[OldPossum]

Yes, Carolyn, it is good to live in a rural area. Having a top-quality wood stove (to replace the heat pump if it goes out), a well usable by non-electric means if necessary, and a stockpile of food and water, all these comfort us.

[aeronca]

One Sept 11th, I watched the news (in shock) and by noon time of that day, I had gone to the store, cleaned out a cabinet and filled it with emergency food. It shouldn't take a billion dollar color code chart to tell Americans that "something has changed" in this country.
Get batteries, ammo, (and nuke pills if you are outside of an immediate blast zone of a nuclear power plant. Iosat: Potassium Iodide tablets). I bought our nuke pills last year. Also invested in a large tool box and stocked it full of first aid stuff and even an army field surgical kit.
Keep gas tank full in car, camp stove and fuel and have a plan for rendevous with family members.
Being prepared is all we can do and it doesn't seem like much, but life is like being on a ship and no one sails without a life boat.
:)