Especially in flood-prone areas? So that we can survive well for at least 3 days to a week before real help comes?

Thanks for sharing your precious time and ideas.

sorry, but beer is all that comes to mind right now. oh, ice and ice chests. dry ice and ice chests. hot beer sucks.
the main thing is to not live in a toilet bowl like New Orleans and if you do, LEAVE WHEN THEY TELL YOUR DUMB BUTT TO, regardless of the number of false alarms or storms that just missed.

Food, guns, dry clothes, ammo, and a boat would help.

potable water before anything else

Water is the main thing humans can not live without. Two cases of 24, bottled water.

Canned soup, such as Health Choice with the plastic lid.

1 bottle of Mega -Men multiple vitamins from GNC

Hand crank radio/flash light

1 first aid kit

Few good books you haven't read.

.387 automatic hand gun with two extra clips.
(small caliper with stopping power)

Make sure you excrete waste away from where your time is spent.