Recent disasters that have taken place in the Midwest and across the nation emphasize that we all need to take safety seriously and have some level of preparedness.  One way is by making sure you have the essentials to take care of yourself (and others) in one place that can be retrieved as needed.  Kiplinger identified 7 essentials and the approximate cost:

• Four-in-one lamp (Coleman Quad Lantern), ~$55.00
• Battery-operated TV, portable power pack, ~$85.00
• Radio (American Red Cross Solarlink FR600 Eton Emergency Radio), ~$87.00
• Portable Power Pack (Duracell DPP-300EP Powerpack 300)  ~$132.00
• Mega generator (ETQ TG32P12), from Eastern Tools & Equipment), ~$500.00
• Portable water (Katadyn Combi is a portable water-purification system that filters out bacteria, protozoa, sediments and other contaminants, ~$200.00
• Corded-telephone.  Cellular communications may be compromised.  Very often land-lines still work when cell phones won’t.  ~$10.00

The Kiplinger slide show can be viewed here.