And never forget that running may be your best option under some circumstances.

Keep some bags or totes near the front door with necessities. Even if you have to run from a very local disaster (toxic tanker overturned, etc), all the places upwind of the spill will be stripped of useful goods by the time you get there.

When I saw the lines of traffic at a dead stop on the freeways ahead of Katrina, my foremost thought was, "I would sure hope that I had the sense to bring a bucket toilet and some sawdust along..."

Sue