That said, if you must buy a bag, the Red Cross offers one -, two-, and four-person kits at its online store: http://www.redcrossshop.org/disaster/index.htm. You can find variations at Emergency Essentials (http://beprepared.com) and The 7 Store (http://www.areyouprepared.com).

Now that You' re Packed, Should You Leave?

If you think you can hunker down and ride it out, fine. But like I said earlier, if you're going to panic, panic early-and get out.

Here are nine signs that you should maybe hit the road . . .1. Two full days without power. We are all only nine meals (three full days) from anarchy. Studies have shown that's how long between a disaster that interrupts the food supply and the onset of widespread looting and rioting, as hungry people get proactive. You don't want to be too paranoid about this-heck, I've been through five hurricanes and every single time, the day after the hurricane, I saw people lined up at the stores to buy food. They must have made close to no preparations.But if the power goes out across the city, and doesn't come back for two days, the piles of spoiled food are growing and so is the hunger level. You 're probably getting close to the looting stage.

2. Fires spread unchecked. When the fire department can't fight fires effectively, something is wrong. You 'll stand a better chance somewhere else.

3. Rising water. Worse in some ways than a raging fire (because water is so d.a.m.ned deceptive), flooding from a hurricane or other heavy storm can turn your home into a deathtrap. Know the elevation and flood potential of your home. If there are warnings of a storm that could swamp your house, get out ahead of time.

4. Epidemic. The important question: Is the illness airborne or spread by some other method? With anything other than an airborne illness, your best bet is probably to stay home and b.u.t.ton up. On the other hand, few homes are equipped to keep out airborne diseases, and the more heavily populated the area, the more risk you run.

5. Distant popping or cracking sounds. That could be the sound of small arms fire, as looters get bold and shop owners protect their stores. You 'll have to drive away from the shooting, which is why you should have multiple escape routes planned.

6. The government sets a curfew. Things are getting worse, not better. Time to hit the road, Jack! The only thing worse is when the media broadcasts government directives to stay indoors. There's a definite red flag. Get the h.e.l.l out, if you can. Have your alternate routes ready, because the main roads could be blocked.

7. The sound of explosions in the distance. This could be fires setting off fuel tanks or other problems, and those problems aren't being handled properly.

8. Emergency public information broadcasts run on an endless loop on TV. You're probably late, but that could be your last chance to Get Out of Dodge.

9. If the TV starts showing video footage of clogged roads, you're already too late. Stay home unless you absolutely must leave.

How to Get Out When the Gettin's Good-or Bad!

If you must leave, you should have (1) a definite destination in mind, and (2) a plan to get there. This means planning an escape route now. There are five important things to keep in mind.

1. Who are you taking with you? Is it just you and your immediate family, or your extended family, too? Are you taking pets, and if so, have you packed food, water, and p.o.o.p bags for them? Are you taking more than one vehicle, and if so, do you have a rendezvous point? Do you have a travel plan, with agreed-upon stops where you'll meet up? Decide these things ahead of time-you don't want to leave anyone behind.

2. Main roads could be packed. Throw in desperation tinged with panic and a heavily armed population, and major routes out of the big cities could become dangerous places to be in the event of a ma.s.sive involuntary urban evacuation.So, plan multiple routes using secondary roads, even country back roads, and side streets through neighborhoods.

3. Don't plan on going any further than you can on one tank of gasoline. If you're escaping, probably every Tom, d.i.c.k, and Harry is doing the same thing. Gasoline stations will run out of supplies fast, if they haven't already. Also, you might be stuck in traffic for hours or have to double back to use one of your alternate escape routes-your mileage is probably going to suck.

4. Drive smart. Driving at speeds over 60 miles per hour will eat up gas in a hurry. Slow-moving traffic is okay, but if you get into an actual traffic jam, one that stops for more than a minute, turn your engine off. You 'll save gas, and can restart when it's time to move forward. You should let your engine run a minimum of three minutes after you start it up. You can run the heater, but running the air conditioning will eat up your gasoline.As you drive, listen to your car radio to see if there are traffic problems along your escape route. Be prepared to switch to an alternate route before the roads clog.

If you come to an official checkpoint, go out of your way to be polite, helpful, and friendly. If it 's an unofficial checkpoint run by non-uniformed types, you're going to have some tough choices. If possible, let other cars pa.s.s you and see what happens to them.

5. Think outside the box. Thinking will get you out of more tight spots than muscle any day. For example, do you have to flee by car? Could you take the train? If you 're childless, can you pack everything you need on a bicycle? What about water-do you live near a river that you could put a kayak on? If you have a safe place to go to further down river, you might want to keep that as an alternate plan.

How to Use Google Maps to Plan Your Escape Google maps is far from perfect, but with options of map, satellite, and terrain mode, it allows you to explore your locality and make plans for escape routes. You can even store an escape route map online.

* Go to Google maps (maps.google.com). If you aren't a member already, become one. You'll just have to create an e-mail account.

* Now, click on the My Maps tab (under the Google logo).

* Click Create new map; t.i.tle it Escape Route or something you'll remember. If you want this to be yours alone, keep it Unlisted. Otherwise, select the Public option so it can be easily accessed.

* Zoom in on your house, or where you expect to be when the invasion hits.

* Click the Placemark icon (it looks a bit like eyedropper) to make your first landmark (your house). After you write the t.i.tle and description, you can click the icon in the window to select a more visually descriptive one. (I mark my house with a martini gla.s.s icon.) * On the left side window, click the check mark next to Places of Interest under the Featured Content header. This will allow you to help plan your route and find places you might want to go (gas stations, motels, pharmacies, etc.), as well as places to avoid.

* Check the traffic on roads you're considering. Traffic is one of the b.u.t.tons at the top of the map. Of course, traffic will be different on the day of your escape than it is now, but click on Traffic and you'll get the option to pick a particular time and day. Afternoon rush hour on a Monday will give you an idea of which roads are heavily traveled.

Now it's time to figure out your route: Find your first stop, make a new placemark, and use the Draw a line icon to connect the two. Continue thusly until you reach your destination.

If you do make a map of your escape route ahead of time, you can also make a list of the phone numbers of motels and gas stations along your route. Keep that list in the car. When you evacuate, use your cell phone and start calling the list to find out who has gas and who has rooms available. Knowing these things, and potentially making a room reservation while you're on the road, could lower your frustration and anxiety factors.

Where to Go When You Bug Out

If you can get out of the immediate area of danger to a place where life is normal and roads aren't clogged with refugees, you're ahead of the game. Where do you go next? The hope is that you planned this next step far in advance.

The best choice is relatives, because they'll be most likely to put up with you for however long it takes. If you don't get along with family, then a close friend is an alternate choice.

In either case, check with them ahead of time. In fact, it 's best to do it now-just put down the book, make a short list, and start making phone calls. Make each person you call the following offer: If they'll agree to put you up for a short period of time if you have to evacuate in an emergency, you'll do the same for them.

It's important to have more than one safe house in more than one direction. The direction that might be your first choice might be impa.s.sible, or your relative or friend might be affected by the same disaster that is forcing you from your home.

Once you have arrived at a friend or family member's house . . .* Make immediate offers to pay for groceries and so forth. Even if your gracious host initially says "no," make the offer again if you're stuck there for three or more days.

* Ask them for a list of their house rules. While you are a guest, and they'll want to treat you like one initially, it's best to know what the rules are so you don't irritate them, leading to a blow-up down the road.

* Acknowledge that your life has been disrupted and you may be frustrated, impatient, and short-tempered. You don't want to appear ungrateful or demanding. See what you can do to make your host's life easier.

If a friend or relative's home is unavailable, you're on your own. Remember, in most emergencies it's best to choose rural, unpopulated areas over urban, heavily populated areas. You do have some options.

Hotel or motel. You might want to choose a hotel or motel outside the crisis area. Ahead of time, look for extended-stay motels along your escape routes-you can pay by the week or month and each room has appliances such as a refrigerator and a microwave; some even have dishes and cutlery. Before paying the rent, always politely ask to see the room you will be renting.

Forest campground or recreational vehicle (RV) park. If you have an RV or tent, this can be a good option. Many campgrounds have community shower areas, one for men and one for women, and drinking water available near the campsite. Alternately, you can camp for free in most National Forests. However, you will need to move your campsite at least once per week to a different area to comply with forest regulations. Also, your belongings will not be safe and you can bet that thieves will be running rampant after a disaster.

Church or community shelter. A church-operated temporary disaster shelter is usually less restrictive than other types of shelters, and generally friendlier. If you have to relocate due to the disaster, they may be able to help you find more permanent shelter and give you employment leads in the area.

Storage facility. A secret shared by many working poor is that some storage facilities will let you rent a storage s.p.a.ce as a living s.p.a.ce, even if it isn't technically legal (many munic.i.p.alities outlaw it as part of their screw the poor initiatives, but many storage facility managers allow it anyway). A storage facility manager may bend the rules in a time of crisis. You may have to rent one storage bay to store your car in and one to live in. It would still probably be cheaper than a motel. Government shelter. A government shelter is usually not a good choice, and only one step up from a refugee camp. Government shelter personnel will search you and confiscate any weapons, drugs (including prescription medicines), tools, children's toys, money, keys, and food you may be carrying with you. You may or may not get all of it back when you leave. Plus, it can be harder to leave a government shelter than it is to enter one.

Refugee camp. Get out as soon as you can-you might be better off living in the woods. If you don't feel like a prisoner in a refugee camp, you aren't paying attention. Gangs will probably rule a camp after any length of time and make the lives of non-gang members a living h.e.l.l. Make alliances, protect each other, and get out as a group.

Communication Is as Important as Evacuation Don't expect your cell phone to work during a disaster-everyone else will be trying to make phone calls at the same time, and whatever crisis is going on may have taken out cell towers to boot. The thing to do is to have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact. Everyone in your party should have that contact number on a laminated piece of paper in his or her bag. If you get separated, call your out-of-state contact on a landline (or whenever possible), and make arrangements to regroup.

Crossing the Border

Do you have a plan if things get so bad that you have to leave the country? My family has a plan. The first important step is to have pa.s.sports for every member of your family.

You'll want to carry as much cash as possible, of course, as well as any valuables that can easily be converted to cash.

You'll also want to have a plan for what you're going to do once you get over the border. Again, making arrangements with a friend or relative on the other side is the best thing to do.

What if the border is closed? In that case, it's probably all the more urgent that you get across it. Despite efforts to close it, the U.S. border with Mexico is still pretty porous. Northern Mexico is already an often violent and dangerous place, and it will probably be more so during a crisis. On the other hand, Mexicans are less likely to turn you in to the police than Canadians. And if you can get out through Northern Mexico, Southern Mexico is peaceful, lush, and very warm.

The border with Canada is extremely porous, and stretches over 3,000 miles; it's nearly impossible to seal without tremendous effort and a lengthy investment of time. On the down side, Canada has its picture next to cold as h.e.l.l in the dictionary. Winters in most of Canada are brutal.

What to Do If You Leave Your Home Permanently Most survivalists expect that if TSHTF, they'll be able to b.u.t.ton down and ride out the bad times. And that's a good plan. But what if you lose your home? What if you become a refugee? Or what if bank agents seize your home?

The bad news is you may not be able to count on social services, which are already overwhelmed by the economic downturn's victims. And you may not want to go to a shelter. The rule of thumb is that half the people in shelters are crazy, and the other half are thieves.

When you're homeless, you don't want just survival tactics. You want thrival tactics-you want to improve your situation and thrive. Here are some tips on really roughing it.

* Buy a tent and sleeping bags for people in your family ahead of time. Check out the local campgrounds and see what's available.

* If you can't camp, consider sleeping in your car. You can do that with a car cover. Park in an apartment complex. Put a car cover on your car, but leave enough room to get in the door. Close the door, and roll down the window. Pull down the rest of the car cover and roll up your window.

* If you can't afford rent, don't want to stay in a shelter or sleep in your car, and alternative housing isn't available, see if you can sc.r.a.pe together money to join a gym. A gym gives you a place to use the bathroom, shower, and freshen up. The better you look, the easier it is to improve your situation.

* If you lose your home, most people will think there's something wrong with you. Do not bring it up in conversation with potential employers or casual friends (though you can tell casual friends you're looking for a cheap place to crash because you don't like where you're staying now).

* Do not fixate on the loss of material things. Things can improve, but you have to keep a good att.i.tude, even in the worst of times.

What If You' re the One Taking in Refugees?

Remember all those reciprocal deals you made with your friends and family? Suppose your Uncle Clem, his loudmouth wife, and their five dysfunctional kids take you up on the offer. They tell you that the Apocalypse made its debut in their backyard, so they're going to stay a while.

After three days, you may get the urge to announce you're going out for a carton of milk, pick up your own bug-out bag on the way out the door, and not come back until you're sure they're gone. Fight that urge! If you've been acting on the recommendations in this book, you're better prepared than most to ride this out.

Here are some of the things you need to think about in advance . . .

Food. Feeding a family of flat-broke refugees can get expensive, but that year's worth of emergency food you've laid in is going to come in handy.

Sleeping arrangements. You keep your own bed-no giving it to the refugees. It will only make you resent them more. The kids can sleep on the couch, reclining lawn chairs, or even on the floor if they use your sleeping bags. Big pillows are all the bed a little kid needs in a pinch. In preparation, you might want to stock up on extra blankets, sheets, towels, and other bedding, which you can often find cheap at garage sales. Refugees can't be choosers.

Lay down your rules, but don't be a tyrant. Keep rules to a minimum, but if you get the ground rules out of the way, everyone's going to be happier. Post the rules you care about-keeping them to yourself and then shouting, "Because I say so!" makes you sound like a jerk.

Break out the entertainment. Now's the time to have fun with your stash of board games and playing cards. And if you 've been making your own home-brewed beer or wine, so much the better.

If your reciprocal arrangements are with a family that has younger kids than your own, keep an eye out for garage sales where you can pick up a few toys for the younger ones. It's a good way to make them feel safe and welcome.

Be a gracious host. Offer to look after the kids while the adults try to salvage their lives long-distance. Buy them clothes if they need them, and introduce the kids to neighborhood children.

It is okay to keep a running tab of expenses. It would be pretty mean-spirited to keep track of every nickel and dime, but if you make big outlays on your guests' behalf, they'll want to pay you back down the road.

An important part of being a gracious host-do not use this as a time to re-open old feuds.

Medicines. If you have stashed medical supplies, you may get a chance to use them. If refugees show up on your doorstep needing medical attention, break out the supplies and do what you can to stabilize them. This is one reason why it's handy to know which of your neighbors are doctors, nurses, EMTs, or other health professionals.

Find work around the house. Giving your guests projects around the house and/or yard will not only lighten your load, it will also make them feel useful and take their minds off the apocalypse at hand (or whatever).

If it comes down to it, help them get established. Sometimes, normal life disappears with a roaring fire, raging river, or mushroom cloud over a city. In that case, your guests will need help starting a new life.

Your guests may need a gentle nudge to start re-establishing their lives, especially if they've been traumatized or are simply lazy couch potatoes. That means you may need to devote some time and energy to helping them find an apartment, apply for needed services, and look for a job. If yours is the only car, phone, and computer, you may need to share more than you 'd like. Remember, it is for a good cause.

And when a gentle nudge doesn't work, you may need to be blunt and give them a deadline. Tell them gently but firmly, "We've been glad to host you while we could, but we simply can't anymore."

Above all, be grateful that you are the one who gets to help. It sucks to have to be on the receiving end of someone else's generosity.

Do You Want to Put Gas Masks in Your Bug-Out Bag?

When you bring up the question of gas masks, the response of many people is, "you're too paranoid." On the other hand, a friend of mine was murdered by deliberate anthrax poisoning, so my answer usually is, "you're not paranoid enough."

The main problems with gas masks are (1) the expense is high for something you'll probably never use, and (2) finding any that will fit kids can be a challenge (although medical tape will help that problem). But when you need gas masks, they're worth their weight in gold.

In 1978, in Youngstown, Florida, a freight train derailed in the middle of the night and a rail car containing chlorine gas split open. A cloud of deadly gas boiled out.1 Chlorine gas turns to acid in the lungs and leaves victims bleeding from the nose and mouth.