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072

Shelter

Frequently, when we think of shelter, we think of either our home or emergency protection -- such as a lean-to constructed out of cut branches -- from winter weather.

While that is covered here, there is much more to this critical topic than emergency or cold-weather survival. Most of us are much more likely to be snow-bound on a highway than in the forest -- or left without a roof over our heads due to a hurricane or earthquake, than abandoned in the wilderness far from civilization.

If you expect to be lost in the wilderness and need to build shelter with nothing but the knife in your pocket you're your shoestrings, read one of the fine manuals on wilderness survival. This chapter covers temporary shelter in an emergency and does not include information on how to build permanent or semi-permanent shelters in the wilderness (no teepees or birch-bark houses).

For the purposes of this chapter, Captain Dave considers "shelter" to be everything from the clothes on your back to the building you live in.

Here's a short table of contents:

• Getting by at Home Your home as shelter
• Hurricanes
• Tornadoes
• Earthquakes
• Winter storms
• Floods
• Looters
• Tents
• Other buildings
• On The Road
• Your Car as Shelter
• Winter Survival
• Emergency Shelters

Getting by at Home

In many survival situations, shelter may be as near as your home. If you don't need to evacuate (see chapter 2), you may be better off at home, even if the power is off or the storm threatening. Remember, while your bug-out bag has the bare essentials, your survival stash at home should have enough food and water for weeks or even months.

If you are at home or in the vicinity during a natural or man-made disaster, your first course of action must be to determine where you will be safest. If you decide not to evacuate, you must then set about making your current residence as safe as possible. In many cases, this will mean moving into the basement or another protected part of the house. In an apartment or condominium, your best bet will probably be an interior room without windows, or even the basement of the apartment complex.

You can get the latest weather reports from TV, the internet or radio. An NOAA weather radio is an excellent resource in any weather-related emergency.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are one of the few disasters for which you can anticipate some warning. Thanks to today's advanced satellite tracking, we often get at least three days notice when a hurricane is heading towards land fall, and often four or five. A prudent survivalist will make the most of this time. Compared to the three minute warning you may receive in a tornado, three days is a huge amount of time to prepare and even someone who has done no previous planning can get into pretty decent shape in 72 hours.

If your home is near the shore and the rising surf is threatening, or you appear to be in the direct course of the hurricane, you may be better off evacuating to higher ground. Keep in mind that the storm surge and wind damage may be limited to areas near the shore, but heavy rain and subsequent flooding can result in an emergency situation sometimes hundreds of mile inland. Few areas are capable of handling 12 or 15 inches of rain in a four to six-hour period. Heavy rain from hurricanes and tropical storms has caused mudslides, washed out roads, flooded creeks, streams and rivers, generated damaging lighting strikes and even spawned tornadoes hundreds of miles inland.

Whether or not you choose to evacuate, you must prepare your home to withstand the tremendous structural damage that can be caused by heavy winds, falling trees and objects hurled through windows. Once a window is broken, the power of the hurricane can actually blow the roof off the top of the structure!

Hurricanes cause damage in multiple ways: high winds, flooding, downed trees and utility poles, and storm surges. The farther in-land your location, the less power the hurricane will have by the time it reaches you, so pick your location carefully and build with hurricane damage remediation in mind.

If you decided to stay in your home, you should identify an interior room with no windows to serve as your safe room. If you plan far enough in advance, you can reinforce the room with 2x6 boards or otherwise construct a cage to protect you from fallen trees, caved-in walls or other storm damage. Move whatever survival supplies you will need into the room, especially a battery powered light and radio.

To protect yourself and your property, invest in plywood or commercial hurricane shutters to cover your windows well before hurricane season. (Captain Dave recommends clear hurricane shutters, which are made from tough polycarbonate and allow light to enter the window, unlike their steel and aluminum counterparts. Of course, any hurricane shutter is better than no hurricane shutter.)

If you build in hurricane-prone areas, be sure you are using the latest construction techniques designed to withstand hurricanes and consider designs intended to mitigate hurricane damage. For example, houses can be built on pilings to avoid storm surge or flooding, and houses can be designed with heavy shutters in place. Captain Dave has seen shutters built from 2x6 wood and steel hardware. They are decorative and relatively unobtrusive until needed.

Here are some steps to take if a hurricane is heading your way and you plan to stay home:

1. Make one last trip to the store to pick up food and emergency supplies, including bottled water, propane, batteries and anything that is not already included in your emergency stash. Remember, it is better to have too much than too little.
   
2. Fill your car's tank with gasoline. Fill at least one spare five-gallon plastic container with gasoline.
3. If you own a boat, remove it from the water and secure it in a covered location, if possible and if time allows.
4. If you have a generator, make sure it is in good working order and that you know where the extension cords are. Start it up and run it for at least half an hour. Stale gas is one of the most common reasons generators do not start. If it has been stored with gas in the tank, you may need to drain it and make minor repairs before it will work. It is better to do this before the hurricane than afterwards.
5. Make sure you have plenty of oil and supplies for the generator and power tools such as chain saws. Important accessories can be replacement chains and blades, chain sharpeners, spark plugs, air filters, etc. Ensure you have fresh gasoline available for both. Premix some saw gas.
6. Similarly, if you have a Coleman stove, lamp or similar device that you expect to use after the storm, ensure that it is in good working order. A warm meal or even a hot cup of coffee or cocoa can work wonders during an emergency situation.
   
7. If you have a sump pump, check it and ensure it is fully functional.
8. Hang your hurricane shutters or screw plywood over all the windows. This includes small, decorative widows such as those commonly found in and next to entry doors. Plywood often sells out before a hurricane, so it is best to have yours ahead of time. You can cut it, pre-drill it, and label it for each window in advance so that actual assembly takes place quickly.
9. Remove anything from the yard that may be blown about by the high winds. This includes your barbecue grill, patio furniture, hanging or potted plants, trash cans, bug zapper, tiki torches, pet dishes and toys, garden hoses, lawnmowers and other lawn and garden equipment, children's toys, and anything else that is not firmly anchored to the ground. An 80-mph wind can pick up that trashcan or lawn chair and toss it right through your house.
10. Examine the trees in your yard and immediate area surrounding your house. Identify any dead or damaged limbs and remove them so they do not blow down during the store. This can also be done before hurricane season.
11. Park your car in the garage or another location where you think it will be safe from falling trees and limbs. Avoid low lying areas prone to flooding.
12. Take some "before" pictures to show insurance claims agents. This will show the condition of your house before the storm and the extent of your preparations.
13. Move items away from entryways, basement and other areas prone to flooding.
14. Fill plastic bottles with water and store in your freezer. Once they freeze, they will help keep your fridge and freezer cold if the power goes out as well as provide an additional source of water when they thaw.
15. Charge your cell phones and any spare batteries. Charge any other devices that use rechargeable batteries. Even power tool batteries should be fully charged as they may be needed after the emergency.
16. Create your safe room in an area that has few or no windows or external walls and is not going to flood in heavy rains. Keep in mind that an interior hallway may be your best safe "room." Pre-position your supplier there, including first aid kit, medical supplies, flashlights, etc. Make sure there's a TV and battery powered radio in the room as well as comfortable seating and blankets and pillows. Books and non-electric games or other method of entertainment is also a good idea as you may be stuck in your safe room for quite a few hours.
17. If your home is prone to flooding, move what you can out of the flood zone. Carry things up from the basement or up from the main floor into the upstairs or attic.
    
18. Ensure that all your important papers are in a protected area, and/or are sealed in waterproof containers or zip-lock bags. Contact information for insurance companies and contractors with whom you have worked in the past should also be in your safe room.
19. As the storm approaches, bring in all pets. Any farm animals should be in their barn, which should be sealed up completely. Ensure they have an adequate supply of food and water.
20. Fill up spare water vessels and containers before the power is shut off or the municipal water supply is contaminated.
    
21. If your home uses propane, consider turning off the valve at the tank to prevent leaks if the wind blows over your tank of your gas lines are damaged in the storm. Make sure your propane tank is properly secured.
22. Brace any exterior doors, especially double doors. Close all interior doors in the home. Make sure your garage door is locked and or braced/reinforced. If you have an attached garage, lock the door between your garage and the house.
23. During the storm, remember that the eye is only a lull in the storm and that it will strengthen again. It may appear that the storm has passed, but it is only half over. Stay in your safe room as the eye passes over. If you hear things breaking in another room, do not go and investigate. Keep the doors to your safe room closed for your safety. Come out when the radio gives the all clear or when you can tell from the noise level that the storm has completely passed.
    

After the hurricane has passed, you need to assess the damage, try to get an idea of how long your life will be disrupted, and affect what clean up and repairs are possible given the situation and tools at hand. Here is a simple list for after the storm

• Be sure your house is safe and that you are not endangering yourself by staying there. Examine your roof and walls for structural integrity. If part of your house has collapsed or blown away, you probably need to evacuate or relocate until an engineer is able to determine whether any of it is livable. Keep in mind that your municipality may condemn or declare your home unlivable.
• Use caution and common sense. Look for downed wires and mark the area to keep others out. Just because the storm is over does not mean the danger is. Be careful and don't do foolish things.
• Avoid flooded areas. If you do not need to walk through floodwaters, don't. You don't know how deep they are, what is under them or what is in them. You may be exposing yourself to chemicals or oil residue, which can be hazardous to your health.
• If there is local flooding, beware of snakes and other wildlife that may have crawled onto your land for safety.
• Determine what utilities are working. It's easy to tell if the electricity is off, but what about the gas, phone service, cable, and the water? Listen to the radio to determine if you need to boil the tap water or turn off your gas main
• Use your eyes, experience, and radio reports to determine how long the recovery effort will take.
• Start making a list of damaged items, such as damage to the house and any outbuildings, missing roofing shingles, broken widows, crushed fencing, vehicle damage, etc. Take photos, if possible. If phones are working, contact your insurance company's claims department and file a preliminary report.
• Make what repairs you can to prevent further damage. For example, if your roof has a hole in it, put a tarp over it or hammer a piece of plywood over it. Your insurance company will probably not pay for subsequent damage that you could have prevented by timely action on your part. At the very least, make a good faith effort using the materials and resources available to prevent further damage.
• Consider contacting loved ones who may be concerned about you and updating them on your status.
• If you need generator power, do not run it 24 x 7. Ration your power by running it a few hours in the morning and a few hours at night. This will be enough to cool the refrigerator, cook some meals, take a shower, watch the local news and do whatever else you need to do. Remember, your gas supply is limited; generators are noisy and may aggravate or make your neighbors jealous. The noise will also attract thieves who may want to steal your generator.
• Never use a charcoal grill, barbecue, or other open flame inside. A properly installed wood stove or fireplace with a chimney is another story as long as no damage from the storm has blocked the chimney or flue. Inadequate ventilation can result in carbon monoxide poisoning. Cook on your patio, driveway or other outside area if you have to use the propane grill.
• Maintain good hygiene and treat all minor injuries quickly to prevent infection. See our section on sanitation and first aid.
• Avoid dangerous confrontations if possible, but keep an eye out for looters and opportunists. Consider going armed to protect yourself and your family.
• Affect what clean up and repairs you can with the tools at hand.
• Help your neighbors to the extent possible given your limited resources. Share your supplies if it will not significantly diminish your survival capabilities.

Please note that there is an entire section of Captain Dave's Survival Center dedicated to hurricanes and lessons learned from Katrina.

Tornadoes

While tornadoes cannot be predicted as early as hurricanes, current weather forecasting technology will often tell us when atmospheric conditions are right for their formation. By sticking around the homestead during a tornado watch, you can help protect yourself from the tremendous damage twisters can cause. Tornadoes come in all sizes, and while most are relatively small, some have been reported half a mile wide or wider. Don't take chances with these terribly destructive storms.

A direct hit from a funnel cloud can turn a wooden home into a pile of chopsticks, toss a minivan around like tumbleweed, and knock trees down faster than Paul Bunyon. So if you live in a tornado-prone area, you might be wise to invest in an underground shelter, ala the Wizard of Oz. (You can use it as a root cellar or nuclear survival shelter as well.) Underground tornado shelters are the best way to protect life from a killer tornado.

If you live in an area not known for tornadoes, but suddenly one is bearing down on you and an underground shelter is not available, your next-best bet is the basement, preferably in the corner closest to the direction of the tornado. If the structure does not have a basement, head for an interior room, preferable with no windows, and close the door. If a table or other sturdy structure is present, get under it.

If you are in a mobile home, trailer or a vehicle, get out of it and head to a more permanent shelter. If no such shelter is available, or if caught in the open, head for the lowest ground possible and lie down with your hands above your head. Even lying in a drainage ditch is better than nothing, as long as you do not drown!

Earthquakes

The old advice of standing in a doorway or hiding in the closet or under a table is better than running around panic-stricken, and it may just save your life. But there may also be a better way.

The best advice is to get down to your hand and knees in a controlled manner within the first three seconds of a quake, cover up and hold on. Once on your hands and knees, protect your head, neck and chest from falling debris by ducking your head and wrapping your hands and arms around your neck and head. If you can, crawl away from shelves and cabinets where things can slide, fall or be tossed off onto you. If there is a large heavy sofa or chair, hunker down next to it or under a heavy table and hold on. The heavy furniture may stop something from hitting you as it falls or collapses, and can block flying glass, which can fly up to 20 feet during a severe quake. You should also duck your head and cover with your hands and arms which may protect you from serious injury from shattering glass or falling objects.

Remember, the majority of deaths from earthquakes are caused by injuries to the head, neck and chest injuries. Many quake-related injuries are caused by falls caused by the undulating floor in an earthquake. So get down before you fall and seek cover or cover yourself up. After the quake, fire is the greatest danger and many injuries are caused by people who step on broken glass or otherwise damage themselves due to a hasty and ill-conceived flight immediately following the quake. So don't panic, keep your wits about you and move with caution and consideration.

If you live in an earth-quake prone area, prepare for it by ensuring your home meets current building standards and you have plenty of food and water stashed away for use after the quake. Consider fastening heavy furniture to the floor. Secure appliances to the floor and or wall, including your hot water heater.

If you live through the few minutes of the earthquake, and your house hasn't collapsed, the greater damage may be yet to come. Broken gas lines can cause fires and your house may be condemned, leaving you homeless. Plan for such contingencies by having a plastic (non-sparking) wrench available to turn off your gas main and including a good tent and sleeping bag with your bug out bag. If your house looks like it has suffered serious damage, turn off the electricity at the box and turn off the water where it enters your house until your systems have been checked out and approved for use.

Winter Storms

We're going to cover three kinds of winter storms that are dangerous: Blizzards, heavy snow events, and ice storms. All three can cause immediate damage in different ways and long term danger as well.

• The high winds of a blizzard limit visibility and make driving very dangerous. Drifts can quickly form, often faster than snow plows can clear the highway. If a blizzard is predicted or at hand, avoid vehicle travel. In fact, avoid leaving your home when visibility is poor. People have gotten lost walking only 100 feet in a blizzard because the blinding snow. In the old days, farmers would tie guide ropes from their house to their barn so they could safely walk from one to the other. If you need to leave your home to get to an outbuilding, this is not a bad idea.
  
  Blizzards also can generate tremendous amounts of snow in very short periods of time. It is not unusual for cars and even trains to be snowbound due to the rapid accumulation of several feet of snow. Years ago, blizzards would make mountain passes impassible. Today, it can take days or weeks to dig out, even with modern snow removal equipment. So if you are traveling in blizzard country, have a well stocked survival kit in your car.
  
  Here's an interesting link about blizzards: http://www.richardjwild.co.uk/

• Any heavy snowfall can also cause power lines to fall and tree limbs to crack and break, which in turn can snap power lines. While this is less likely in a storm with cold, powdery snow, it happens all the time when the weather is just below freezing and the snow is damp. (Warmer weather holds more moisture, so heavy snowfalls often occur when it is only a few degrees below freezing.) Damp, wet snow is very heavy and in addition to causing power problems can cause roofs to collapse, both in homes not designed to withstand such a heavy load and in commercial buildings. It seems that we read annually about a store roof or warehouse collapsing due to an unexpectedly heavy snowstorm.

• In an ice storm, rain falls from a warmer cloud onto a cold surface and freezes, coating everything with ice. Obviously, you don't want to be on anything with wheels when the road is coated with solid ice, and it's hard to walk without falling and possibly breaking a bone or at least sustaining a serious bump or bruise. From inside a safe, snug house, the ice looks beautiful, until it gets to be about a quarter of an inch think and things start to break. Half an inch of ice all over a tree limb is really heavy. Here in North Carolina, the weight of ice causes pine trees to bend over until "POW!" they reach the breaking point with a crack that sounds like an artillery shell. Often, after the ice builds up, it will start to snow, hiding the ice and making the thaw take that much longer. Power outages of a week to 30 days after a severe ice storm are not unheard of.

When a winter storm cuts power, the immediate danger is from the cold. Hypothermia is a danger as temperatures fall, and wind chills can suck the heat out of your house surprisingly quickly.

A secondary (non-electric) source of heat is important, and wood stoves are probably the most efficient. While fire places send much of the heat up the chimney they share with wood stoves the conveniences of being able to find fuel all around you, including books and furniture if you run out of firewood. (Let's face it, most of have too much junk in our houses anyway.) Of course, a well-prepared person should have plenty of seasoned wood in their covered woodpile and a good supply already in the house. You can also cook over a woodstove or a fireplace in a pinch, and when the blizzard is howling around your house, a cup of hot chocolate tastes twice as good as normal and restores the spirits.

Kerosene and propane heaters can also crank out the BTUs in an emergency but require adequate ventilation. (Check the manufacturer's literature for specifics). Every unexpected winter storm seems to generate a news story about a family that was killed by a kerosene heater or other sources of heat that was inadequately ventilated and generated carbon monoxide, the silent killer.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is also a concern which must be considered when using non-traditional heat sources, such as gathering around the gas oven and opening the door. (Captain Dave once had a stupid roommate from Deep South who apparently didn't know how to turn up a thermostat. One cold day he used the oven to heat the house, so don't think it can't happen! He also didn't know you had to open the flue before lighting the fire in the fireplace, but that's another story.) While we do not recommend using a gas oven to heat the house, if you must, we recommend baking something to heat up the oven, and then turning it off and opening the door to release the heat. Do not leave the door open with the burner lit.

Fire is also a danger with any secondary heat source, including wood stoves, fireplaces, kerosene, propane and electric heaters. Keep combustible materials away from these heat sources, do not use on carpeted floors, and place them several feet from a wall. (Follow manufacturer directions and building codes during installation.) Keep children and pets away from these temporary heat sources, don't tip them over, and have a fire extinguisher handy.

A key to keeping warm with these back-up heat sources is avoid trying to try to heat the entire house. Gather everything you think you might need into a single room and close the room off. Use any blankets you can spare over windows and doors, if necessary to reduce drafts. Gather together under your comforters and share your body heat. Keep your pets close as they will warm you as well (ever hear of a three dog night?) A relatively small heat source can warm up a small room. Just be careful that you do not eliminate all sources for fresh air and therefore set the stage for carbon monoxide poisoning.

If the temperatures start to drop in your house, turn off the water and drain the system, opening all the faucets, including one at the lowest point in your house. This will keep your pipes from freezing. If this is not an option, allow the water to run slowly, dripping out of each faucet, as this will also help keep the pipes from freezing.

Prepare in Advance

While we often get advanced warning of impending snowstorms, the suddenness and severity of a blizzards or heavy snow storm can still surprise. Blizzards have trapped people at work, kids at schools and stranded motorists on the side of the road. The conditions for an ice storm are so fickle, they are hard to predict. In other words, don't expect three days advance notice, as you may get in a hurricane. The best time to prepare for a winter storm or other weather event is in the fall, well before the first snowfall. And when the weather forecast calls for heavy snow, stay home.

The general advice about stocking food and water applies, but the importance of planning for an alternate heat source that does not depend on outside utilities cannot be underestimated. Cold kills. Installing a wood stove is best done months before winter, and wood should be cut, split and allowed to dry or season for nine months or more before it is burned. In fact, smart wood burners cut wood two summers before the winter they expect to burn it and have cord upon cord of wood drying beneath a tarp or other shelter. The trick is to burn it in the time period between it being seasoned and when it finally rots. Keep it dry and off the ground will help prevent rotting.

If wood is not the answer for you, purchase your kerosene or other heater and familiarize yourself with it before you need it. Captain Dave has been in cold rooms heated by kerosene heaters and while they may save your life in a cold weather emergency, they are far from ideal and nowhere near as hot as a wood stove. Most smell at least slightly and produce limited BTUs.

Captain Dave has also slept in a small, un-insulated hunting shack heated by a small pot bellied stove that could use logs no longer than 16 or so inches. That stove burned through wood like it was going out of style, and no doubt a fair amount of heat went up the chimney, but it did a remarkable job of heating the cabin, even on a cold and windy night. As long as someone would wake up to put in a few more logs, we were perfectly comfortable.

Do not think that climate change, "global warming" or any other meteorological phenomenon will keep you safe. If anything, we seem to be in a decade of heavy snowfall. Snow falls not only in the areas that are used to it, but often in the South and other unprepared areas. An inch of snow in Dallas, Texas, can cause more confusion and injuries than a foot in Duluth, Minn., so do not think you are completely safe anywhere in the continental U.S.

Floods

The best way to prevent damage from flooding is to move before one occurs. Seriously, don't live on a flood plain unless you have no choice. If you learned anything in the last decade or two, it should be floods can and do occur in low-lying areas previously thought safe. Rivers and streams rise to record levels, levy's break, and there's just too much concrete for the ground to absorb all that rain.

If a flood threatens, evacuate before it is too late. If you're stuck in a flood, follow your instincts and move to the highest ground possible. Exercise caution when traveling because it doesn't take much water to float a car or pick up truck. Use common sense and do not wade into moving water. Do not drink flood waters.

Sandbags are useful if you have time to fill them and place them before the flood arrives, but you may be better off spending your time and energy moving your belongings to higher ground.

The bottom line: Good survivalists should not live in a flood plane.

Looters

After a disaster, you may have to protect your home and belongings from looters. Sure, they'll probably march out the National Guard, but like the police, they can't be everywhere all the time. Just as you are assuming responsibility for your survival by reading this guide, you'll need to assume responsibility for protecting yourself from human predators.

Remember the "looters will be shot" signs after Hurricane Andrew and Katrina? Makes you want to add spray paint to your survival-stash, doesn't it? How many houses posting signs like that were looted none! Sometimes just the threat or presence of a visible weapon will be all you need. At other times, you may have to make the ultimate survival decision and weigh the value of your life, or the life of your loved ones, against that of a criminal. It's your decision, and you have to live with the results, but Captain Dave believes in judicious use of lethal force to meet and repel a grave threat to yourself.

Band together with your neighbors and others whom you know to be "good guys." Form a temporary mutual aid society, where one will come running if the other is in trouble. You might need their help one day, and everyone needs to sleep.

After disasters there are also contractors and repairmen that will try to take advantage of unwary home owners. Avoid these opportunists. Don't pay in advance for any work, and don't pay for work that your municipality will do for free, such as hauling away trash. Ask if they are licensed and bonded, and get copies of their documentation. Sign contracts and hold them to it.

Tents and Trailers

If your house is uninhabitable or condemned due to an earthquake, hurricane or other disaster, you can pitch a tent in the back yard. This allows you to stay in close proximity to your survival stash and be physically present to protect your belongings from possible looters. You'll also have access to clothes, pots and pans, and all sorts of other stuff in your house that you will need after an actual disaster strikes.

A step up from a tent (in both creature comforts and budget) is a trailer or RV. Pop the top on your trailer and you've got most of the comforts of home. An RV will allow you not only comfort, but mobility, which is great if you decided to evacuate in the case of a flood or hurricane. With a well-stocked camper or RV, you'll have beds with mattresses, a propane stove, food, cooking utensils, water hookup, etc. (See our prior section on RVs as bug out vehicles.)

Other Buildings

When bad weather or another disaster strikes, home isn't the only option. Think of those folks working on Wilshire Blvd. in LA during the riots. Were they better off running to their cars and trying to drive through the riot or staying right there on the 18th floor, high above the riots? Certainly Captain Dave would want to have been at home protecting his family, but you need to weigh the benefits versus the risk. (That's one reason survival planing should involve the entire family.)

In many offices, you'll have a water cooler, vending machines, microwave, coffee maker, TV, and phone service. Plus, power lines are underground, so they're protected from both the elements and rioters.

In a large building, you can count on a security force that will probably be smart enough to lock the doors and take some action to prevent access to the building by a crowd. If you think the building is being overrun by rioters, pull the fire alarm. This will result in all the elevators being recalled to the lobby and they won't run again until they are reset. It takes a serious looter to climb more than five or six flights of stairs.

On your floor or in your suite, bar the door, check your personal weapon and, if there are enough people present, assign some people to stand guard. If you are alone on the floor, or there are invaders in the building, look for a good hiding place. Captain Dave's favorite: hiding in the space above a drop ceiling.

Shopping centers, fast food restaurants and other public buildings also may offer some protection in natural disasters, but they could also be targets for looting, so you will want to avoid them. And while you may be buddies with the guy at the local gun store, his place will be on top of the list for gangs to loot, followed by electronics and furniture stores. You don't want to be there when that happens, unless you are prepared to support him in a pitched battle with well-armed gang members, some of whom may have had military or paramilitary training.

In a severe survival situation, you need to look out for number one. So if you're trying to get out of the city in an emergency and your car breaks down, who's going to blame you for breaking into that empty house and seeking shelter? In a life-or-death situation, property crimes will be the least of your worries (and if caught, you can hope for a sympathetic jury). But shelter in them with responsibility don't trash the place.