1. Put together an emergency supply kit. FEMA offers a list here.

2. Discuss escape routes from each room of the house as well as from your neighborhood. 

3. Make sure all family members know how to get in touch with one another even if phone service is disrupted, such as meeting at a designated place or reporting in with emergency responders. 

4. Create a checklist of what to do before you leave, such as boarding or shuttering windows, trimming tree branches that could hit your home, turning off electricity at the circuit breaker or fuse box, and turning off gas at the meter or tank. 

5. Plan what to do with pets and livestock. 

Sources: Texas.gov; Texas Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) 

Planning ahead can save lives and homes, and offer peace of mind. 

Remember: Evacuate if ordered to do so. Call 211 if you are not sure of the evacuation boundaries and shelter locations.