Are you prepared for a natural disaster when you travel?

In my household, we have a family disaster kit always at the ready. We live in Hurricane Alley and have been through our fair share of natural (and man-made) disasters. But what if you are traveling? I keep thinking of Chris Elliott‘s post on being in Maui when the recent tsunami warnings came through and what he witnessed at his beachfront hotel. And I’m still trying to digest all the horrific images shown all over the news of the devastation in Japan.

I’m the person in my family who prepares for the worst case scenario. I get made fun of, but no one was complaining during hurricanes Katrina, Rita, or Gustav when my house was the place to be. I’m a Rayovac Power Blogger and even before I started blogging, I powered my family with Rayovac batteries.

In all honestly, you can’t ever be truly prepared for a natural disaster, but you might have a fighting chance by acquainting yourself with potential local emergencies and disaster plans. Preparedness is the key to survival. Always keep a water of bottle handy, your personal identification, and money. And don’t forget your shoes, keep those near your hotel room bed, along with a robe. You don’t want to be the guy standing in his underwear in the parking lot of your hotel if it catches on fire.

Yesterday, standing in the grocery checkout line, I saw Rayovac batteries, reminding me that my batteries in my disaster supply kit last seven years, which is a long time, but it’s also time for me to refresh the batteries in our family disaster kit. Those batteries kept our radio going post-hurricane, not to listen to the news about the devastation, but to dance on the back patio, celebrating being alive.

My heart goes out to all those affected by the recent Japan earthquake, tsunamis, and nuclear disaster. My heart also goes out to my friends all across the gulf coast, as these images from Japan bring back memories of the devastation caused by Katrina. It’s another reminder for me of how short life is. I’m living every moment in a personal, powerful way. In the coming days you’ll see more posts on here about how to help the victim in Japan in your own, personal way.

Do you have any tips or suggestions for preparing travelers for a natural disaster?

This post is part of the Rayovac Power Blogger Program. Be sure to think about what’s in your family disaster kit and look for a money saving coupon for Rayovac Batteries in your local newspaper on March 29th.