Flights are booked and bags are packed for your trip abroad, but are you really as prepared as you think you are? When traveling, whether it’s inside the country or overseas, we don’t think about the possibility of having to deal with an emergency, we are just simply on vacation.

Damaging winds or “straight-line” winds can come with any thunderstorm and they can be as damaging as tornadoes, uprooting trees and knocking out power lines. Straight line winds are hard to prepare for since they can come unexpectedly and can range in strength.

With the summer in full force, so is the heat for most of the country. Heat is the number one weather-related killer and can push our bodies to its limits and put you and your family in danger. Preparing for extreme heat should be done before the summer months arrive, so you aren’t caught off guard when you enter your first heat wave of the summer.

​Hurricanes can be one of the deadliest natural disasters, destroying everything in its wake and sometimes you don’t have enough warning to adequately prepare you and your family. This month kicks off hurricane season and everyone in the danger zone should be prepare ahead of time to take a hit throughout the season.

Over the past years, the prepping movement has really taken off and more and more people are starting to do it, but those that aren’t preppers still don’t understand what exactly people are prepping for.

The questions contained in this article can help you with any preparedness planning scenario you may find yourself in. Think through your answers carefully - your physical and emotional health, peacefulness, and family depend on it.

Prepping for natural disasters, local emergencies, and power outages can be daunting in the beginning, but taking small steps on a weekly basis can help with your peace of mind and is an important piece of your family’s disaster preparedness plan.

As we are in the midst of spring and summer and for some of us we are about to enter hurricane season, flooding is a common occurrence and can in fact happen without warning. Flooding can occur in many places, so everyone should be prepared and have a plan.

Most of us think that when we pack for three days that we are just going on a trip and will return to the rest of our belongings, but what if you had to pack for three days with things that could save your life and there is no guarantee you will return to the rest of your things? What would you bring?

FEMA and their Ready.gov website now promote personal preparedness. The agency recommended that all homes be ready for emergencies with a supply of no less than two weeks of food & water.