Hurricane season may be right around the corner, but that’s no reason to worry, especially when you have a preparedness plan in place. We’ve talked about what to have on hand and how to secure your home for a hurricane—and in today’s blog, we will be looking at how to create that perfect preparedness plan.

Know your needs

The first step in any successful planning process is to, of course, identify your needs. These can be general needs—such as food and water for the family, plenty of flashlights and batteries, etc. But many families will have other specific needs that require additional planning—such as pet care, medical needs, and more. Identify these needs in your plan so that you know how to take care of them should a storm come around.

Know your area

It’s also important to familiarize yourself with your community and the surrounding area. Are you in an evacuation zone? Do you live next to a body of water that could encounter storm surge during a hurricane? These are questions to ask to help you decide whether or not you’ll have to evacuate. You can also set aside specific parameters (for example, you might decide to leave in a higher-category storm versus a “one” or a “two”).

Decide where you’ll go (and how you’ll get there) in case of an evacuation

Even if evacuation seems unlikely given your specific location or distance from water, it’s always wise to know where you would go in an evacuation, should you ever need to. Do you have a friend or family member who would be able to accommodate you, and would getting to them be easy? Are you aware of nearby shelters and whether or not they can accommodate pets? Have a spot in place (and communicate your plans with anyone you hope to stay with!) so that there are no surprises down the line.

Identify the worst case scenario

No one likes to think about the worst case scenario, but doing so can actually be a helpful way to plan better. Decide what you’ll do if plan A doesn’t work out, and you’ll be covered.

Keep a list of important numbers, sites and resources in your plan

Finally, when putting together your hurricane plan, keep a list of important numbers, websites and other resources handy. This will allow you to direct your questions, concerns and other matters to the right people when you need them the most—eliminating storm-day stress and giving you grater control of the situation.

With a comprehensive plan and the right supplies on hand, you should be able to enjoy peace of mind throughout the coming months—storm or no storm!