What kind of basic supplies and equipment do you need for survival durning a BIG disaster?
There are disasters and disasters. A couple or three days is no big deal. We’ve been through that lots of times with bad blizzards and ice storms. Our record around here is a week long power outage after an ice storm. A really major disaster would be a week or more, something on the order of Katrina, a major earthquake or Mount St. Helens where government agencies, supplies and services are gone for long periods of time. Our primary precautions are a backup generator (and spare gas) and a supply stash in the basement. You need: 1. Shelter: Preparation won’t help much when a CAT 5 blows your city into the bay and the levees break but, short of that, a few good big tarps, plastic sheeting and rope will let you rig tents and shelters. Blow-up air mattresses and spare blankets or sleeping bags for bedding come in handy. If the dwelling isn’t totally destroyed a good set of tools is needed for repairs to structure and water/electrical systems. (We have all of that plus a chain saw for the t
