If you based your decision on what our government says, your emergency supplies might only consist of duct tape and color coded alerts. As it turns out, being prepared is a little more involved, and in a way, a lot easier to understand and execute. What you need on a day to day basis for basic survival is also what you should have in your kit--food, tools, medicine and sleeping supplies.

Putting Your Kit Together

A good rule of thumb is that you should plan a kit for at least five days, because in general that will get you through most disasters. Some companies sell prepackaged food supplies, designed for times when you might not have power and you need easy access to safe edibles. If you go this route I suggest buying samples from numerous companies, because you don't want to find out later that those five days will be spent eating food you don't like.

So what should be in your kit besides clean water and food? Well, you'll need a radio, batteries, glow sticks, tape, blankets and medical supplies, as well as a tool kit. You'll want to follow the same rule you do with food--have enough for everyone included in your emergency plan for five days.

The place where some people go wrong is having an emergency kit located somewhere either hard to get to (an attic during a power outage is problematic), or where supplies can get damaged (a leaky basement). So make sure the container for your supplies is water proof, and that it is easily retrieved. Finally, do not forget your pets. They need supplies as well, and they can't prepare it for themselves.