Shelter

A basic form of shelter can be critical in an emergency situation. Depending upon the particular emergency, you'll hopefully be able to stay inside your safe and secure home that provides all of your basic shelter needs. Some nature events can't be predicted though, so having basic shelter on hand as a backup can come in handy.

If your electricity goes off due to a winter storm as in the previous example, you can erect a tent inside a room in the center of your home to help contain your body heat and prevent you from freezing. If your home is unsafe due to structural damage from a hurricane or earthquake, you can use a tent as rudimentary shelter outside in the yard away from dangerous structures.

If you are away from home when a disaster event happens, having a quick tent or shelter of some sort on hand can help determine how well you weather the event.

Granted you can't carry a small tent or other type of basic shelter with you if you travel regularly by train, bus or other public transportation systems, but you can make primary and secondary backup plans about where you will take shelter in the event of an emergency. When making your plans, be sure to determine whether you need different plans for different types of disasters. A major flood or tsunami might require you to go to higher ground for example, or the third floor of a building, whereas a tornado or hurricane is better sheltered from by going underground or to an interior room of a strong building.