More on Disaster Preparedness

There's a survivalist gene that runs through the males in my family. My Dad had the house pretty well set up for surviving days without power (as I found out this winter!) and my brother and I have been accumulating the practical things that we mind need to fall back upon in a local or national emergency. On Christmas morning, when others are giving socks or cooking ware, my bro and I usually exchange things like:
Firearms(!!)
Flashlights
Cases of ammo
Crash tools for breaking auto glass and cutting seatbelts.
The Christmas before Y2K, he send me a case of MREs, a kerosene lamp, and two bottles of lamp oil! This afternoon, I refreshed my acquaintance with the contents of the awesome first aid kid (shown) he got me a couple of years ago. I also checked the big water container I keep for emergencies and inspected the three flashlights I keep around the house. I've still got a half dozen MRE entrees left over and I've rid myself of the habit of skimpily stocking my pantry with canned goods. Heck, with gas prices going up, I'll have to make each grocery shopping trip a major one from now on.

I've accumulated camping gear I've never used, but hey...some day I might need three tents! Of all preparations, I treasure my attendance of USAF Survival School the most. Certainly, we didn't spend much time on the desert environment I live in, but I learned many lessons universal to survival anywhere. Let's hope I never have to put them into practice for real.