First and foremost you must have shelter. If your house is still inhabitable, you can stay there. If not, you have to find shelter elsewhere. There are usually shelters set up after a natural disaster but they fill quickly. Get together with neighbors and see what you all have to offer. Any kind of shelter is better than nothing at all.
Food is your next mission. Salvage all you can from your house and store it in a cool dry place. If you are short on food you may be able to find some nearby or if you are in a big disaster area you may be able to barter for food. You can use your heat source to prepare your food. When you have no refrigeration you must cook or smoke all meats as they thaw. The meat will last longer when cooked or smoked eliminating spoiled and wasted food.
You will need warmth if you are in a cooler climate or cooling if you are in a warmer climate. This can be as simple as an open fire to a wood stove or space heater. If heat is a problem, use shade to keep cool or soak a piece of cloth in water.
Do you have transportation available? If you do you have the ability to contact others outside your area. You will be able to learn what is going around you and help you in your decisions on how to handle the situation.
Protection for yourself and others should also be of concern. If you do not have personal protection, get together with others who do. You will want to be able to afford protection for yourself and others against looters.
Make sure you have some type of first aid kit. You can face injuries as small as scratches up to sprains or broken bones. A basic first aid kit is a good place to start. You can expand on this by adding Ace bandages, large gauze and tape.
These are just the basics to get you by until help arrives. Remember to keep a battery operated radio handy to catch all the latest updates on the situation.
