The best way to survive a disaster is to be prepared. With a large section of the United States under threat of hurricanes, there are a number of things residents of that section can do.

Foremost is to prepare for the disaster in advance. For example, each individual of a family should keep a portable disaster bag on hand filled with items they will need during a hurricane so that they can grab it when the storm is about to strike.

The bag can include:

• Water
• Flashlight and batteries
• Radio
• Tools such as a knife, pliers and can opener
• A whistle to alert others of you need help and can’t yell
• Poncho and a change of clothes
• Prescription medications for a week and a written list of your prescriptions
• First aid kit
• Personal care items including soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, toilet paper, and hygiene products
• Extra house and car keys
• a warm blanket
• Hiking shoes, helmet, and at least two pairs of dry socks
• Cash
• Paper, pens and tape to leave messages
• Copies of important documents including insurance policy, identification, proof of residence and passport
• Nonperishable foods
• Smartphone, backup power source and recharging cable

Other things to do to prepare for a hurricane are:

• Install a standby generator near your home and properly maintain it on a regular basis so that it is ready to perform when needed. In addition, stock maintenance kits, parts, and oil.
• Copy all important documents including flood insurance policy and place into a safety deposit box or scan them and store in a computer or on a flash drive.
• Take images of the interior and exterior of your home and store them on the flash drive.
• Rotate stored fuel supplies into vehicles and also include a paper map or mobile GPS.

Don’t neglect the dog or cat. Things you can do to prepare your pet include:

• Planning for your pet to evacuate with you.
• Taking a photo of you and your pet to prove ownership. Print copies of the images and store them along with the pet’s vaccination records with your important documents and on the flash drive.