Great! You’ve decided it makes sense to get ready in case disaster of any sort strikes in your community. Here is a list of things you can begin gathering that will help you to maintain a degree of comfort through any emergency. Consider preparing at three levels: a) minimum, b) adequate, or c) ideal.

1. Drinking Water

a) Minimum: Store at least one gallon of water per person per day, with a three day minimum. This can be used for cooking as well as drinking.  A bottle of water treatment tablets will allow you to change questionable quality water into drinkable water.

b) Adequate: Have a portable water filter so if you run out of stored water or have to evacuate, you will be ready.

c) Ideal: Purchase an AquaRain gravity feed water filter (no electricity needed). This will provide drinkable water from any surface water source.

2. Emergency food
a) Minimum: Store canned food and staples such as beans, rice and noodles.  Buy one extra every time you go to the grocery store.  Have a non-electric can opener. Have a camping stove or barbeque available for cooking.

b) Adequate: Get a one week supply of AlpineAire food (minimal or no cooking required) for each member of your family. Have a way to heat water.

c) Ideal: Buy a larger long-term food package. These have a shelf  life of 10+ years. You won’t need to be concerned about these foods getting too old to use. Get a reliable camp stove.

3. Light
a) Minimum: Have several working flashlights with extra bulbs and batteries.

b) Adequate: Purchase at least one flashlight designed for reliability during emergencies. Choose a shake-up flashlight that never needs bulbs or batteries, a wind-up flashlight with longlife LED bulbs, or an LED flashlight that is very bright yet uses a fraction of the battery power of a regular flashlight.

c) Ideal: In addition to flashlights, have candles or kerosene lamps for every room and stairway in your home.

4. Radio
a) Minimum: Have a portable radio with extra batteries.

b) Adequate: Purchase a wind-up or solar powered radio, which will not run out of power for an extended emergency.

c) Ideal: Purchase handheld, person to person family radios for better communication between family members.

5. Shelter
a) Minimum: Have tarp and twine in your survival pack to make a makeshift shelter. Store sleeping bags if you live in a cold climate.

b) Adequate: Purchase a lightweight, backpacking tent in case you need to leave your home. Store sleeping bags if you live in a cold climate.

c) Ideal: Purchase a larger tent and store for emergencies that require you to abandon your house but not your area or if you evacuate in your car. Store sleeping bags or warm blankets.  If you don’t have a tent,
store tarps or plastic, rope and tape to make an emergency shelter.

6. First Aid
a) Minimum: Have a first aid kit and first aid book on hand (available from any drugstore).

b) Adequate: Add items to your basic kit, such as ace bandages, butterfly bandages, and burn gel. Prepare to survive for a longer stretch without medical help.

c) Ideal: Besides a complete first aid kit, purchase a copy of Where There is No Doctor, which provides thorough coverage of medical emergencies. Get first aid training or first responder training and volunteer in a local emergency services program to get experience.

7. Medicine
a) Minimum: Obtain a one week supply of family essentials.

b) Adequate: Store a one month supply. Freeze or refrigerate – ask you pharmacist.

c) Ideal: Store a three month supply. Freeze or refrigerate – ask your pharmacist.

8. Temperature Control
There is no easy fix for heating or cooling houses when there is no electricity. The first step is to look at your most pressing needs, heat or air conditioning and get creative in finding non-electric solutions to make sure your home is livable no matter what time of year a disaster strikes.

For keeping warm:
a) Minimum: Store long underwear, warm socks and hats, sweaters, sweatshirts and coats, thin gloves (so you can still do things with the gloves on). Also store extra blankets or sleeping bags.
b) Adequate: Purchase a stand-alone, un-vented kerosene heater (must have adequate ventilation).
c) Ideal: Install a woodstove, if your circumstances permit. Some people have a woodstove (set up to vent out of a window) in storage to use only in case of an emergency. Obtain a two week wood supply.
For keeping cool:
Purchase solar-powered fans. Wet neckerchiefs and drape them around your neck and wrists. Wear lightweight clothes. Wear a hat in the sun.

9. Important papers
Keep all your important papers (bank account information, titles to cars and houses, insurance papers, credit card information, birth certificates, social security #, in one place. Have a copy of all important papers in one envelope outside the house, or stored with your emergency survival gear.

10. If You Have to Leave your Home
a) Minimum: Put together a daypack with all the items you would need if you had to evacuate your house (water, food, light, radio, warm clothes).
b) Adequate: Purchase a 72-hour backpack that contains the essential items. Add clothes and personal items. Include sleeping gear and a tent. Include your personalized first aid kit and medicine, your important papers, and the other emergency gear you’ve prepared.
c) Ideal: Have a 72-hour backpack for each member of your family and one for the car.