This past year, Texas has had several natural disasters: a global pandemic, a crippling winter storm and a busier-than-average severe weather season.


What You Need To Know

  • Hurricane season runs through November

  • NOAA's forecast calls for six to 10 hurricanes this year

  • The peak of hurricane season is September 10

As we are heading into wildfire and hurricane season, it's good to start thinking about how we can prepare our family for these natural disasters.

“We are all in this unique position where we’ve lived through a pandemic, so we have a lot of experience right under our belts and fresh in our minds. We can leverage that by have a conversation with your family, neighbors and communities about what your experience was and what really worked and what could be better," says Readiness & Resilience Consultant, Katie Belfi

Some things you can start doing to prepare for the next disaster is to know your risk and make a plan. Belfi uses a method called the "SIMPLE Approach."

  • S - Safety and shelter
  • I - Information
  • M - Medical needs 
  • P - Provisions 
  • L - Loved ones
  • E - Energy

Befli says, "When you are doing this assessment, you don’t have to prepare for each type of emergency. This idea is created as a foundation or preparedness that you can use for anything and frankly, if you carry this way of thinking into your day-to-day life, then this just becomes a way of operating that allows you to be in a place of resilience anywhere you go.”

Some basic things you should have in your emergency kit include enough water and food for three days if you evacuate, or two weeks if you plan to stay at home. Flashlights, extra batteries, a solar-powered charger and a first aid kit are necessary. Be sure to have a weather radio so you can keep up-to-date on the changing conditions.

Have supplies for your family such as medications, baby items and pet food. Keep copies of any critical documentation, such as an ID and insurance information are essential along with a list of contact numbers. Finally, have a good amount of cash on you, since most ATMs and credit card machines will be inoperable.

Hurricane season continues through the end of November and we will be here to keep you ahead of the storm.

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