I’ve experienced earthquakes and hurricanes, so I know how quickly an ordinary day can become chaotic. In 2024, Hurricane Helene hit my community. Although we were fortunate not to experience the devastation seen in other places, several days without power reminded me that disasters don’t make appointments. They arrive whether we’re ready or not.

The good news is that preparedness doesn’t require an underground bunker or a garage full of freeze-dried food. A few simple steps can help your family stay safer, communicate and make better decisions when something goes wrong.

1. Make a family emergency plan

Decide how much food, water, and medicine you’ll need if stores are closed, roads are blocked or the power is out.

Your plan should include six basic concepts:

· Store shelf stable food that doesn’t require cooking.

· Store one gallon of water for each family member per day (budget three days).

· Keep essential medicine on hand along with a robust first aid kit.

· Have powered flashlights and lanterns on hand for nighttime use.

· Keep devices powered to get information about the event and essential communications with family.

· Make a threshold on when to evacuate.

Write down your plan and make sure every family member knows where the supplies are kept. Also make sure your plan works for every member of your family (including babies and the elderly).

2. Pack emergency bags for people (and pets)

Prepare an easy-to-carry bag for every family member.

Core items to pack:

· Clothing and shoes

· Essential medications

· Devices and power supplies

· Flashlight and batteries

· Comfort item or card game

· Tools like a pocketknife or multitool

Pets need supplies, too:

· Food, water and bowls

· Leashes, harnesses or carriers

· Medications and vaccination records

· Waste bags and cleanup supplies

· A recent photograph in case you’re separated

3. Build a Basic Emergency Supply Kit

Gather flashlights, batteries, a weather radio, first-aid supplies, hygiene products, masks, chargers and basic tools. Store everything together so you’re not searching multiple closets in the dark.

Also, you don’t need to purchase everything at once. Add one or two supplies during regular shopping trips. Preparedness becomes much easier when it’s a habit.

4. Store Food and Water

Keep enough water and shelf-stable food to help your family through several days without regular services like power and water. Select food everyone already eats and that requires little preparation.

While survival Meal, Ready-to-Eat kit boxes (MREs) look easy to purchase and store, if no one is going to eat that food then it’s not going to matter. Remember infants, allergies and special diets. Not everyone can consume MREs.

Here are a few menu ideas:

· Canned meats, beans, fruits and vegetables

· Peanut butter, nuts, seeds and protein bars

· Rice, pasta, oats, cereal, crackers and granola bars

· Dried fruits, trail mix and candy bars

Keep water on hand for one gallon a day per person in your home. This can be used for drinking, hygiene and food preparation. While water doesn’t “expire” it will taste funny if stored too long. It is best to swap it out every six months.

When the power goes out, fill pots with extra water that can be used for drinking and food preparation. It’s also a good idea to fill the bathtub with water that can be stored for utility use like flushing toilets.

5. Prepare for medical and individual needs

Maintain a current list of medications, dosages, allergies, doctors and pharmacies. Ask your healthcare provider how to prepare for refrigerated medicine, mobility devices or medical equipment that requires electricity.

Your planning should also include eyeglasses, hearing-aid batteries, infant supplies, and sensory or comfort items. Think about family members who may need extra help. Don’t assume someone else has already made arrangements.

6. Plan for power and communication outages

Power failures can outlast the event that caused them. Keep power banks charged and have battery-powered lights available. A weather radio can provide updates when television, internet and cellular service aren’t working.

If you own a generator, operate it outdoors and away from doors, windows and vents. Never use one in a house, garage or enclosed space. Carbon monoxide is invisible, odorless and deadly. As an alternative you can research whole home battery backup solutions. These function like generator, but since they are battery-powered they don’t require gasoline to run.

7. Decide when to evacuate

Determine ahead of time what circumstances would make you evacuate. Those could include an official order, rising water, a nearby fire, dangerous indoor temperatures, medical needs or an extended loss of utilities.

I recommend that you make the decision to leave early. The roads are less congested, gas stations will have more fuel and you can find food and hotels easier.

Know where you’ll go and how you’ll get there. Keep fuel in your vehicle and learn more than one evacuation route. Also communicate with family when you are leaving and the route you will be taking.

Preparedness isn’t about controlling all the outcomes; it’s in the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. You may not control what happens, but you can control whether your family is ready to face it.

Andy Murphy is an author and host of The Secure Family Podcast. To learn more, visit thesecuredad.com.