Once upon a time if you were the sort of person who kept two years worth of food in the form of MRE’s, canned peaches, and freeze-dried meals, you might have been called a nut job by some of the less understanding members of the public. Nowadays, maybe because of programs like “The Walking Dead” and the recurring joke of “The Zombie Apocalypse” it’s become more acceptable to have a Bug Out Bag stashed in your car, a storage of essential supplies, and a basement bunker.

Preparedness has never been a bad thing. After all, as the adage goes: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” To throw my own spin on it, however, I might add that penicillin ain’t much good on a bear bite. The first step in emergency preparedness is that decision to be active and be ready for come what may, rather than reactive and be taken at a disadvantage. This doesn’t mean you have to be qualified in getaway driving and attend an urban assault course- emergency preparedness can be as simple as having road flares and a set of jumper cables in the trunk of your car.

Life presents us with all kinds of emergencies, some more drastic than others. But no matter how big or small the emergency we face, having the correct tools on hand can make dealing with a situation that much easier. But what tools do you need?

Most of us, I’m sure, can’t afford to buy every tool and gadget out there to prepare for every emergency. We must make concessions, and that to me becomes the most important decision once you’ve made the step to become prepared. You must ask yourself: “What type of emergencies should I prepare for?” Think about the activities you do most often, and the possible dangers associated. If you frequently take long road trips having jumper cables and perhaps some food, water, and a blanket, as well as a cell phone would be the first items on your list. If you live in a remote area you might consider a generator in case of a power outage, as well as water reserves. If you’re diabetic you would probably begin with extra insulin and a stash of food.

The key to emergency preparedness is to be realistic about what needs you have and what you absolutely will need to have to survive if you are cut off from help. Everybody’s needs in an emergency will be different so think carefully about what you need on a daily basis.