One of the scariest things about disasters and emergencies is that they take us by surprise.
We’re not prepared, we don’t know what to do, and we panic. This can cause us to become victims of the emergency and put ourselves in grave danger, so that’s why you need a shtf plan.
What’s a shtf events plan?
This is basically a plan you should have in place for when the s—t hits the fan. While you can’t plan 100 percent for every single possible emergency or disaster, it’s a good idea to plan for as many as you can.
Here are examples of common emergencies and what to do if they affect you. But don’t just go according to this list.
It’s in your best interest to ensure that you stay informed about possible risks in your particular city or region, and prepare as much as you can for those, too.
Floods

You should prepare well ahead for a possible flood so that you’ll be able to keep your family and yourself safe.
Stay informed about your area’s flood risk. Then, prepare an emergency kit with food, bottled water, and other items such as flashlights and emergency lamps.
Protect your valuables – roll up your carpets and rugs and move all your valuables as well as electronics to a higher level to keep them safe.
Your important documents should all be stored in waterproof cases so that they’re safe and ready to be taken with you should a flood occur and you need to evacuate your home.
If you have to move to a safer location, you want to bring your emergency kit, medications, warm clothing, and a radio from which you can stay informed about the news.
It’s a good idea to put sandbags in your toilet bowl as well as over drain holes to prevent a sewage backflow.
This should also be done if you stay in your home. If you’re leaving your home, remember to turn off gas and electricity supplies to your home.
Earthquakes

To protect yourself in the event of an earthquake, make sure you secure all heavy items in your home, such as refrigerators, televisions, and bookcases so that they won’t fall and hurt you.
Set up an emergency family communication plan. This should involve a loved one who lives in a different state.
It’s important that you and your family members decide what you’ll do and where you’ll go if an earthquake strikes. You can find a great example of this plan on the Ready website.
Ensure you have an emergency kit prepared that contains at least three days’ worth of food and water for all members of your family.
You also want to have survival items such as a flashlight, extra batteries, a radio, and a whistle.
Make sure you and your family members practise the “Drop, Cover, and Hold” method.
This is when you drop down underneath steady furniture, cover your head and hold onto the furniture during an earthquake.
If you’re not near any sturdy furniture, you should sit with your back against the wall and hold your knees to your chest while also covering your head with your arms.
Stay away from windows and mirrors. If you’re outside, stay in an open area far from buildings, bridges, and power lines. The same goes for if you’re in a car – you want to stop in an open area.
Prolonged Power Outages

If your area is experiencing a power outage that lasts for hours or even days, such as in the case of a bad storm, you need to ensure that you and your family are equipped to deal with it.
If the power outage is as a result of a natural disaster, this could also result in nearby shops and other buildings having been destroyed, so your best bet is to stay home.
Prepare for a power outage in the following ways:
- Ensure your generator works and is filled with fuel should you need it.
- Stockpile emergency food, water, and batteries.
- Ensure you have a working emergency lamp.
- Stock up on candles, matches, and lighters.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors (with backup batteries) in your home.
- Purchase extra power banks for your devices and keep them charged.
- Keep extra bottles of gas.
- Make use of a transistor radio.
Nuclear Explosions

A nuclear explosion produces intense heat and light and disperses radioactive materials that can pollute the air, land, and water for many miles.
To survive one, you’ll need to follow important tips.
- Plan ahead for where you’ll go, bearing in mind that you want to be in a place that’s as far away as the explosion as possible, with dense materials between you and the particles – think thick walls, bricks, and concrete. A nuclear explosion fallout is most dangerous in the first two weeks, then the particles before it drops to around one percent of its initial radiation level, Redcross explains. So, ideally, you should have a place where you can go to and stay with your loved ones for about two weeks.
- Once you’re in this safe space, make sure that fireplace dampers are closed, fans are turned off, and air conditioners as well as air-heating units are also switched off to prevent unwanted air from outside finding its way inside to you.
- Set up an emergency kit that contains food, water, flashlights, battery-powered radio, family-sized first-aid kit, medications, multi-purpose tools, personal hygiene items, cash, emergency blankets, and sleeping bags so that you can comfortably shelter in place.
Terrorist Attacks

Terrorist attacks are common all over the world.
You never know when one will affect the area in which you live and it could result in people having to be evacuated.
Ensure that you take your essential supplies, such as first aid supplies, food, water, sleeping bags, a battery-powered radio, extra batteries, cash, and a multitool.
If there are riots occurring or you’re worried about the air quality, you should take a gas mask with you.
Make sure you wear long pants, durable shoes, and long-sleeved shirts to protect your body as much as possible.
It’s important to have an evacuation plan in place. Know where you will go and where you will meet your loved ones should a terrorist attack occur.
It’s also a good idea to have more than one emergency kit with all your essentials so that you have one in your workplace as well as your home in case you end up in a lockdown situation.
Economic Collapse

When facing an economic collapse, your whole life can be thrown into turmoil.
Minimize the damage by becoming more self-sufficient.
- Stock up on extra food. You can do this slowly during your grocery food shopping tips. Focus on buying foods with long lifespans, such as oats, pasta, rice, dried beans. You can supplement this stash with freeze-dried emergency meals. Also stock up on bottled water.
- Start growing your own food. Even if you don’t have green fingers, there are many types of produce that are really easy to grow, such as tomatoes and beans that can feed your family and save you money during tough times.
- Stock up on hygiene items, such as feminine hygiene products, soap, shampoo, and toothpaste. Buy items in bulk as much as you can as this will save you money.
- Stock up on OTC medications and see if you can purchase a few extra weeks’ worth of your prescription medicine.
- Ensure you have a first-aid kit that’s family-sized.
- Start saving as much money as you can so that you have between three to six months’ worth of income in an emergency account should the worst happen.
- Have cash on hand and ensure that your investments are not tied up for many years – you need to have accessible money during a crisis.
- Have a bug-out plan in place so that you can leave your home and go to a safer location, such as if the economic collapse leads to an increase in crime and protests. This destination should be stocked with food, water, medication, and anything else you need.
How To Prepare Your Pets For An Emergency

You should ensure that your pets have been microchipped and have I.D. collars in case they get lost.
Stock up on their extra items when you stockpile your own emergency kits, such as by buying extra quantities of their medication, food, and treats.
Make sure you have extra water and food bowls, leashes, beds, and carrier bags should you have to evacuate your home.
When working out a home evacuation plan, choose a destination that will allow your pets to be there. Planning this ahead of time will be less stressful, for both you and Fido.
Related Questions
What personal documents should you take with you when evacuating your home?
Make sure you’ve got your social security card, passport, health insurance card, marriage/divorce papers, birth certificate, insurance policies, driver’s license, and medical records.
Store them in a waterproof case so they’re ready to be taken with you if you have to evacuate your home.
What should be in a first aid kit?
Fill a medical kit with plasters, bandages, gauze dressings, safety pins, disposable sterile gloves, scissors, tweezers, cleansing wipes, thermometers, antiseptic cream, sticky tape, insect spray, painkillers, antihistamine cream, cough medicine, distilled water for cleaning wounds, and eye drops.
How can you remain calm during an emergency?
Before an emergency strikes, prepare a list of instructions, such as pertaining to evacuation plans, and keep it somewhere handy so you can read from it.
Having instructions can help to keep you calm. Knowing that you’ve prepared supplies ahead of time will also minimize your stress.
Conclusion
There are many different types of emergencies and disasters that can affect you and your loved ones.
While it’s not always easy to prepare for all of them, there are some important tips you can take.
In this article, we’ve looked at how to keep yourself safe during various types of emergencies, such as floods, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and power outages.
Preparation is most of the work done and during a crisis will ensure that you can reduce your stress and think clearly.