supply. Find out about special assistance that may be available in your community. Register with the office of emergency services or fire department for assistance, so needed help can be provided quickly in an emergency.
[ * best advice ]
Create a network of neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers to aid you in an emergency. Discuss your needs and make sure they know how to operate necessary equipment.
Discuss your needs with your employer.
If you are mobility impaired and live or work in a high-rise building, have an escape chair. If you live in an apartment building, ask the management to mark accessible exits clearly and to make arrangements to help you evacuate the building. Keep extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, food for guide or hearing-ear dogs, or other items you might need. Also, keep a list of the type and serial numbers of medical devices you need.
Those who are not disabled should learn who in their neighborhood or building is disabled so that they may assist them during emergencies. If you are a care-giver for a person with special needs, make sure you have a plan to communicate if an emergency occurs.
Preparedness Overview:
[ * best advice ]
You may need to survive on your own for three days or more. This means having your own water, food and emergency supplies. Try using backpacks or duffel bags to keep the supplies together. Assembling the supplies you might need following a disaster is an important part of your disaster plan. You should prepare emergency supplies for the following situations:
A disaster supply kit with essential food, water, and supplies for at least three days—this kit should be kept in a designated place and be ready to “grab and go” in case you have to leave your home quickly because of a disaster, such as a flash flood or major chemical emergency. Make sure all household members know where the kit is kept.
Consider having additional supplies for sheltering or home confinement for up to two weeks.
You should also have a disaster supply kit at work. This should be in one container, ready to "grab and go" in case you have to evacuate the building. Remember to have a comfortable pair of shoes in case you need to walk long distances.
A car kit of emergency supplies, including food and water, to keep stored in your car at all times. This kit would also include flares, jumper cables, and seasonal supplies.
Stockpiling Water Safely
[ * best advice-- remember hot water heaters and toilet tanks ( not bowls! ) have perfectly safe water to drink ]
Stocking water reserves should be a top priority. Drinking water in emergency situations should not be rationed. Therefore, it is critical to store adequate amounts of water for your household. Individual needs vary, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate. A normally active person needs at least two quarts of water daily just for drinking. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people need more. Very hot temperatures can double the amount of water needed. Because you will also need water for sanitary purposes and, possibly, for cooking, you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day.
Store water in thoroughly washed plastic, fiberglass or enamel-lined metal containers. Don't use containers that can break, such as glass bottles. Never use a container that has held toxic substances. Sound plastic containers, such as soft drink bottles, are best. You can also purchase food grade plastic buckets or drums. Containers for water should be rinsed with a diluted bleach solution (one part bleach to ten parts water) before use. Previously used bottles or other containers may be contaminated with microbes or chemicals. Do not rely on untested devices for decontaminating water.
If your water is treated commercially by a water utility, you do not need to treat water before storing it. Additional treatments of treated public water will not increase storage life. If you have a well or public water that has not been treated, follow the treatment instructions provided by your public health service or water provider. If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or state health department or agriculture extension agent for specific advice.
Seal your water containers tightly, label them and store them in a cool, dark place. It is important to change stored water every six months.
Food:
If activity is reduced, healthy people can survive on half their usual food intake for an extended period or without any food for many days. Food, unlike water, may be rationed safely, except for children and pregnant women.
[ * best advice-- don't forget your animals- and don't forget, you can eat canned pet food & treats... ]
You don’t need to go out and buy unfamiliar foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned foods, dry mixes and other staples on your cupboard shelves. Canned foods do not require cooking, water or special preparation. Be sure to include a manual can opener.
Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is fairly cool. To protect boxed foods from pests and to extend their shelf life, store the food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers.
Replace items in your food supply every six months. Throw out any canned good that becomes swollen, dented, or corroded. Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies. Date each food item with a marker. Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in front.
Food items that you might consider including in your disaster supply kit include: ready-to-eat meats, fruits, and vegetables; canned or boxed juices, milk, and soup; high-energy foods like peanut butter, jelly, low-sodium crackers, granola bars, and trail mix; vitamins; foods for infants or persons on special diets; cookies, hard candy; instant coffee, cereals, and powdered milk.
Buy a box of MRE entrée’s – 72 packages of main course MRE meals and keep them at home. They will fee a familty of four for about a week. It’s no frills eating.
You may need to survive on your own after a disaster. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it may take days. Basic services, such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment and telephones, may be cut off for days, even a week or longer. Or you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you.
You probably won’t have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you’ll need. Your household will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes.
First aid:
· Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
· Assorted sizes of safety pins
· Isopropyl alcohol
· Hydrogen peroxide
· Antibiotic ointment
· Latex gloves (2 pairs)
· Petroleum jelly
· 2-inch and 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6 each size)
· Triangular bandages(3)
· 2-inch and 3-inch sterile rolled bandages (3 rolls each)
· Cotton balls
· Scissors
· Tweezers [ * best advice-- splinter tweezers and a magnifying glass ]
· Needle
· Moistened towelettes
· Antiseptic
· Thermometer
· Tongue depressor blades (2)
· Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
· Sunscreen
· Aspirin
· Anti-diarrhea medication
· Antacid
· Tagamet
· Decongestant
· Cough Suppressant
· Space Blanket
· Mole Skin & Foam
· Epi-pin (?!?)
· Snake Bite Kit
·
[ My own 2 cents about medicine? Codeine, cortisone, asprin, and broad-spectrum antibiotics treat, or relieve, most conditions-- hoard what you can from old toothache prescriptions. Failing that, hard liquor will at least make the casualty feel better temporarily...
Veterinary medicines can be used on humans, usually, but adjust dosage by weight. ]
Tools:
· A portable, battery-powered radio and extra batteries [ * best advice- select only those that can run off a car battery ( cigarette lighter socket ) too. ]
· Flashlight(3), extra bulbs(6) & batteries(12)
· Oil Lamps (Hurricane)-- [ Coleman Lanterns, mantles, fuel ]
· Signal flare(6)
· Candles
· Matches [ * best advice-- kitchen ( strike anywhere )-- dip head in parrafin to waterproof ]
· Lighters
· Waterproof Matches
· Magnesium Fire Starter
· Paraffin
· Leather-man Tool(2) [ * best advice-- one per car ]
· All Purpose Knife(2) [ * best advice- penknife on keychain ]
· Duct tape [ * best advice-- don't forget steel tape ( the shiny stuff ) and bailing, or mechanic's wire ]
· Scissors [ * best advice-- good idea, but don't forget construction knives, with extra blades stored in the handles-- one per car ]
· Plastic sheeting
· Whistle
· Small canister, A-B-C-type fire extinguisher(2) [ * best advice-- the biggest you can carry is none too big, and you need several for a fire ]
· Compass(2)
· Work gloves (2) [ * best advice-- don't forget rags-- a mechanic's rag can be used to grab rough or hot things, used as a bandage, etc. ]
· Paper, pens, and pencils [ * best advice-- Space Pen ]
· Needles and thread (2)
· Wrist Watch
· Honing Stone & Oil
· Hatchet [ * best advice-- a machete' is more useful ]
· Shovel
Kitchen items:
· Manual can opener [ * best advice ]
· Mess kit
· Fork & Spoon
· Knife
· Frying Pan
· Pots
· Plastic Forks, Spoons, Knives
· Heavy Duty Paper Plates
· PUR Drinking Water System
· Water Bottles
· Extra filters for PUR Water Filter
· Propane Stove
· Propane Grill
· Extra Case(s) Propane
· Heavy Duty Tin Foil
· Trioxane Stove
· Trioxane Fuel
· Sterno Fuel
· ZipLoc bags (Lg & Sm)
· Cooler
Food:
· Vitamins.
· Summer Sausage
· Hard Candy
· Freeze Dried Dinners
· Cup of Noodles
· Canned Veggies
· Canned Meats
· Canned Soups & Stews
· Coffee
· Tea
· Sugar
· Salt & Pepper [ * best advice- spices were worth their weight in gold 500 years ago ]
Water(15g)
Sanitation and hygiene items:
· Washcloth and towel
· Towelettes
· Soap
· Hand sanitizer
· Liquid detergent
· Tooth paste and toothbrushes
· Shampoo
· Deodorant
· Feminine Supplies [ * best advice-- sanitary pads double as field dressings for wounds ]
· Razor
· Shaving cream
· Lip balm
· Sunscreen
· Insect repellent
· Heavy-duty plastic garbage bags (to go potty in)
· Toilet paper [ * best advice ]
· Medium-sized plastic bucket with tight lid
· Disinfectant
· Chlorine bleach
· Shovel (for a latrine)
Documents:
· Personal identification
· Cash [ * best advice ]
· Emergency phone numbers [ * best advice- all important numbers ]
· Map of the area
Misc:
· Extra pair of prescription glasses [ * best advice ]
· Candles
· Carton of Cigarettes [ * best advice-- in natural disasters, cigs are valuable barter items ]
· Tequila[ * best advice-- in natural disasters, liquor is a valuable barter item ]
· Extra set of car & house keys [ * best advice ]
· Reading material, books, etc.
Clothing (no cotton): [ * best advice-- don't agree about "no cotton"-- cotton breaths, unlike synthetics ]
· Heavy Boots
· Wool Socks
· Rain gear
· Hat w/ visor [ * best advice-- a hat shields both heat and cold- visor improves vision ]
· Gloves
· Sunglasses
· Capelin Pants (4)
· Wind pants
· Polypro Shirt (2)(short sleeve)
· Polortech Shirt (2)(Long sleeve) [ * best advice- long sleeve only- they can be rolled up ]
· Polartech Pants (2)
· Polypro Boxers(5)
· Gortex/Thinsulate Parka
· Gortex/Thinsulate Bibs
Shelter:
· Sleeping bag
· Sleeping pad
· Tent
· Small Tarps
· Large Tarp
· Folding Chair
· Nylon Cord
Weapons: [ * shotgun, rifle, sidearm ( pistol ), one per family member- ammunition. If practical, keep calibres and gauges the same. ]
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