An early morning earthquake woke up many people in the mid-west this morning. At 5.2 this is the largest earthquake felt in this region since 1940 (5.4), but no significant damage has been reported and only one injury. An earthquake on this same New Madrid fault line was responsible for the most severe earthquake in US History in 1811, but there seems to be no reason to panic at the moment.
Emergencies and disasters of all scales can happen at any time and nature does not send a postcard in advance. It is prudent to take some basic precautions to make sure you have what you need to get through any emergency, from a house fire to a devastating earthquake. An article on the Go Girlfriend travel site talks about some basic precautions for travelers in these situations.
