In the Wake of Tragedy: How Texans Can Prepare for Future Emergencies

You may be wondering how prepared you will be if disaster strikes again after the recent floods in Texas that have claimed over 100 lives. Between the floods, tornadoes, wildfires, and extreme heat Texas doesn't mess around when it comes to Mother Nature. Here are five of the best things you can do to be prepared for whatever is next:

1.) Create an Emergency Supply Kit

Start with the basics such as non-perishable food, bottled water (one gallon per person per day), flashlight, batteries, first aid kit, weather radio, medication, copies of important documents, and extra pet supplies if you have pets. You do not want to be sitting in the dark from a power outage in the middle of a disaster just to realize you ate the last can of ravioli last month.

2.) Know Your Evacuation Routes

When flood waters decide to show up or the wildfire has encroached your backyard timing is everything. You need to learn two versions of your routes and make a plan for where you will end up. It's important to have a plan to get to a safe place whether you are going to a shelter, a friend's house, or a hotel out of harm's way. Also, always keep your gas tank filled at least halfway. Nothing is more stressful than seeing the gas light on in an emergency situation.

3.) Sign Up for Local Alerts

Dangerous weather can pop up out of nowhere. Sign up for emergency alerts with your city or county emergency management service, and you should also enable Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on your phone to ensure that you are getting emergency alerts through your cellular network. These alerts can save you critical minutes or even give you hours of warning in advance. Time is of the essence during an emergency.

4.) Protect Your Property

In the event of a flood (regardless of the size), floodproofing your house could consist of sandbags or putting up your electronic devices out of reach from flood waters. Clean out your gutters, and make sure that you secure anything that can blow away in high winds. Document your property with photos for insurance purposes. While preparing for a disaster that might not even happen may not be fun it is definitely better than losing something (and money) later.

5.) Communication plan

There is nothing worse than the panic that sets in when cell towers are gone. Choose a family member or friend from out of your area to be a check-in contact. Make sure everyone in your home knows how to get a hold of that person if you become separated or are unable to make local phone calls.

Natural disasters don't have to be predicted to be prepared. Preparedness is not panic. It is peace of mind!