You could call it the Top 10 List of Things to Have In Case of an Emergency.

You could also call it a lesson everyone should learn from disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the ice storm that paralyzed parts of Ontario and Quebec a decade ago.

The lesson is that everyone should be ready to look after their own needs for at least the first 72 hours after an emergency situation arises.

Steve Conn, Emergency Management Co-ordinator for The Blue Mountains Fire Department, is getting ready to distribute booklets to every household in town offering information on how to prepare a 72-hour emergency kit.

Expecting that emergency personnel are going to be able to help you in the first few days after an emergency is a bad plan. In a widespread emergency situation, resources will be stretched thin and will have to deal with matters on a priority basis.

The type of emergencies, Conn said,  might be a major electrical outage, flooding, wind storms and tornadoes, or a major failure of infrastructure such as the water treatment plant.

"The province recommends people be prepared to be self-sufficient for 72 hours," Conn said.

His job is to follow provincial emergency preparedness regulations. That includes devising plans to deal with various types of emergencies, keep an on-going inventory of resources -- everything from water suppliers to any sort of equipment that might be needed --

"The fire department is prepared for all kinds of emergencies,"he said.  "My role is to co-ordinate the control group that would come together to deal with the situation."

The control group would include fire, ambulance, and police personnel, other senior town officials who would have to make key decisions, and representatives of other agencies including the Red Cross, hydro-electric suppliers, Bell Canada, the military and anyone else who might be part of the response.

Having an emergency kit at the ready, and being prepared to get by on your own for the first few days is not only helpful to yourself and your family, Conn said, it also helps emergency personnel by letting them deal with the priorities.

"We can get there when we need to, but it really helps us out if people are ready to deal with it on their own," Conn said.

In a major emergency, the first thing to do is get to safety. If possible, stay in your home, but if there is a need to go to a shelter, the town owns a large diesel generator that can power up the Beaver Valley Community Centre for use as an large-scale shelter.

Even if you do go to the shelter, however, you should be prepared to look after yourself and your family initially. As was seen in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, supplies might not get there immediately.

That's where you need the 72-Hour Emergency Kit.

Most of the items are things you would already have in your house, Conn said, so preparing your kit is really just a matter of collecting the items and having them ready.

"Put them in a large duffel bag so you can just pick it up and go," Conn advises. "You don't want to be searching around your house in the dark trying to put things together for yourself and your family, especially when you're dealing with the stress of an emergency."

It's also important that, Conn added, to go through the kit about once a year and replenish it. Replace items that might be outdated.

So what are the items you need to put in your kit? Here's Conn's Top 10 List:

1. Three-day supply of food and water - Conn recommends two liters of water per day per person. Canned foods and other non-perishable food items that can be eaten cold, although you can use a candle (carefully, of course) to warm up canned foods or warm water for tea, coffee, cocoa, etc. Of course, you'll want to take extra water if you want to have those beverages.

Don't be afraid to include a treat or two. During a lengthy emergency, little morale boosters are important.

2. Multi-use tool, such as a Swiss Army knife - Includes a can opener, pocket knife, etc. that could be valuable.

3. Flashlights and lots of spare batteries - You need it to get around in the dark. Much safer than using candles.

4. Battery-operated radio and more spare batteries - Many homes don't have a battery-operated radio, nowadays, so make sure there's one available. Conn adds that the "crank" radio/flashlight combinations now available are a great option. Usually they sell for $15 or less. Turning a small hand crank for 30 seconds or so, every couple of hours, recharges the batteries.

5. Candles, matches or lighter - You can use candles to supply light and they can also allow you to heat food or water. You won't be able to cook the food or boil the water, but a warm meal or drink is a nice morale booster.

6. First-aid kit and prescription medications - Buy some extra medications and put them in your emergency kit to ensure you -- or a family member -- has them if you have to evacuate in a hurry.

You can buy a basic first aid kit in many stores for less than $25. Don't forget non-prescription items such as allergy remedies and vitamins.

7. Cash - Many people don't think of that, these days, but if there's a widespread power outage, you can't depend on using credit or debit cards. Conn suggests keeping about $50 in cash tucked away in your emergency kit, and make sure there's an assortment of coin in case you have to use a pay phone (cell phone batteries could run out or service might not be available).

8 Toiletries - Another morale booster. Being able to brush your teeth, shave, etc., is a big boost.

9. Car and house keys - Get an extra set and keep them in the emergency bag.

10. Documents - Make copies of key documents such as birth certificates, insurance policies, drivers licences, etc. and put them in your emergency kit. "As you go into an emergency centre The Blue Mountains or Red Cross staff will want to register your information so that if family or others are looking for you they have the information available," Conn explained.

The list, and some useful tips and information sheets are included in the 72-hour Emergency Kit booklet which will be mailed to local homes in the next few weeks.