Why it is important to take care of yourself...

You should:

• Develop a disaster plan
• Develop a family communications plan
• Prepare a 72 hour response kit
• Prepare a first aid kit
• Make sure everyone in the family knows the plan
• Practice the plan
• Have enough water for 72 hours
• Store non perishable foods
• Have clothes that are seasonably appropriate
• Identify temporary shelters in your city or town
• Identify media sources that will bring you the information that you need during a disaster
• Gather small containers personal hygiene products
• Always refill medications as soon as you can
• Water/wind proof matches
• Cooking stove
• Buy a generator
• Extra fuel
• Run generator periodically
• Know your children’s school’s plans
• Know your community plans
• Wind up flashlight
• Wind up radio
• Evacuate if you are told to
• Have plans for your pets
• Have plans for your livestock
• Learn alternative routes to leave your area
• Have a first aid kit in your car
• Always carry extra clothes, blankets and flashlight in your car
• Update your emergency information with family (cell phone number, etc.)
• Name a person outside of your area to contact in case you get separated from the family.
• If you have people with special needs in your family, have a plan for them
• Listen and obey authorities
• Pay attention to the local weather updates
• Keep important papers together
• Be aware of what disasters can occur in your location
• Keep your car tuned up and filled with gas in case you need to evacuate
• Keep extra food for your pets
• Learn how to shut off gas and water valves in your house
• Know where the breaker box is in your house
• Learn how to shelter in place
• Know what to do in case of chemical emergencies
• Learn CPR
• Keep your cell phone charged
• Keep at least $50 on hand
• Have one charge card
• Install smoke detectors
• Install CO2 detector
• Practice your plan every four months
• Write down emergency numbers and place them on your refrigerator
• Gather candles and oil lanterns
• Develop a plan and practice it! 

30-day survival kit essentials 

When an emergency hits, we don't always have enough warning to prepare for it. Whether you believe or not, it still makes you think, what if all the electronics suddenly stopped working, an asteroid struck the earth, sunspots erase magnetic stored data or a flu pandemic affected millions, would you be able to survive with what you currently have. Fortunately you have time to prepare.

Even thought the reality of the end of the world occurring in 2012 may seem unlikely, the reality is that we do have disasters that occur periodically. You can prepare for hurricanes, earth quakes, blizzards, extended power outages or a wide spread pandemic. The primary requirements for survival are food, fuel, water, and shelter.

Basic survival gear for a family of four for 30 days

• Masks with respirators
• Survival book
• Folding stove and two 8-ounce cans of fuel
• Slow Burn Candles
• 60 hour pillar candle
• 100 gallon bladder with a siphon pump
• Camper's shower
• Filtration system that will filter up to 300 gallons of water
• Propane heater/cooker and propane cylinders
• Solar powered multi band and short wave radio with cell phone charger
• Windup radio and flashlight
• Collapsible five gallon water containers
• MRE (Two meals per person per day)
• MRE heater
• 12 Hour Light sticks
• Magnesium fire starters