10 Things You Should Know Before A Disaster Strikes

There are a few things you can do to prepare yourself for a disaster.

1. Keep bottled water on hand...ALL THE TIME...by the time the storm/earthquake hits it is too late. By the time people know it is coming it is too late....the stores are empty.

2. Keep can goods on hand that don't need preparation....you won't have a stove or a microwave....because there is NO ELECTRICITY!

3. Have a portable can opener.....the electric kind won't work...

4.Keep a week's supply of paper plates and cups...once the elctricity goes off, you may not have water.

5. Keep candles and flashlight batteries..change out the batteries because they get old....I used a fondue pot to cook in because I had little candles...canned stew taste better when it is served hot.

6. A charcoal grill and charcoal is a good thing to have...all of the meat in my deep freeze thawed and we were able to feed people in a shelter because we could cook it on the grill.

7. If possible buy a propane cook's stove for such an emergency.

8. If you have space, buy a generator but for heaven's sake make sure it runs out side. There was a family who died during hurricane Rita because they were afraid their generator would get stolen and they operated it indoors without a vent.

9. Buy a porta potty. If the water doesn't work neither will your bathroom toilets.

10. Rotate and replace your stock often so it stays fresh.

Don't depend on your cell phone...the airways were jammed during the evacuation of the hurricanes and you couldn't make a call.

Being a little prepared can save you a lot of grief.