Disasters have this nasty habit of popping up when you least expect them. This being the case, it pays to be always prepared. There is no convenient time for a disaster so you must keep a few things readily accessible.
First, keep emergency survival kits in your home and in every vehicle you own. A first aid kit, some food and water, a change of clothes, toiletries and hygiene items should cover the basics. Take note of the number of persons in your household and scale accordingly. It is better to have an excess supply of food and water than being forced to live on a few drops and crumbs. Take note of the needs of your beloved pets too.
Survival gear becomes more important when you are out in the wilderness. There are simply too many things that could go wrong out there. A simple scrape or sprain is a mere inconvenience in civilization but outdoors, it could quickly escalate into something life threatening. You have to be equipped to handle most incidents. In addition to survival kits, a dependable survival knife is a must-have. You will never run out of food and you will always have shelter when you have your trusty survival knife with you.
That last statement can be a little misleading though. Yes you can provide for yourself with just a knife but you have to know how to use it. Survival training is sometimes even more important than survival gear. You can let a hardcore survivalist loose in the middle of nowhere and he will be fine with just a