Natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, snow storms, volcanoes and tsunamis have been around since the beginning of time and frequent us every year in some part of the world. For the most part they are local or at best regional with the exception of hurricanes and tsunamis which can cover larger areas. All these disasters mean that when they are over there is the knowledge that there is someone out there prepared to bring in supplies, shelter, clothing, etc. until normalcy is resumed. Therefore, preparations of 14 days would normally be adequate. Isolated locations will require for longer term preparations to insure safety and survival and could require preparations for up to 30 days.

Hurricanes bring wind and flooding causing large scale damage and usually take out parts of the electric grid in localized areas and usually along the coast. Preparing for loss of all utilities is essential. Preparing to evacuate or sit it out is a decision each family will need to make and each requires a different list of preparedness items. Whenever there is a plan to evacuate, a pre-planned location is something that needs to be decided in the beginning of any plan. Then the only decision to be made is what if there is no home to come back to.

Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tsunamis have not been a threat to the United States in the last 100 years, but that does not mean they could not happen. These are all devastating in the destruction that they bring and the result of loss of life that happens. The worse part, there is seldom much warning and minutes become the part that tells if we might live or die. For this reason it is imperative to have a plan, because when it is happening there is no time to think what you are going to do. These disasters have had the largest loss of life in the world throughout history, where 100,000’s have lost their lives, with the closest and most recent to home being the devastation that happened in Haiti. Let us not be foolish in believing that these disasters could not happen to us in America. Because there is little warning, we must focus on the fact, “if we survive” what do we do in the aftermath?

Floods & Snow Storms are usually very local and many times can displace people from 3 to 5 days or longer. You can be trapped in your vehicle, in your home or even out in the wilderness. Having an adequate Bug-in or Bug-out Bag in your possession is essential when you might be by yourself and left without any form of standard communication (cell phone, land line phone, radio, TV).