Emergency preparedness is becoming very popular among Americans today. Whether it is because devastating natural disasters or the thought of something happening to the human race (zombie apocalypse), more and more people are growing interested in preparing for the unexpected. Here are four things that you want to make sure you stock up on when you’re planning for disaster:

1. Fuel – Having some back-up fuel can be a lifesaver in an emergency. Fuel is needed to cook, heat and drive. It doesn’t hurt to have some seasoned firewood around to start a campfire or to use a wood burning stove or fireplace.
2. No-Cook Foods – In the event of an emergency, you won’t always be able to cook yourself something to eat and you won’t find stocked shelves at the grocery store. Because of this, the need for a supply of foods that require no cooking is essential. These foods include seeds and nuts, pudding cups, tuna, peanut butter, granola bars, jerky and dried fruit.
3. Light Sources and Batteries – Most devastating natural disasters mean power outages, so it’s important to have flashlights, lanterns, candles, and batteries stocked up.
4. Water – Water is necessary for drinking, bathing, cooking, laundry and sanitation. In addition to hoarding bottles of water, it’s necessary to have a way to purify water on hand. You can boil it or add eight drops of bleach per gallon of water. There are also alternatives out there now, such as the SteriPen, which is placed in the water and uses UV light to purify it.

There’s plenty more than you can hoard to prepare for a disaster, such as socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes and toiletries, but the four aforementioned are the most important. After all, you can’t live without drinking and eating. For more information on planning for disaster or to get a quote on California life, auto or home insurance, contact Young Insurance.