Reply #2: at the very basic least, have emergency packs in your car and your home [View All]

SHOES and prescription glasses for everyone who needs them. And an emergency pack with tourniquets (can be an old scarf -- just something), bandaids, tylenol, antibiotic salves.

Got some old crappy sneakers you can't throw out but can't wear because they are so raggedy? Throw them in the trunk of your car.

You'd be surprised what you -can't- find in the middle of a shitstorm. We went through a quake, and somehow I went from our second floor apartment to our van - I don't remember a second of the running. Oh yeah, all this done on a freshly broken foot. Without the crutches - there was no time to grab them. AND a year old baby in my arms.

We keep a cooler by our fridge because my son requires expensive medication which we keep on hand. I also keep packs of prescription drugs we take regularly. The one thing I haven't done in awhile is pull together canned food to keep in the vehicles. But we keep at least one blanket in the car at all times. And extra leashes for the dog.

It may seem crazy to do - but after the quake it was not only us huddling in our van, but half our apartment building too. We got all the kids in there, with two teens from the building to watch them as we checked on the elderly tenants. We had water and juice for everyone - and having a safe spot for the kids made things go smoother than if they'd been standing on the street corner.

Be prepared. Yeah, it's not -cool-, but you will have some relief, and may even be able to help others in the process. THAT helps everyone get through the bad times after the storm.