Who can you depend upon upon in a disaster?

Well, yourself.

Prepare an "away" kit. Be sure to include all prescription medicines you might take and, if possible, additional handwritten prescriptions from your doctor for more. Include toilet paper, a good book or two, some food with a long shelflife (I use MREs) that won't freeze, a Lexan or metal bowl and cup for each person, water purification tablets or pump, strike-anywhere matches in a waterproof container, a sharp pocketknife (lockback is safest), appropriate clothing, a blanker or sleeping bag for each person -- think of it as an impromptu camping trip that will last a week. And a cell phone WITH CHARGER.

Don't let your gasoline tank get below half, either.

Prepare a safe place at home, away from glass doors and windows. Plan for a stay of a couple of weeks. Be sure to include enough water!

I have a radio that will run on batteries or by a crank -- no, I didn't buy it, it was a Christmas present a couple years ago.

Flashlights and batteries. Perhaps some of those light sticks, too.

Now. Most of this stuff you already have! No need to buy it! If you have a water heater, turn it off, close the inlet valve, and voila! gallons and gallons of good water!

How much food do you have at home right now? -- plan on eating frozen stuff first. Canned (tinned) stuff you could grab? Don't plan on gourmet meals, but take it from one who knows, a bowl of warm rice with chunks of beef jerky and a few raisins cooked in it can beat a five star meal under the right conditions. And water, cold or warm, can make a very satisfying drink.

Tag the stuff you want to save; set a priority (a red sticker means... a blue one means...).

Use your imagination. You can survive -- heck, your ancestors did, didn't they?