Are you shopping around for a doomsday survival guide? Unfortunately many people are today. There are predictions that the world will end in 2012 and of course there are many other reasons to worry about what might be called a doomsday. The environment continues to be eroded every day, there is a proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world, and things like terrorism, crime, and economic collapse can make anyone think about their very survival. So what should you look for in a guide that is meant to help you survive these things?

A practical guide is one thing you should consider. It's not enough to just scream that the world is going end; a guide should tell you how to keep yourself safe and how to survive in the toughest of circumstances. It might include a checklist of items you should always have in the house such as bottled water, canned goods, a can opener, matches, candles, flashlights, fresh batteries, blankets, duct tape, plastic sheeting, basic medicines and first aid materials like bandages and rubbing alcohol, and so on.

Some guides even go so far so as to teach you how to grow your own food, whether in a soil garden or with hydroponics, which is a water based solution of food for plants. Your guide should never encourage you to do anything illegal or downright dangerous, such as tapping into a city's water supply or living in the hills away from society when you have no idea how to survive in such an environment. But a good doomsday survival guide will give you some practical pointers and advice for how to get through and make the best of any difficult situation.



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Where can you find all you need to know about 2012, the year when supposedly the world or just society in general is going to crumble? Some say that according to Mayan calendars and predictions by Nostradamus and others, this year will be very significant and will be marked by collapses of different societies and social structures overall. Do you believe this? Would you like to find out more?

Of course no one can say absolutely what will happen in 2012, at least not until the year 2013, but sometimes it's better to be prepared than to be sorry! And of course people are always facing disasters and crises of one type or another, regardless of the year or predictions and prophecies.

To find out about 2012, of course you can consult the internet as it has a wealth of information about these predictions and how to survive any disaster. While you may at first be skeptical of making certain plans for yourself, remember that disaster preparedness is always a good idea no matter what. There's nothing wrong with finding out how to survive a terrorist attack, invading army, natural disaster, or anything else that are unfortunate parts of our world today. If you consider how what may happen in 2012 is already being foreshadowed by terrible and tragic events today, then you may realize how important it is to at least be informed, and then of course you can make up your own mind about appropriate action.



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Your personal documents may not survive an emergency disaster that comes unexpectedly. You may find that you don't have time to gather them up at the time of the disaster. No matter where you live, no one is immune from the possibility of become a victim of flood, fire, or earthquake.

Your priceless possessions, such as your family photos, baby pictures, wedding albums, scrapbooks and other keepsakes, are the irreplaceable documents that cannot be recovered.

Birth certificates, passports, insurance papers can eventually be restored to you but the headache of replacing them is time consuming and can be very costly.

The following are the items that you should protect.

1. Wills. In most cases you need the original for a will be legally binding. You should made several copies since no state or city office keeps a record of wills.

2. Trust documents

3. Birth and Death Certificates

4. Titles and Deeds

5. Licenses such as vehicle, professional, marriage etc.

6. Legal and financial documents

7. Business files

8. Personal and Family Records

9. Personal family photos and keepsakes

10. Account Numbers

11. Household inventory. This is a especially valuable in case of fire.

12. Key, jewelry

13. Cash. During a major emergency check and credit cards often are ineffective.

Placing your documents and valuables in a fire-proof, waterproof safe provides the best protection. However, if you can't afford a safe, make sure your personal documents are enclosed in heavy plastic, placed on a high shelf and the family is aware of its location.

Keeping copies of vital documents such as birth certificates and insurance papers and some cash should be kept with your 72 hours kit or in a location that is quickly accessible if you have to leave your home quickly.

Bottom Line: Advance preparation is your only insurance policy against disappointment and heartache. Make sure you protect your personal documents and valuables in the best manner you can afford.



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The first step in preparing for a natural disaster is to make a disaster risk assessment. Being aware and informed about the type of disaster, both natural and man made, that is most likely to occur where you live will increase your survival.

The West and West Coast regions of the country are the most likely to have earthquakes. If you live in "Tornado Alley" which consists of Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota and Northern Texas, you are more prone to experience tornados and high winds than earthquakes.

The Southeast coast and the Gulf coast are the most susceptible to hurricanes. Florida is the most vulnerable state for hurricanes because it has two coastlines.

Even though high water can occur almost anywhere, low lying areas near the Mississippi and Missouri rivers are inclined to have frequent flooding. Also, flooding and mud side disasters can occur in all mountain areas because of heavy rainfall or early snow melt.

You can be forewarned of some natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornados, flooding and fire, by being alerted via TV broadcasts, emergency radio, or the Internet. Perhaps in your community, you will receive a phone call or hear a special siren. Emergency workers have been known to go door-to-door in isolated areas to notify citizens of pending dangers.

Other natural disasters, such as earthquakes, and some fires are hard to predict.

Regions that are vulnerable to these types of crisis generally have emergency disaster centers that are equipped with disaster risk management information. All you need to do is ask.

Bottom Line: By making a disaster risk assessment and getting information from your local Emergency Disaster Center, you will reduce your survival risks substantially. Protect yourself and your family by becoming educated about your community vulnerability disaster risks.



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The first step to emergency preparedness is to educate yourself about your community's emergency plans, warning signals evacuation routes and shelters.

If your saying to yourself, you don't live near an ocean, just remember the effects of a hurricane can be felt 100's of miles inland. This can cause flooding and severe rainstorms. Every home should have a well stocked emergency survival kit that can accommodate 3 days. Along with well stocked emergency kit you should have a full prescription medications available. If your family is young you should have adequate supply of baby food, formulas, diapers and other needed supplies for babies. A large container of wipes for the whole family and hygiene products to keep clean. Along with these supplies you have an emergency survival kit for your car that contains food, flares, battery cables, tools, first aid kit, sleeping bags etc..

Hurricanes can be predicted through the national weather service and they can warn coastal areas within 24-36 hours. This gives you time to stock up on gas, medications, food, flares, cover windows and doors with ply wood, fill sinks and bathtubs with water as extra supply for washing.

According to the CDC the great majority of injuries during a hurricane are cuts caused by flying glass or other debris. Other injuries include puncture wounds resulting from exposed nails, metal or glass and lastly bone fractures.

The CDC recommends 5 actions to get through a hurricane.

• Monitor radio or television if possible
• Stay indoors until authorities declare the storm over
• Do not go outside even if the weather appears to have calmed because the eye of the storm can pass quickly.
• Stay away from windows and exterior doors seeking shelters in bathrooms or hallway or closet
• Prepare to evacuate to shelter or neighbors if your home is damaged. Hurricanes can be very scary, however if you have an emergency preparedness plan and well stocked emergency survival kit, the chances for survival for this kind of disaster increase dramatically.

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Food that has come in contact with flood waters may be contaminated. It is important to know what you can and cannot eat after the flood. Screw caps, snap lids, pull tops, and crimped cap food containers are not waterproof and are not safe to eat after the flood if they came in contact with the water.

Canned foods exposed to flood waters - discard any cans that are leaking, punctured, dented, swelling, or rusting. Some foods can be salvaged after the flood. But steps must be followed to ensure their safety.

• Remove the label. It may harbor dirt and germs. Use an indelible marker to write the contents of the can on the lid.
• Wash the can with hot soapy water.
• Rinse it well.
• Sanitize by either: Immersion in water and then allowed to boil for 2 minutes OR placed in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach per gallon of water) and allowed to sit for 15 minutes.
• Allow the can to air dry thoroughly. At least one hour.
• Use the canned item as soon as possible.

Cleaning your cooking utensils thoroughly is very important.

You should:

• Thoroughly wash them with hot soapy water.
• Rinse completely.
• Sanitize by immersing in bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water)
• Allow to air dry completely

Your counter tops should be:

* Thoroughly washed with hot soapy water
* Rinsed completely
*Sanitized the bleach solution and allowed to air dry.

Special note: always use unscented plain bleach. No lemon (or any other flavor) scented bleaches should ever be used to sanitize your canned foods, cooking utensils, or counter tops.

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Disasters such as fire, flood, hurricane, snow or ice storm could jeopardize your foods' safety. Loss of power is common after a disaster. To reduce the risk of food borne illnesses, it is important to know how to determine if your food is safe.

A is for always. Always keep your meat, poultry, and fish at or below 40 degrees and frozen foods at or below 0 degrees. If the power is out, this may become very difficult. Keep the door closed on your refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator will only stay cold for about 4 hours if the door is kept closed and significantly less than that if it is opened. A freezer will hold the temperature for about 48 hours (if it is full and 24 hours if it half full). Again, the amount of time the temperature will hold is significantly less if the door is opened.

B is for be prepared for any emergency. You can do this by keeping on hand items that are shelf stable (don't require refrigeration). These include items such as canned goods, pasta, and other ready to eat items. Be sure to not leave out your pets and keep plenty of their food on hand. Don't forget to keep a hand held can opener available. If you plan on cooking any of these items on your grill - make sure you have gas or charcoals for your grill.

C is for consider. Consider what you can do to store your food safely for an emergency. If you live a flood prone area, you may want to plan your food storage on shelves that are high off the ground. Coolers are a great idea. Keep frozen gel packs to keep your food cold in case of a power outage. Consider keeping water frozen in used milk containers if your freezer is not full. This will help keep your freezer cooler.

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