Natural disasters can occur at any time. Tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods can all occur in an instant and without warning. Although these natural disasters last anywhere from a few minutes to a few days, the damage they leave behind can last a lifetime. The hurricane called Katrina that struck New Orleans on August 29, 2005 left thousands of homes ravaged. The towns were flooded, and many were left homeless. Almost three years later, there are still several thousand families who are homeless.

It is important to prepare for a natural disaster, especially when hurricanes are headed your way. It is always a good idea to have a kit prepared for times like these. These kits are readily available at certain department stores, but you can make them at home. Make sure there is plenty of bottled water, a first aid kit, and extra pieces of essential clothing, such as underwear and socks, and blankets. Blankets that do not take a lot of space and do the job of keeping you warm are military blankets, which can be purchased at any army surplus store.

When you are advised by city and state officials to evacuate, do not ask questions and evacuate your home immediately. The most important items to gather first are the ones that verify your identity, such as your social security card, your birth certificate, your marriage certificate, etc. Pets are part of the family and need to be evacuated also. You should consider investing in a pet carrier or kennel for easy transportation. There is nothing more bothersome than dragging your belongings out of the house and having to deal with a disobedient pet. Extra clothing should be taken in case a family cannot return to their homes immediately after the hurricane or if the home has been lost to the floods.

If there is some time to spare, then you need to prepare your home for any potential flooding. If your dwelling has two stories or more, move most of your furniture upstairs. Bigger items can be left downstairs if unable to be carried upstairs. For furniture that must stay downstairs or for homes that are only have one story, they can be stacked up onto cinder blocks or anything that can be used to prop them up. Anything that is placed on the floor should be propped up or taken upstairs. Sand bags can be used to help barricade your doors. If the waters brought in by the rains of the hurricane are not too bad, these will often keep most of the water out of your home.