Get yourself prepared for survival of natural disasters including asteroid impact, tsunami, volcanic activity, earth quakes or climate change.
When it comes to natural disasters there is likely be a little advance warning of a life threatening force but not necessarily months or weeks in advance. This is why its important to be prepared and have the tools and gear necessary to meet basic life needs. In the event of an asteroid one would hope there would be some advance notification to the general public by the science community. Or in the event of a volcanic activity one would expect there would be precursor information about an imminent eruption and the impact it would make regionally or globally. Even in terms of storms there are warnings when you should evacuate which is the case with a hurricanes. There are other types of storms that meteorologist can predict to amount of precipitation be it rain or snowfall or even if a storm will have capability of producing tornados. Its usually the case with these storms that people rush to their local grocery stores and home improvement stores to get there last minute supplies to hunker down in their residences.
You may live in a area at risk for natural disaster and you likely had the forethought about what steps to take to prepare for a potential disaster. But have you written them down? Have you discussed your plan with your family? Have you put your gear together, stockpiled your shelter and/or packed up a bug-out bag? There is no time like the present to get prepared.
First think about the potential disasters in your area. Do you live in a flood zone, near an ocean, river or other body of water that can be overrun with water? Does your area have earthquakes? And if there are earthquakes in your area and you live near the ocean you may be at risk for a tsunami, which can cause flooding of cities and towns, taking out all infrastructure including homes, businesses, roads and utilities. Earthquakes are of similar issue where infrastructure is put at risk and damage can cause the local residents’ normal way of life from continuing. Sure after a disaster the state or federal government will come in, provide aid and restore some semblance of how life was prior to the disaster, but it may be weeks or months before a complete recovery takes. And this will take a lot of money and a lot of effort by the community. In the event of a flood caused by storms, earthquake causing tsunamis or simply a change in ocean water levels you will definitely need your basic supplies in a bug out bag in case you have to leave your home, as well as water protection gear and floatation devices. REI offers a selection of canoe and kayak options.
