Don't look now; it's hurricane season again! In addition, to dangerous hurricanes and tropical storms, we are fighting to overcome the worst natural disaster in history in the Gulf oil spill. If you live anywhere near the Gulf of Mexico, I'd be willing to bet that most you know at least one person who has been negatively affected by tropical storms or hurricanes. The oil spill in the Gulf has had devastative effects on Louisiana and most experts feel it's only a matter of time before Alabama and Florida feel the same effects. Hurricanes, oil spills, tornadoes, floods; you may not be able to stop them from occurring, but you can have a plan just in case. During Hurricane Katrina, thousands of people were stranded for days and even weeks without the necessary supplies to survive. No one imagined, that the levees would be breached and water would fill New Orleans like a soup bowl, but it did. No food, no water, no transportation, no electricity, no police, nothing; for weeks. Can you imagine being in this type of situation? Thousands thought it would never happen to them, tragically it did and very few were prepared. This year I urge you to put together an emergency kit, just in case. The kit needs to be assembled now, so it is ready if you need it. This safety kit should contain basics like non-perishable food, water, prescription medicine,first aid, self defense products and much more. It is simple to do, doesn't cost a fortune and could save your life. Go out and purchase a water tight plastic storage container from Home Depot or Walmart. Now use the following to create your list of everything you need to create the perfect emergency safety kit for yourself and family. Be conscious to buy enough to last your family a minimum of 5 days. The first items you will want to stock up on are necessities of food and water.

• Bottled water, purifying tablets. Purifying tablets are invaluable if there is no clean drinking water. The one thing your body cannot do without is water so stock up.
• Non-perishable food. Purchase food that has no chance of going bad. Canned goods are a good option. You can also stop by an army surplus store and purchase Meals Ready to Eat (MRE's).
• Hand can opener
• Baby food, formula
• Vitamins
• Snacks
• Powdered or canned milk
• Pet food, if needed.

Be sure to plan for health needs; this means everything from prescriptions to first aid. Many thousands of people became very ill and some even died because they could not get there medications filled for weeks after Hurricane Katrina.

• Prescription refills
• Bandages, gauze pads
• Safety pins
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Adhesive tape
• Antiseptic spray
• Soap
• Rubbing alcohol
• Latex gloves
• Baby diapers
• Eye glasses, contacts, eyecare products
• Toilet paper
• Sun block
• Bug repellent

• Unfortunately, in times of disasters and emergencies people tend to lose there cool out of desperation and do things that could threaten or endanger others. Safety gear is a must have in any emergency situation.
• Self defense products such as a good pepper spray or pepper mace product
• Rain gear - poncho, umbrella
• Blankets, sleeping bags
• Hat, sun visor
• Work gloves
• Flashlights, extra batteries
• Boots, shoes with rigid soles
• Weather radio, portable radio and extra batteries

• If tragedy does strike, important documents like your drivers license or ID and tax returns are a must have. The first thing FEMA or the Red Cross will ask you for is identification and to verify your income. Without the necessary documents emergency aid could be delayed.
• Insurance documents
• Tax documents
• Personal identification
• Extra Cash
• Address book
• Reading material, coloring activities for kids
• Hurricane tracking chart