From what I've heard, emergency shelters are fairly regimented. They would probably have to be, or everyone would have a different opinion.

Fire is probably out of the question. I'm sure you couldn't use it indoors in a school, etc, and if there's a big problem here in the PNW, it will probably be raining. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I would take stuff that would make me comfortable & stuff to make me less of a drain on Red Cross supplies: water, ready-to-eat food, a small radio, a couple of flashlights, a closed-cell foam sleeping mat & a couple of blankets or a sleeping bag, sleeping mask, soft earplugs, a couple changes of clothes, a deck of cards, some paperback books, phone cards, etc.

If you wanted to take a few things for trading, snuff certainly wouldn't be high on *MY* list! But a few extra decks of cards from the dollar store might relieve some boredom. Extra ear plugs for light sleepers. Chocolate. A cane to trip small children that insist on running past/over you multiple times...

Sue