Never having experienced a quake like that... you've gotten some advice already, but I'll toss in my 2 cents worth. (Chris K's first hand account was super, btw. IIRC, his Mauser is in some obscure "tropical" caliber - Chris, do you rec solids or softpoints for stopping charging looters? LoL - JK). <br><br>On stoves: if you don't want to spend a lot of money and don't want to use white gas, how about propane appliances fueled from disposable one pound cylinders? Several to choose from, including lanterns, and they tend to be fairly inexpensive and simple. [Side note: I think the kerosene advice is fine, but not for me. I've used wick type stoves, pressurized kero, diesel, JP5, mogas, alcohol, LPG, etc. Personally, I find pressurized "gasoline" stoves most preferable, followed by various LPGs. And packaged fuel like Coleman and Blazo has stabilizer in it, so a sealed can stays good long enough. BUT - I agree about the slightly elevated hazards for the unwary and/or inexperienced.]<br><br>Light: If not a lantern (see propane, above), then how about a nice candle lantern like an Ucco? I've used one for a long time and they work great. Haven't seen it in person, but there's a new version of it out that has an LED lamp built into the base as well as the original version. Ucco's take a specific size candle, so stock a few spares. Of course, LED lights with a few spare batteries would be just dandy, too.<br><br>What if your building is unsafe/unstable? At least a tarp and some cordage would be a good thing to have handy. Along those lines, perhaps a packable 72 hour kit kept with you (in your vehicle?) as the nucleus of your more extensive supplies at home would be a good idea (what if your building collapses or you cannot return to it for a couple of days?) You can lug that much stuff around without a fancy backpack in your climate, I think. If the weight is too much, cut the 72 hour water down a bit - you probably would be OK at 2 liters/quarts a day for three days if you conserve sweat.<br><br>I'd keep a walking stick handy (with 72 hour gear) as well. Something in the "quarterstaff" type model - broomstick or larger "natural" one that is about 1/2 foot taller than you. Too many potential uses to list here. Keep it simple - who would want to steal a stick?<br><br>Just a few thoughts that I hope are helpful to you as you sort all this out and decide what to do.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tom<br><br><br>