The economic downturn has made staying prepared more difficult in recent years.  Fortunately, many Americans have found creative and inexpensive ways to be ready in case of emergency.  FEMA asks, what steps have you taken to stay prepared on a budget?  FEMA is looking for items and their uses, tips, stories and good practices.  What items do you keep in your home, car or workspace that help you stay prepared?  Have you been involved in a disaster and found a particular yet inexpensive item especially useful?  To help you get started thinking of ideas, the FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Division has provided an example guide for preparing on a budget that was developed by the Seattle Red Cross.  Before April 30, 2011, please send your suggestions to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and put "Preparing on a Budget" in the subject line.  For more information about community preparedness, visit the Citizen Corps website at www.citizencorps.gov. 

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