Saber Rattling in North Korea...A Prep List

If you've been watching the news, you have no doubt heard (repeatedly) that North Korea is being somewhat annoying (to South Korea and the US in particular).  Now while most people are giving this less attention than they give most other world headlines, there are a few things you should do to be prepared...just in case.
In the case we are talking about being prepared for, the top of the list isn't being prepared for nuclear--or other-holocaust.  Yes, a missile from North Korea could conceivably end up in your back yard, depending on where you live, but that possibility is really quite infinitesimal.  However, should the bombs start flying you will want to be prepared in the following ways (mostly because people are going to be in a panic which often causes more problems than the issue they are panicking over):

• Have at least a month's worth of food and supplies stockpiled (when people panic they tend to clean out the stores and it could take a month or so for stores to be restocked).
• Always keep your gas tank topped off and if possible, safely store as much gasoline at your home as possible (ditto; gasoline is another item that rapidly flies off the shelf, so to speak, when there is a crisis).
• Stockpile guns and ammo.  Well, good luck with the ammo part as most of the ammo shelves in our area are quite bare and similar reports are being made around the country.  But you may need to protect yourself, never mind that the problem is thousands of miles away, because for some reason people equate "crisis" with "let's go looting" and other unsavory ideas.
• Keep cash on hand.  Not ALL of your cash, of course, but enough to see you through a month or so of necessities because right after the run on food and gas during a crisis, there is often a run on banks.
• Infrastructure can be iffy.  Not that the North Koreans have plans to disrupt our infrastructure (who knows? They might) but others seeing the distraction may take the opportunity to mess with our infrastructure (not so hard to do) so it behooves you to be prepared to provide for your own water/heat/light/sewage treatment/garbage disposal/etc at least for a small amount of time.
• Stockpile any other items that are necessary for your continued survival.  I don't need much to survive beyond what I can fit in a backpack but many people, particularly those with young children or the elderly, often have a long list of needs that can make their lives difficult or even deadly if not dealt with immediately so consider stockpiling baby formula and diapers if you have young children, medications and hearing aid batteries if you find these items necessary for your everyday survival.
• Learn as much as you can and continue good health practices.  When it comes right down to it, I've never met anyone in a refugee camp or fleeing from war that has the luxury of copious amounts of food/fuel/prescription medications/etc.  Usually people flee desperate situations with the clothes on their backs and little else but what often makes the difference for their survival is their general health and fitness and their knowledge of a wide range of survival skills (two things that can't be taken away from you in a crisis).

Now go forth and prepare.