Supplies for a hurricane is different than what you would prepare for a blizzard or a flood. There may be situations where you face several situations at one time. A hurricane brings high winds, flood waters, down trees, power loss and building damage. Having supplies to get you through all of these may be required in a worst case scenario.
When preparing supplies in the continental United States it is unlikely you will not have any support for more than two weeks. You should plan like you were going camping for two weeks if you plan to shelter in place. A lot of planning guides suggest 3 days but 3 days is what you will need while evacuating the area. If you are staying you need to be ready for the long haul. Most of us prefer to leave if things get this bad and we need a GO bag and not much more. You cannot expect your government to return life to normal in a few weeks or months. Up north, think about what this means if you lose power for two weeks in the dead of winter. In Texas what does this mean if you are flooded to your roof line? In Louisiana, how long did it take to get basic services back after hurricane Katrina? If you stay you must be prepared at this level. Obviously, the best thing to do is leave and come back when basic services are restored.
GO Bag or Bugout Bag
A GO Bag is a bag you kept packed at all times that will sustain you for a few days in the event you need to leave with little to no notice. The items in your GO Bag will again vary depending on where you live and your circumstances. In some areas, a GO Bag might be kept in the trunk of your car during winter with a sleeping bag, food, and water. In California, you might not need a GO Bag until wildfire season. The most important part of a GO Bag is that you are thinking, planning and preparing for an emergency.
You will typically want to have a change of clothes, jacket, money, snacks/food, medicine, and papers in your GO Bag. There are many videos on YouTube that discuss the contents of a GO Bag so educate yourself and determine what is right for you, your family and of course your animals.
Everyone can be prepared. There isn’t anywhere in the United States or the world that is not subject to a large-scale emergency or regional disaster. Knowing what is likely to happen in your are and planning for the worst case scenario will not only improve your survival rate but how long you have to endure.
Don't Wait to Prepare "Government cannot do this alone. It takes the “whole community” to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disaster. This includes our neighborhood and condo associations, faith-based, volunteer, and civic organizations, schools,...
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