Here in the UK I have planned for just such an emergency.

In an urban area I feel that it is unwise to count on any type of hunting, foraging, gathering or purchasing.
There will be a lot of competion for any available rescources.

I keep bottled water for a few days, and have a water butt filled from the roof for the long term. I doubt that such water is safe to drink as is, but have a large supply of chlorine tablets to treat it.

I keep basic foods for about 3 months, mainly tins.

I have a small wind turbine and some PV modules, this would allow lighting and refrigeration to be used indefinatly, and would allow very limited use of other appliances.

I have a kerosene cook stove, lamps and space heater in addition, and loads of candles.

For any long term sheltering in place, dont forget plenty of good warm all wool blankets.
Although a good sleeping bag is useful if you have to evacuate, blankets on a proper bed are more comfortable for long term use.
If electricity is available, but most be used frugally, an electric blanket uses much less than heating a house!

Likewise keep a stock of very low power light bulbs, both to save money if times are hard, and to use from a generator, battery, or other limited power source.

If you are prepared, your home should be your first line of "defense" in a survival, EOTHAWKI, situation. Store what you can, where you can and know where things are. An offsite storage facility, located within walking distance, can also be used.

I don't plan on bugging out if I can hunker down. I know how much I can carry, versus how much is in my house and garage.

The key is prior planning.

One thing I've always wondered about...

Here in western WA, every so often high winds are predicted. Immediately, all the stores are stripped of bottled water. Are people just adding to their supply, or have they dumped out the water they bought the last time?

Sue

They probably just drank the bottled water after the last scare was over. So, I think it's less of a "preparing for a rainy day" thing, and more a matter of just buying their groceries a bit sooner than they otherwise would, I imagine. On the other hand, if people were rushing out and buying Aquatainers, then I imagine that there's a better than even chance that they'll just keep that stored water around for emergencies since most people won't want to drink that water under normal circumstances if they don't have to.

Gees, I remember some serious winds in Western Washington as a kid. I recall dad driving us home from Grandma's house over the Narrows Bridge in a VW Bus in very high winds. Dad made a lot of unexpected lane changes.

I also remember living in Longview back in the early 70s and they had a tornado rip through town on Columbus day one year. There were a lot of big Douglas fir behind our house that got knocked down.

Set up rain barrels now, rather than waiting. I have two under the downspouts in the back yard, totaling about 120 gallons. One good t-storm and they are full. I use the water for the veggies during the summer. I do consider these part of my emergency supply. I would not drink the water without taking normal purification precautions. Even with screens on top there is dirt/debris in the water, plus algae growth and who knows what else.

Be wary, some jurisdictions don't allow rainwater collection, and you could end up with an unwanted citation.

Ditto.

Most of my "survival" gear is camping gear.

We camp for fun. The survival aspect of the gear is bonus.

Warm sleeping bags (zero or 20-degree bags) and a tent would be priceless in sheltering-in and bug-out scenarios.

I didn't see any mention of sanitation. If you live where water pressure for flushing depends upon power, or if for some other reason the water pipes or plumbing don't work, you'll be glad you made at least rudimentary provision for the inevitable.

A 5 gallon bucket lined with two trash bags at a time is the minimum.

If at all possible one bucket for solid waste and one for liquid waste makes disposal easier.

Although the radio news, here, announced that sources of sawdust are drying up because the saw mills are idle, a bucket of sawdust or cedar litter, or even kitty litter with a scoop kept beside the solid waste bucket are a good start for a compost toilet.

Diaper wipes from the big box store and a pump bottle of hand sanitizer and plenty of rolls of TP and any other type of necessary sanitary supplies will go a long way to making your SIP healthier and more comfortable.

Philip - we're not far from you, and we pray that if the big quake shakes us all that there's no fire! (Please, God!!!)

> A 5 gallon bucket lined with two trash bags

Well, I'll offer a more comfortable alternative if the house is still useable. You'll have flushed your commode dry, so put your trash bags into the toilet as the removable liner. I've used the 5-gallon bucket, and I'll take my house toilet every time. :->

And I'll agree - wet waste should go outside to the extent possible, dry waste in the toilet.