10 Survival Items to Have With You...Everywhere

Today as I was typing away on my latest project, the Anderson Cooper show came on in the background.  I usually don't pay much attention to what is on TV but when I heard the words "preparedness" and "survivalists" my ears perked up.  Of course I stopped and watched and was pleased that the show focused a couple of its segments on preparedness.  I was shocked, however, that when the host asked how many audience members had taken steps to be prepared only a few hands raised up!  I mean how hard is it to gather up a few things that could make your life a bit better in a survival situation?  So for those who need either a wake-up call or a refresher, here are ten items you need to put in your house, car, and in the desk in your office (yes, that means 10 things x 3 places so you will end up with a total of 30 items that you will package up and store away for an emergency):

1. Bottled water
2. Packaged, non-perishable food (granola bars, jerky, etc).
3. Cash (bills and coins)
4. Something to warm up in (jacket, blanket, emergency blanket, etc)
5. A whistle
6. A knife
7. Flashlight and extra batteries
8. Comfortable shoes you can walk (far) in
9. A portable radio
10. Matches or a lighter

Bonus item: three chargers for your cell phone, one at home, one for your car, and one for your office.

Those ten items will, surprisingly, take care of most of the problems you will face after a disaster.

Finally, as the Anderson Cooper show was wrapping up, he asked some ladies not related to the preparedness segment what they thought of the preppers and one responded "can you image how weird they would be to hang out with?" which shows she actually knows very little about preppers.  For many preppers, doing preparedness things isn't what they do 24/7.  In fact, many preppers do serious preparedness things only on occasion since once you are prepared, there is very little to do on a daily basis.  Of course their hobbies--shooting, hunting, growing a garden--are much more productive, useful, and entertaining than what many people do these days for entertainment, namely shopping or sitting on their couch watching TV.