Living in Houston and being close by the water, hurricane season can get a little nerve racking, but not really knowing when one can just form, shouldn’t always have residents anxious. People should always know how to prep for a hurricane so when one comes, they know exactly what to do. Here are four ways to prep for when a hurricane is near.

Food and water:

During hurricane season you should stock up on nonperishable food items and water. This will help if a hurricane does occur because then grocery stores will sell out fast. Food items that are non-perishable usually don’t need to be cooked to be eaten. During a hurricane, power outages are especially common, so you might not be able to heat up your food or access your water.

Tools and Supplies kit:

It is extremely important to keep things such as a generator, a radio and a first aid kit. If your power does go out and you have non-perishable food items, a generator will able to power your house to keep your electricity on. A radio will help with special weather announcements if you’re unable to retrieve a generator and a first aid kit will be used for emergencies. People might have a very slim chance of being able to leave the house because of flooding purposes so it’s advised to have everything you already need.

Clothes and special items:

You want to make sure your clothes are always clean during hurricane season and you don’t stock up on laundry because your water might go out. Families with babies might want to keep extra diaper wipes and baby food stored just in case of emergency. If a hurricane is coming, some people might want to pre-order their medicine so there is no danger of running out.

Fill the tank:

Families should make sure to fill the car with gas if a hurricane is coming, even though flooding might have to cause some families to stay inside. When the flooding dies down, people will start driving to find resources. Gas will be scarce from the lack of trucks coming in and refilling the station. During Harvey, many gas stations ran out of gas, so it’s always safe to be prepared.

Secure the area

Families should make sure their houses are bordered up if needed, especially if they are  located in a flood zone. Many parts of Houston are flood zone areas so leaving before a hurricane hits is a family’s safest bet.