Fire. Our neighbor's house burnt down while she wasn't home, but not her unattached garage. We keep our BOB (bug out bag) there. If our house burns down, we all have wearable clothes for two days. Her insurance didn't pay for over six months. We'll be pretty ratty by then.

Hurricane. Scientists are predicting record numbers and we live in Hurricane Alley. (Do they really call it that?) If there's a hurricane and our area is in danger, we throw the kids in the car, grab the bag, and drive. Also, we have a supply of water and batteries. If we stay home we're better equipped. We even have small hand-held battery operated fans.

Tornado. Grew up in the plains. I've seen tornados skip houses, garages, pull down whole streets. With stuff in two places we might get lucky, even if one strikes us. There were tornadoes less than an hour's drive away just yesterday.

Blackouts. I doubt I'd really need to run if we're having blackouts. Unless it's the summer and we've got to go to get to an a/c. (115 degrees last week.) I can't really imagine needing the BOB for that. Maybe our stash of quick cash (fives, ones, quarters) which we created because of the blackouts in the NE.

Terrorism. If there are multiple attacks where we live, the BOB will let us leave quickly. We won't be like the folks in Independence Day packing their bags. We'll just grab ours and run. We have a meeting place for our family an hour up the road and away from the city. So if it comes to that, I don't have to be able to reach my husband to know where to meet him. I go. He goes. We meet there. Since cell phones didn't work during 9/11 that's a good way to keep the worry down.

Preparation is a tool for terror management. If you're worried, take care of what you can. It helps.