The first step you need to take is a personal assessment. What threats exist in your area? Learn the history of your area and research possible disaster causers: dams, factories, fault lines, tornado alleys, etc. Before you do anything else, make sure you have the tools you will need to properly help yourself is a disaster were to occur: shovels, axes, utility shutdown tool, communication method if you are trapped, etc.

Now-a-days with all of our technological advancements, we should be living in space age homes, right? Wrong. Many Americans live in homes that were built a long time ago. Even though, some very ancient structures have lasted into modern times, most of our homes would not fall under that category. These older homes are at risk because their structure is already weakening due to time alone. Add in a natural disaster to withstand and they could be in big trouble.

 

 

If you every do get a chance to build from scratch, research your local area. Once you assess your threats, you can seriously consider your building options and materials. For example, if you are in a tornado area, you may consider building with brick or a concrete material to make a sturdier structure. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to be able to find out what the local risks are and consider those things when building.

If you are in an earthquake area, you will want to make sure that you follow proper instructions for household decorations and hot water tanks. Water tanks need to have a security strap. Anything that is large and sits against the wall, like a bookshelf, should be attached at the top of the wall to avoid it tipping over in an earthquake.

If you are in a tornado area, you may consider more stone like items for construction, as mentioned above. Alternatively you could build an underground room. At the very least you should have a safe room with no windows.

If you are in a wild fire area you need to be conscious of landscaping. Think about fire mitigation when making choices. For example if you are redoing a flowerbed consider using small stone as a cover rather than wood chips. Trim grass down and trees up at least five feet so if there is a fire it can't jump into the tree canape. Make considerations for your food supply. Would you lose it all in a fire? If so you should consider burying some of it. 

After a fire your landscape options can make a big difference as well. After a fire your property may be at risk for mudslides. Make sure to replant trees and foliage as soon as possible. They will help to mitigate flooding and mudslides.

Long term implications after a disaster can be hard to predict. This is often called the "domino effect." For example, years of drought in California have left huge swaths of dead trees throughout the forest. These trees are even more vulnerable to wild fire. You may survive the disaster but you need to be ready for the after effects as well.

 

If you have to bug out, you will have to be very conscious of your terrain. You can get rained out, stuck in floods, experience high heat or be attacked by wild animals.  

Building hidden food storage into your home, may not always be the best idea. If your home is destroyed, then what do you do? If security is compromised, then what? If the storage conditions weren't ideal all your food may be spoiled by the time you need it. Rodents can get into walls as well as bugs. If a family member knows about the hiding spot they may raid it for things they like, leaving you with less supplies than you thought in a SHTF situation.

Speculating on an eruption of the super volcano in Montana, we were left with few answers. The devastation would be world wide as volcanic ash shrouded the sun. Even without the weather problems, the ash itself may devastate the bread basket of the United States if the wind was blowing correctly. If you survived the ash and the immediate panic you would be left to survive in another ice age.