On September 11, 2001 our world changed forever. Since that day, we have been forced to live with orange and yellow alerts and a constant sense that another attack could come at any time. Security has been vastly improved since that day, and the men and women defending our county work non-stop to ensure it never happens again. There's no point in allowing yourself or, more importantly, your children to live in fear, but it is unwise to not be prepared.

New safety suggestions have been drafted by the federal government on what a family needs to keep on hand in case of a disaster, but these do not take into consideration the unique situation of city-dwellers. For instance, if you do not own a car or live in an area that's densely populated, it will be very difficult to comply with government suggestions. Basically, in a disaster you have two options if you are an urbanite caught at home. You can either hunker down and wait for help, or you can evacuate.

To find help on the former choice, go to www.redcross.org/services/disaster/ If you plan on evacuating, mobility is the number one concern. Put together a survival kit with a: flashlight/batteries, radio, water, snacks, first-aid kit, meds, particle masks, pet needs if applicable, local map, everyone's I.D.s, money, cell-phone and any other necessities you know your family will need to survive. Plan with your family how to get to safety the quickest and drill them on it. Also, you should arrange a meeting place if the disaster happens when everyone is out of the house. This can be a park or any public area easy to find. Preparation is the key to safety.