Mum was pretty organised for most things. She loved lists and labels and being prepared.

This organisation was important living in the country. Not just because shopping was more infrequent but also for the emergencies that occur when living in the bush. Bushfires, floods. Natural disasters are unfortunately common.

So Mum had an emergency pack. This was generally in the pantry, but it would come out when an emergency was close.

I remember one summer when I was little and Dad was called out to fight a fire on edge of town. The chances of the fire coming into town were slim, but out came the emergency pack. It was a plastic tub, and it contained:
A torch
Batteries
The map book
Spare keys
A little phone book (this was before the days of mobile phones)
A notepad and pen
A first aid kit
Drink bottles filled with water
A packet of biscuits
Copies of our birth certificates, and other important documents

Mum would move the tub from the pantry to beside the front door. Next to this would go the box of photos.

Thankfully this box never actually left the house, as we never had to evacuate. But it was always there, just in case.