10 Steps to Basic Preparedness

A lot of new preppers have no idea how to actually begin preparing.  While there is no "right" way to be a prepper, here are ten steps to take to get started:

1. Put seven gallons of water away to use in case of emergency (this is one gallon of water for one person for a week).
2. Put $1000 cash aside at your home (hidden/in a safe) to use in case of emergency.
3. Put aside a week's worth of non-refrigerated, easy to cook food for use in case of an emergency (this could literally be 21 cans of soup--three meals a day for seven days--but you may want a bit more variety in your meals).  Don't forget to have a non-electric can opener.
4. Pack an overnight bag and keep it in your closet.  You need a change of clothes, toiletries, a bit of food and water...basically if you needed to leave your home in a hurry and camp out at a shelter/hospital/local campground what stuff would you need?  Pack this stuff up and have it on hand to grab in an emergency.
5. Create a comprehensive first aid kit.  If you don't know anything about first aid, take a class or read a book so you will know how to use the stuff in your kit.  Don't forget to include some back-up prescription meds if you rely on these things.
6. Contact your department of emergency management and ask about the most common types of emergencies likely to occur in your area and how to prepare for these emergencies.  People who staff this office live for this sort of thing and are usually more than happy to provide you resources to help ensure the public is prepared for the most common local disasters.
7. Make a daily carry bag.  What sort of stuff do you need everyday?  Make a list of the stuff you need then ensure your bag contains all of these items (be sure to refine this list as you go, including stuff you use as your needs change).  You will probably need sunglasses, a cell phone charger, a couple of sets of prescription meds, a granola bar or two, a water bottle or insulated coffee mug, a pocket knife, pens, etc.
8. Ensure your home is safe for you and your family.  Make sure you have a fire extinguisher on hand, that there are new batteries in all of your smoke detectors and CO2 detector, that your front door deadbolt is reinforced and "kick proof", that everyone knows how to exit the house quickly in case of fire, that all of the windows have solid locks, that you have a home security system, etc.
9. Create a family emergency communication plan.  Give everyone contact numbers for each family member plus someone everyone can call who lives a distance away in case of emergency.  Put these numbers on paper in each person's wallet in case their phone is dead (most people don't memorize phone numbers these days).
10. Buy a NOAA weather radio if you live in an area prone to weather emergencies.  This will alert you ahead of time in case of hurricane/tornado/etc.