Have you spent any time reading prepper blogs and forums? I have. Every other paragraph makes reference to Obama coming for your guns and the need to stand your ground. Paranoia is rampant. Taking their advice on water safety or anything else for that matter is really difficult. 

This was a major reason for creating Left To Survive. If the Zombie Apocalypse does come, the only people who will survive are the crazy paranoid racist bigoted freaks. As the Forward Progressives stated they "aren’t preparing just for a disaster, they’re also hoping that an apocalyptic event will destabilize the local, state and federal government to the point where they can “take the country back”.

So we need you, educated, literate, rational person reading this, to prepare your home and your family for the possible future when an emergency does strike. We gotta out-prep the preppers, if not for your own sake, for the sake of the future educated, literate, rationally thinking persons.

The Federal Government's Ready.gov recommendations on a proper emergency kit are a great place to start: 

A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both - $20 at Amazon
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit - $20 at Amazon
• Whistle to signal for help - $6 at Amazon
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place - $9 at Amazon
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities - $6 at Amazon
• Manual can opener for food - $6 Swing Away at Amazon
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger - $22 at Amazon

The items above are the absolute bare necessities, include the following as well:

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. 
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or free information from this web site. 
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container - $3 at Amazon
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children - $3 for UNO at Amazon

​
​Download the checklist here.

 
With any doomsday preparation, there's the decision to be made of remaining in place or get the fuck out. Let's visit the pros and cons of each. 

Remain in Place
Pros

• able to keep a watch on your property and protect it
• should services (power, water, communications) be regained, you're there and will be the first to know
• you have all of your stuff, nothing to pack or transport

Cons

• if looting or other violence occurs you're there and have to protect your stuff and risk injury doing so
• in the event of chemical/nuclear/other catastrophe you may continue to be exposed
• if you change your mind a day or two later and want to escape, the roads may either be too congested, flooded, or otherwise unusable

Get outta Dodge
The pros and cons are basically the reverse of the above. 


Which to decide largely depends on what the nature of the incident is, identifying if you have a safe place to go (family in another location, campsite far enough away, etc.) and other issues including your outlook in the moment. 

Here's an easy one though: huge ass hurricane heading relatively straight at you? Get the hell out. Your double wide trailer really isn't worth dying for.