by Billy Lothridge

Created on: December 31, 2009   Last Updated: January 01, 2010

Natural Disasters can occur at any time and wont wait for others to be ready, so it is very important to be prepared. The best thing to do is have a simple survival kit ready to go when a disaster strikes. There are a few things to look at when making a kit.

1. What kind of disasters occur in your location. Every place has its own dangers, and you need to be prepared for what will most likely occur for your location, such as if you live in a land-locked state such as Kansas, tornadoes will be more likely of a disaster than a Tsunami. So prepare for a tornado and in the unlikely event a tsunami would hit Kansas, well anyone would hate to see what would have caused that.

2. Weight. How heavy is the gear you're getting? You need to ensure that you can carry what you pack in your kit. Disasters can strike quickly, and you may have to be able to move fast to survive, such as moving to a higher ground during flooding. It is crucial that you make sure you're able to take your kit with you on your back.

3. Luxury is not required for survival. This means you will not need to pack your DVD collection with you. It is better you use room in your kit to pack things that will help you live through a disaster, and the stuff you see in disaster films usually will not show you how to survive a disaster. The best thing you can do is just bring the things you need to stay alive for at least one week.

4. Knowledge of what to do. Practice makes perfect; in this case it will save your life. Practice skills that can help you survive such as how to build a fire, how to build things to survive such as basic shelters, and even how to simply fish. These skills will help your odds when you're out surviving waiting on a rescue. 

5. What kind of things are needed for survival. Basic tools will help you in surviving any situation, make sure you keep the basic tools with you in your kit. It is always best to make sure your tools are in good condition and are made to last. In some cases this will mean they cost  more than some you see in a store, but you do not need your tools breaking in a situation.

These tips will help you build a small survival kit that will hopefully never have to be used, but if the situation were to occur will help save your life. Remember, always be prepared for a disaster and try to keep calm when they occur. Panic is a leading cause of death when disaster does strike. Irrational behavior can cause you to harm yourself or others in these situations. Nothing can stop things from happening, but a clear head will make the disaster easier to survive through. Another irresponsible behavior is not listening to warnings. If the local authorities request you to evacuate, homes and cars can be replaced, a life cannot. Be responsible and heed these warnings.

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