1. REALIZE IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU
2. HAVE A PLAN
3. HAVE PROVISIONS IF IN THE EVENT YOU NEED THEM

Let's address the first item on the list
Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean that it won't Think about where you are and all the possibilities.

Northeast US is subject to severally cold weather & terrorism
Southeast US is subject to hurricanes & terrorism
Central US is subject to tornadoes & terrorism
Southwestern US is subject to earthquakes, wildfires & terrorism
Northwest US is subject to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wildfires & terrorism
Pretty much everyone is subject to just bad weather & terrorism

What makes you think it can't happen to you?

Next on the list, is to have a plan.
Think about all the bad things that can happen, think about where you are and what you can do in case of an emergency.
Write a plan on paper, this is the first step in preparedness and the most difficult to realize. If you think about it, creating a plan is accepting the fact that it can happen and disrupt your life & life style, get over it!

Lastly have the things you would need on hand and ready if the worst happens.
FEMA, the American Red Cross and many other organizations constantly tell us to have 72 hours of emergency provisions ready for emergencies. Having these provisions and using them can save you life, it's quite simple, don't ignore it!

Most folks have problems with preparing due to lack of information and realization.

Here is a short list of items you would want to have on hand

1. Water, 5-7 gallons of potable water per person is best, that's right, it you have 4 people in your household go the local water store and buy 4, 5 gallon jugs of water and store it in a safe place. Most filtered water from stores will have an average of 5 years shelf life.

2. Food, 3 days of food can go a long way. Buy food that you would not normally eat, this will prevent you from eating it on a whim, however if you need it, it will taste real good. Buy foods that have a long shelf life for example dried foods.

3. First aid kit, not just some flimsy set of Band-Aids, but a real kit.

4. Have a flashlight & extra batteries, or even better a self charging flashlight.

5. Have a radio on hand with batteries, it will be your best source of information.

6. Have extra clothes, glasses & medications

In most cases of emergency you will have pre warning, however in other cases you won't it will just happen.