By Kellene Bishop

The purpose of my article today is to help to outline some aspects of mental and physical preparedness that we must take into consideration prior to enduring a serious scenario.  Whether it be an earthquake, a flood, a hurricane, or a financial collapse, there are some consequences which will definitely take place and I feel that it’s important that all persons who desire peace in their preparedness efforts, take the time and the work necessary to prepare for this very important aspect of preparedness—giving help to others.

I believe in helping others and my preparedness efforts give proof to that end. However, understand that there is a well-deserved saying that “no good deed goes unpunished.” Unfortunately, there is truth in that statement as it relates to our fellow men, so that’s what I’m going to address today.

Confidentiality: For starters, know that your willingness to help others should be shared confidentially and only with those you intend to aid. The helping of others MUST be a pre-planned strategy, not a reactive, knee-jerk one, in order to ensure the utmost of safety and survival for you and your loved ones.  In other words, you need to have a set plan among your family members that under a specific set of circumstances you will plan on assisting them in accordance to their needs. In other words, suppose there is an earthquake in California where your brother and his family lives. Communicate clearly to your brother that under such circumstances they are to get to your home in Utah post haste with whatever supplies they can bring, and you will give them aid. Be sure that it is understood that this invitation is to be kept confidential between you and your intended recipients. Otherwise, you will be confronted with a desperate and aggressive army of other persons seeking aid. Regardless of the size of your heart you can NOT take care of everyone who comes to request assistance. Doing so will not only compromise your safety, but your life as well, and most certainly the lives of those you intended on helping all along. Clear communication and confidence is key in such circumstances.

No Flood Gates: There have been examples in every single disaster that has ever taken place in the history of the world in which well-intended caregivers lost  their sustenance, their shelter, and their lives because they opened the proverbial Wal-Mart doors on the morning of Black Friday to those in need.  Several instances were shared in which successful survivors of Hurricane Katrina were robbed, bludgeoned, or killed so that others could benefit from their supplies.  A church, which made every effort to try to help others, was suddenly forced by local authorities to take on all of the evacuees that the local law enforcement deemed necessary, regardless of the compromise of safety that such demands put upon the church and the others they were sheltering. Think of it as the camel getting his nose into your tent. You’ll never get him out after that and all you’ve done to prepare will be seriously compromised. A hospital in the aftermath of India’s historic tsunami was taken over not by patients who needed care, but by violent gangs who demanded access to drugs.  In order to ensure that you are not one of these statistics you must plan on being heavy handed and determined in the care you will extend to others.  This means you need to rehearse in your mind, discuss with your family, the severity of such circumstances and make sure that everyone is educated in maintaining the safety of your group.

Stand Your Ground: Planning on helping others cannot just be about the amount of supplies and the foundation of your religious beliefs. Remember that desperate circumstances create monsters out of some of the best of persons.  As such, no person can be completely prepared without accepting this reality.  Food, water, clothing, etc. are only a small part of your preparedness efforts. There’s a reason why I teach that the third most important part of preparedness is your Physical Preparedness. Some think that I’m simply referring to ones health when I say this. In actuality, I’m also referring to ones physical security as well.  Your supplies are meaningless if you cannot ensure that they will be used in safety and security. As such we must all obtain the  proper knowledge and supplies to ensure our safety and that our decisions on behalf of our safety are respected and obeyed.  This also means that mental fortitude must be established before a disaster comes calling. And, sorry to say it folks, but this also means that you must learn how to effectively protect yourself, and your loved ones, even if you are in a high stress situation.

Community: This brings me to my next point. I’ve said it previously in other posts, but I believe it bears repeating. There is something to be said for strength in numbers. Part of the reason in you preparing to share you goods with a specific person should be in anticipation of the man power it will take to protect those goods as well as lives.  A single, lone person doesn’t  man an empty Fort Knox today. So I suspect that it will take more than a single person with knowledge and skill to protect your shelter—whether it be an automobile traveling for safety, a tent community, or a single home.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Lastly, it’s critical that you know your rights sufficiently so that you are committed to maintaining those rights. My favorite motto when I was in sales holds true to just about any scenario: “Whoever is more committed, wins.”  Throughout even recent situations of natural disasters, many persons have given up their freedoms with the least little bit of aggravation in a “disaster scenario.”  (shelter in LA, guns in NC, speech in MI, etc.) Let me be perfectly clear in hopes that you openly discuss this with your family and friends for future planning– It’s not ok for you to be taken somewhere else when you have chosen to stay in your home. If folks can sign a “do not resuscitate” (DNR) order, then they sure as heck have the right to “Do Not Rescue” as well.  In fact, I suggest that you make a “DNR” sign for your front door in the event of a natural disaster. You and your family should always plan on staying together—if for no other reason than the safety of your family and the mental well being in knowing how everyone is doing.  Your GOD GIVEN rights, which no court in the land can legally infringe upon, gives you that right to stay together even if a uniformed person tries to convince you otherwise in a disaster scenario. And you know what, if Fido or Brutus are one of your family members, then you darn well better PLAN for them to remain a part of your family with your preparedness efforts.

Always remember, disasters do not alienate you from your unalienable rights. Keep in mind that the Declaration of Independence was written during a time of disaster, war, and turmoil. If it had efficacy during such a time, then a little ole earthquake, hurricane, or other Act of God or U.S. Government certainly does not take those rights of survival away from you simply because times are tough. In accordance to the U.S. Constitution, you also have a right to arms—in a disaster or in peace time. You also have a right to your property—regardless of who does not have their own property. The Constitution doesn’t say that “Mr. Smith shall only retain his foods in the event of everyone else having three meals a day,” right?  There’s nothing even remotely in our laws which intimates such a posture.  So, what I’m saying is that you must decided ahead of time what your committed posture will be in the event of a disaster in order to you to have your rights and decisions heeded.  Will you stay or go. Will you give to others? Will you defend your lives under all threats of loss or impairment?

As you know, I continually teach peaceful preparedness efforts. I also believe that you can have peace in the midst of you needing the fruits of your preparedness efforts. However, if you do not mentally and physically prepare in some of the ways I’ve suggested, then you will have liberated peace from your family and surroundings. We all need to prepare now to keep the peace.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

By Kellene Bishop

Can you imagine walking along the shores of a fresh water lake, seeing some fossilized algae and saying to yourself, “Hmmmm. I think I’m going to try and eat this?”  Or worse, how about someone who notices that this fossilized algae kills insects and then decides to eat it?  Crazy, huh?  I don’t know how things like Diatomaceous Earth ever get discovered, but I sure am glad they do.

Diatomaceous Earth--a microscopic view. photo c/o www.holocaust-history.org

With Diatomaceous earth, you have one of the most wonderful natural remedies for removing all kinds of toxins in your body AND a highly effective remedy at eliminating pesky bugs from your home, garden, and stored grains.  Allow me to take you into the world of Diatomaceous earth today.

For starters, let’s talk about the vital benefits that Diatomaceous earth has on your body. Personally, I drink about 2 teaspoons of it daily in my water bottle.  (I follow that with 2 teaspoons of Redmond Clay in the next water bottle I fill, but that’s another story.) Why? Because like everyone else who is reading this, I have parasites, tapeworms, bacteria, viruses, and toxins in my body.  Diatomaceous earth is HIGHLY effective at completely removing them from your body.  Since we accumulate these kinds of undesirables in our body every day, I’ve incorporated daily doses of DE in my water every day in order to win the long term battle. If you refuse to take DE regularly, at least give small amounts to your pets and cattle every day. I give my small dogs ½ teaspoon daily for maintenance, and a bit more if they ever get an ear infection or are throwing up. They readily eat it and in fact, when I started them on it, it caused one of the dogs to stop getting into the soil of my plants.

Parasites, tape worm, and weevils--oh my! photo c/o historyfilms.net

How do we get parasites, tape worms, e-coli, etc? Kind of a yucky topic, but let’s put our iron stomachs in for a moment and learn a little bit.  First of all, you can easily get parasites/worms from the foods you eat. For example, if you eat wheat or other whole grains, you are consuming weevils.  It doesn’t matter how often that wheat was cleaned or how much you paid for it, you’ve got weevils. If you consume regular commercial red meat you also have parasites, and most likely some e-coli in your body as well. There are internal and external parasites associated with cattle.  If you eat pork, regardless of how long you cook it, you definitely have parasites and bacteria in your body. The fat in the  pork is made up primarily of the toxins and waste that the pig eats. It’s just a fact of life, folks. Lungworms, which are rampant in the intestines of cattle, cause viral and bacterial pneumonia.  Sushi also houses parasites, salmonella, and a myriad of other bacteria.  The raw fish is the least of my worries.

Dogs, Cats, and most pets carry parasites, which can be transferred to humans. photo c/o www.javno.com

Secondly, if you have pets such as dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits, etc. you have parasites as well—that is if you ever pet them, let them sit on you, lick your face, etc. Parasites from pets particularly dwell in your intestines leaching the nutrition that you had otherwise intended for your own body. It is virtually impossible to have pets and not have parasites as a result—unless you use DE in your body and in there’s another story. (I’ll get to that later.)  In fact, just  one kind of internal round worm known as Toxocara, has infected 14 percent of our population according to the CDC. Toxocara comes specifically from dogs and cats. Toxocara is particularly predatory among children. This doesn’t mean that 14 percent of the population has pets. It means that there are sufficient  number of pets in our surroundings. Even those without pets are exposed to parasites that originate from them. Toxocara is easily accessible simply by playing in a sandbox or a playground of dirt or mulch.

Soil is another source of such body invaders. If we work with it in our gardening, we’re going to get it in our bodies.  Hanging out at a farm which uses pesticides and herbicides also brings unwanted toxins in our body.

Giardia and other water-born parasites photo c/o physorg.com

Unfortunately, water, whether it’s treated by the city or not, is one of the biggest culprits of introducing unwanted bacteria and viruses into our bodies.  In a disaster scenario in which we would have to forage for water, we are likely to consume even more. This is another reason why I’m grateful for the existence of Diatomaceous earth.  Not only can I use it to filter any questionable water, but even if I use other methods, I can also consume the DE regularly to help counteract anything I may have missed in my water filtration or cooking.  DE is a very effective water filter!  All you need to do is take a bucket and drape a tight-knitted cloth on top of the bucket, then a cup or two of DE on top of the fabric in a small mound. Slowly pour the questionable water through the DE into the bucket. Not only will you have drinkable water, but you will also have mineral and vitamin enriched water. This is why I often refer to preparedness as a source of peace in my life as opposed to panic. I can’t help but look at DE and say to myself, “Wow, Heavenly Father. You’re just full of nice little miracles all over the place.” I mean really, a substance that kills unwanted bugs of all kinds, but is good for humans and cattle! Cool!

So, what are the consequences of parasites and other like critters in your body? Blindness, obesity, anemia, frequent headaches, weakened immune system, irregular bowel movements, depression, stunted growth, autism, and even death  (although the benefits are so vast and innumerable that it requires a whole “nother article). That’s just what can happen to humans. Imagine what is taking place inside the animals we love or are trying to raise.  The great thing, though, is that de-worming doesn’t need to be an unpleasant one-time event that you hope you’re doing often enough. Keep your body optimal by paying attention to extracting toxins from your body every day by incorporating DE in your daily regime. After watching a medical video about what parasites can do in my body after only 72 hours, I’m definitely converted to the every day approach. Ugh!  Besides, wouldn’t you rather use an organic method of de-worming you and your pets/cattle etc. instead of nasty chemicals?! I know I would. When I teach about water consumption, I teach that adding flavoring to your water changes the chemical make-up and causes the body to have to work harder to process the water into a distilled state so that it can use it. However, when you’re adding the DE, all you’re adding is organic vitamins and minerals that your body will readily assimilate and not have to work hard to extract from the water.  If you must, you can consume the DE in juice or something else like that, but I have found that I seriously don’t notice the taste in the water at all.  Besides, is there anything that can taste bad enough to prevent me from trying to fight THIS? (yuck alert!)

Colonoscopy Demonstrating a Moving Worm

or THIS?!

2008-11-22 – BBC News – Worm removed from woman’s brain

Bacteria can thwarted by minerals and diatomaceous earth. photo c/o www.hubtesting.net

Let’s leave the parasites alone for just a moment. One of the other assets to DE is that is also absorbs bacteria AND viruses.  Bacteria and viruses are essentially the tiniest of little critters. They are no match for DE’s effectiveness.  The fact that you have something that will absorb and get rid of both in your body is great. Even modern medicine isn’t effective at fighting viruses. One of the reasons why bacteria is no match for DE is because of the vast amount of minerals found in DE. Bacteria simply can NOT survive amidst minerals. (This is why I love using mineral make-up. It doesn’t go bad because of bacteria, because the bacteria can’t survive in minerals. Thus I may pay a bit more for my make-up initially but it lasts me a lot longer.) So the more that minerals make up your organs and blood, the less of a happy home it is for the bad guys trying to infect you.

How can DE kills bugs but not people? It’s all about the water content. Suppose that you needed to thicken 5 gallons of a very brothy soup. You wouldn’t expect to accomplish this using only a ¼ teaspoon of corn starch would you? (For those of you who really don’t know you way around the kitchen, the answer is NO WAY! hee hee) So the benefit in using DE  has to do with the overwhelming amount of water content we have in our bodies as opposed to insects. Insects have very little moisture (contrary to what you may believe when you step on a cockroach), whereas our bodies are made up mostly of water.  This is also why DE doesn’t absorb all of the water that it inevitably grows near.  DE has also been used to help clean up toxins and oil spills.

So, what kind of DE do you need to obtain and where can you get it?  Well, that is the most important question.  You must use only FOOD GRADE DE.  If the manufacturer or seller of the product cannot tell you it’s food grade unequivocally, do not purchase it. For the longest time there were only two kinds of DE, pool grade and food grade. However, in an attempt to avoid paying the FDA the necessary fees to call DE “food grade” some manufacturers have started labeling their DE as “filter grade.”  Again, I implore you to accept no substitutes for FOOD grade DE. While you can do just about everything you want with the other forms of DE such as killing insects, detracting flies, using it in your garden etc. you should not consume any DE that isn’t food grade.  The reason is how it is processed. Just like grains intended for animals should not be consumed by humans due to the regulations that permit chemical additives in order to get more out of the product per package, so too should we humans not consume DE that isn’t labeled as food grade.

diatomaceous earth perma guard food grade

You can purchase food grade DE at most health food stores. However, I found that it’s pretty pricey that route. I prefer to get it in larger quantities and save a boat load of money.  I do know that Five Star Preparedness offers DE in two different formats. They offer it in 5 and 10 pound increments that’s simply “food grade” DE. However, for those who want to be extra sure in their internal consumption, they also offer it in as “fossilized phytoplankton powder” (FPP) format.  This is in a 10 ounce jar that runs about $18.00. But I wouldn’t recommend you wasting your money on it since it’s the exact same thing that you can get in the 10 and 20 pound increments,  just with a more friendly “food” label for those who need that kind of reassurance, because for only $25 you can get the 10 pounds (that’s what I use daily). Both are food-grade.  And please don’t buy into the whopper of a lie of a company telling you that the FDA won’t “let” them label their DE food grade. The FDA is all too happy to allow someone to label something food-grade so long as that company pays for the licensing and testing to do so.

I wish that we didn’t need something like DE as a result of our surroundings. But this is just how things are, folks. If it’s there, we get to inhale it, absorb it, or eat it. But I’m sure grateful that there’s a very economical solution out in the world. To see more on what DE can do for the world around you, check out the previous article I wrote about it here Diatomaceous Earth.

Remember, being physically prepared for the future also means being as healthy as you can now. So, let’s have a little DE sprinkled in our life. Cheers.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

by Kellene Bishop

Here’s the problem. In the event of an unexpected challenge—whether it be a natural disaster or a mugging on your way home, one of your greatest weaknesses could be one of your greatest loves—your dog.

Sinta and Me

I admit it. I absolutely love my two dogs. In spite of thinking I was more of a “cat person,” I’ve truly come to absolutely adore my two girls. I miss them when I’m gone for long periods of time, I talk to them, and I bring them up in group discussions about people’s “children.” Yup. I’m one of those devoted dorks who dresses up my pups in Ohio State Buckeye attire during the Rose Bowl. I’ve been known to dress them in sassy dresses, hats, coats, etc. Mind you, this adoration doesn’t come solely from me. Even my “Rambo” of a husband is a major softie when it comes to these girls.  He’ll make them scrambled eggs, rough house with them regularly, and even talks baby talk to him. (I know. So embarrassing, eh?) They are constantly hanging out on his lap or in my window sill as we work during the day. Yes. Our two furry gals are family to us. I know there are many reading this who totally “get it.”

Those of you who have been smitten by your dogs know that your emotional attachment can’t simply be turned off and on.  But therein lays the vulnerability.  The best way to ensure that your dog is an asset to your security and safety is to take the time and effort to train them for consistent obedience. The alternative is to take a loaded chance on your own well-being as well as that of your furry friend. Yup, obedience training isn’t just about eliminating stains in your carpet or the disappearing roast from your dinner table.

Scott hard at work with the girls

We’ve all seen the scenes played out in on the movie screens. The hero is nearly victorious over the bad guys only to have his dog run errant and risk everyone’s safety, right? Training your dog now can ensure that you never become the subject of some fictional Hollywood script.

There are a handful of critical areas in which to train your canine critter. Stay, come, leave it, stop, and controlled barking will be the most valuable to your safety and that of your dog.  Believe it or not, your dogs actually LOVE to be trained. Unless they’ve been abused or are in ill health, dogs instinctively want to please their owner. The treats are great. But the praise and the play is everything to them.  In fact, when you have a hyper, poorly focused dog, once you begin working with them in training their personality evens out and they become better at concentrating and listening. Additionally all of their other behaviors improve in consistency.  Just as I was assured by professional dog trainers, when I worked on training the dogs regularly, they were more consistent in their potty habits, not jumping up on people, and coming when I called them.  Like I said, they really do like to be worked with in this manner.  It converts an errant dog into a valuable partner. With the right training, they could be a valuable security system that can go to all kinds of places with you.

I would recommend spending no more than 15 minutes at a time training them. It’s not good for either of you to go much longer than that.  And besides, 15 minutes a day is a realistic goal for all of us, right?

I have found a great deal of success using the clicker method of training. It works on pets of all previous behavioral history. Even vicious dogs have been rehabilitated with this approach I highly recommend the books “Clicking With Your Dog” by Peggy Tillman and “Don’t Shoot the Dog” by Karen Pryor.  Both books don’t require that you sit down and read them from cover to cover. You simply read one bit by bit and make progress with your furry friend each day. The clicker method even works for older dogs. Abused dogs also respond really well to clicker training. For those who don’t know, clicker training is presently used successfully with dolphins, birds, cats, and even husbands…OK. Well it hasn’t yet worked on my husband…  The “clickers” are available at your major pet store chains for about a $1.50. Or you can get a fancy-schmancy one on Amazon for nearly $4.

My girls...aren't they precious?

A dog’s diet also has a lot to do with their ability to focus and heed your words. The more garbage you allow to play a part of their mealtime, the more resistance you’ll get to consistency in their behavior.  So pay attention to those ingredients so that you don’t have to work harder in your training efforts. Better yet, you can make your own dog food EASILY…but that’s another article.

Your safety and that of your dog may be contingent on your ability to get them to come when you call.  If you’re distracted with Fido, you cannot focus on defending yourself in a critical moment. Keeping your dogs healthy may be reliant upon them heeding your command to “leave it.”  Think of what the command “stop” or “freeze” could do in helping your kids, let alone your dog. (And yes, there really has been a great deal of success using clicker training  on children—especially children with special needs.

Ok. So stop reading this and go spend some time with your favorite furry friend.  You will both love it as you relish in the sense of accomplishment.

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Copyright 2010 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to www.PreparednessPro.com & Kellene Bishop

By Kellene Bishop

Photo c/o Self-Reliant Sisters

Far too many folks I’ve spoken to have shared with me that they have their 72 hour kit and thus are ready for an emergency. Before I go into detail about the contents of 72 hour kits, I’d like to make perfectly clear that 72 hours kits serve one purpose and one purpose only – to aid you IF you are forced to flee your home and relocate somewhere else for safety and supplies.

That’s right. A 72 hour kit is not to live off of through the duration of a disaster. For crying out loud, you’ve got teenagers whose meltdowns last longer than 72 hours. What kind of a silly person would think that a 72 hour kit is intended as survival for anything else but to aid in a “bug out” scenario? 

I will admit, I have 2 levels of “72 hour kits.” I have one that is VERY minimalistic in a large backpack, and I have another one that is much more inclusive and requires my rolling suitcase or a hand-pulled wagon to be mobile. If I’m unfortunate enough to have to travel in the midst of an emergency, then there’s a pretty good chance that I would be able to throw on the backpack and still pull the rolling 72 hour kit behind me as well.

That said, I want to remind folks that there should be sufficient consideration for providing mobility for those in your home who may not be able to carry their own 72 hour kit. I’ve seen folks pack enormous 72 hour backpack kits for their 4 year old daughter. Ugh! If you’ve got young ones or fragile elderly that are accompanying you on your emergency trek, be sure to pack sufficient supplies AND make sure that you’ve got a wagon or something to ensure that everybody and everything is mobile in case you aren’t able to travel via automobile. 

HugaMonkey Baby Sling

Wagons, bicycles, bike side-cars, jogging strollers, carts, and rolling suitcases are great resources to transport your belongings. Be sure that you also consider a carrier for the young ones that don’t interfere in your own mobility. (I HIGHLY recommend the HugaMonkey Baby Slings. They work well with newborns in sleep/nursing position, as well as babies a bit older in the forward or on the hip position.)

Another consideration is the transportation of your pets. Are they the kind that can safely join you on a voyage or will they require that you carry them? Do you intend to take them with you? If so, do you have the necessary supplies so they can endure a 72 hour period safely as well? I’ve managed to raise two “sissys” with my little pooches. They aren’t the big husky kind of dogs. So a leash WITH a harness would definitely be necessary for them but so will some accommodation for relief from lengthy walking. I have foot covers for them so that they won’t experience too much strain on their feet in comparison to the carpeting. (Yes, I am embarrassed to say that I’ve raised two wimps.)

The key to a quality 72 hour kit is to minimize the impact of the size and space of everything you are packing. This is why I use coupons to obtain trial sizes of items (for free usually). Bug out or not, you still need to have everything available that you use on a regular basis. Hygiene, clothing, sanitation, food, water, clothing, medical, light source, utensils, shelter, self-defense, communication supplies, bug spray, sunscreen, sunglasses, some currency, etc., etc., etc. It’s not a bad idea to have a 72 hour kit available in your office as well. The likelihood of you being at work when all heck breaks loose is substantial.

You also need to be sure that you’ve properly packaged the items in your 72 hour kit. When I’ve done home assessments for emergency preparedness, 72 hour kits are frequently accompanied by granola bars that are old, dry, and pungent! Yuck! So, not only do you need to package items so they stay usable, but you also need to refresh items in your 72 hour kits. You can’t afford to create them and then forget them.

Important documents are also critical to have on hand in your 72 hour kit. Let’s face it. If you’re having to use your kit, it won’t be under ideal circumstances. Having copies of items such as your will, deed to the home, title to the car, drivers licenses, birth certificates, wedding certificate, etc. should all be a part of your 72 hour kit. Such evidence may make the difference between you being allowed into “door number 1” or a less desirable “door number 2.” You may also want to sock away an emergency debit or credit card in your kit as well.

Tomorrow I’ll provide for you a detailed list of supplies I recommend for your 72 hour kit. Until then, keep prepping!

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

I’ve had cats and I’ve had dogs. Regardless, they have always felt very much a part of my family.  My concern for their care in an emergency is every bit as important to me as anyone else in my family.  Here are some tips for you to implement in order to have peace of mind in case of an emergency.

1) Start training your pets now how to properly greet and interact with others.  You must teach them when it is appropriate to “bark” now or you could compromise your safety in the future. 

 2)     Be sure that you have a sufficient “grab and go” pack for your pets in the event you have to leave your home immediately for 2 to 3 days. The items in this bag should contain food, water plus a container, a familiar toy, spare leash and collar, a blanket and some bedding.  

 5)     Have teeth cleaning supplies available.  In an emergency, it’s very likely that your pet will be eating—or attempting to—foreign items to their diet.  These items will be foreign to their dental care as well.  In the event of an emergency, a trip to the vet will not be feasible, so be sure that you have supplies for the care of their teeth as well as your own.    
 

7)     Be sure that you have a secure means of tethering them. Allowing your dogs or cats to roam wild in an emergency state is not smart!  I don’t mean to be overly graphic, but people and/or animals may see them as food instead of family members.  Keep them with you for your own safety as well as that of others.  Consider a stake in the ground and a sturdy adjustable leash.  You don’t want your pet resorting to his natural instincts of running in a pack with other strays.  Plan on keeping him with you as a part of your family if you want him to remain a part of your family.

10)  Think in advance about what you need in order to transport your pet.  That might be a carrier, a box, a wagon, etc, since you can’t expect your pet to walk all the time.  You may also find that for his own safety you have to confine him. 

12)  It’s not a bad idea to have some clothing available for your pet.  While I’m not an advocate of dressing your pet up regularly, there are at least two items that your pet can use that will save you both a lot of hassle.  Get booties for them in the event they have to walk more then they are accustomed to.  It will preserve the soft portion of their paws from getting splinters or cuts.  Also, get a rain repellant vest for them wear as well. Be sure that it fits them properly.  You definitely don’t want it too tight or you’ll have other problems to deal with such as blisters and infections.