Our hearts go out to those who have experienced the unfortunate and devastating effects of recent natural disasters. When these occurrences happen, it can get our minds going as to what we can do to be prepared if we're ever faced with such disasters or other emergencies. This month is National Preparedness Month, so there is information available to help prepare us on Ready.gov, which is run by the Department of Homeland Security.

One recommendation is to make an emergency kit in case you must survive on your own for a few days; it's suggested to gather supplies to last at least three days. Because we're so reliant on water for our daily lives, it's necessary to make it a part of an emergency kit. It’s recommended on Ready.gov to store one gallon per person per day for at least three days for drinking and sanitation purposes. When building your kit, consider different individuals have different water needs, so more water may need to be stored than that.

The Water webpage on Ready.gov has a lot of information on water storage and water treatment in case of an emergency, so please review that page when preparing an emergency plan. We also have a Water Emergencies webpage with information on safe water sources during an emergency, how to treat water and how much to store in case of an emergency.

The theme for National Preparedness Month is "Disasters Don't Plan Ahead. You Can." So do just that – plan ahead to prepare yourself and your family for an emergency or disaster.