Wherever you call home, you never know if Mother Nature is going to release her wrath.

It’s best to be prepared because if you aren’t, even a small disaster can become a setback, costing you a lot of time, money, and lost productivity. Unless you are prepared for such an ordeal, everything from a power outage, to a house fire, car accident, water shortage, or a sudden evacuation due to flooding could have you in a panic.

Here are some tips to get you ready for anything.

1.Establish a meeting point

Have a family plan for where to meet in case something happens during the day and you can’t return home. Choose a nearby meeting point in case of an isolated incident like a fire or gas leak and pick another meeting place outside the immediate area in case of a more widespread issue.

2.Store away cash

Keep a supply of cash hidden someplace you can reach quickly in case you need fuel or small repair and for some reason credit cards aren’t working. Keep enough cash hidden at home to ride out at least a few days of expenses in case disaster strikes.

3.Make a first aid kit

Be prepared to treat minor injuries with a pre-made First Aid kit. Quick treatment can reduce the severity of an injury, and you may even be able to avoid a trip to the doctor’s office or emergency room if you can deal with scrapes and minor injuries on your own.

4.Stock up on medications

If you are taking prescription medication, time your refills so you have at least a couple weeks of medication on hand. This makes it much less likely that your supply of medicine will be interrupted in case of disaster or if you need to quickly depart.

5.Water

Do keep a supply of water for full-scale disasters, typically about a gallon of water per day per person to ride out a disaster when water is not available.

6.Have a flashlight

Keep a flashlight next to your bed for when power outages strike. You may be able to use a flashlight App on your cell phone to find your way around in the dark, too.

7.Have a radio

If the power is out, you may not have access to TV or internet if your router is down. Have a battery-powered radio in case of an emergency.

8.Have batteries

Keep a supply of batteries at the ready for flashlights and radio. If your cell phone is running out of battery during a power outage, you can use your car charger.

9.Buy candles

Keep candles around in case power goes out to provide long-lasting light during an outage.

10. Canned food

The food in your refrigerator can start to spoil within two hours of a power outage. Keep canned goods and nonperishable food items at the ready. Have a manual can opener so you can open canned food.

11.Be mindful of fuel usage

In the event of an emergency, you may not be able to get gas for your car. As a habit, keep at least a quarter tank of gas in your car all the time, and a five-gallon can of gas in your garage as a reserve supply.

12.Add a backup heat source

If your furnace goes out or there is an interruption to the natural gas supply, have a backup plan for heating. A backup heat source can also provide light and be a backup for cooking in case your oven is not available.