It’s a good idea to be prepared in case of an emergency, this includes blackouts, hurricanes, tropical storms, typhoons, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, snowstorms and other events.

We live in an area that gets a lot of unpredictable weather, and after a week without power and water a few years ago, we now make sure we are even more prepared from year to year.

Having a first-aid kit, non-perishable foods, plenty of water for everyone, including pets, and batteries and a light source are an absolute must, but what are some of the other things you’ll need to be prepared in the event of an emergency?

You will learn what your family’s needs are beyond the basics from event to event, but here are a few things we’ve learned to have handy.

A fan. When the air isn’t moving, and the house gets hot and stuffy, a battery powered fan is great to have around.

Hand sanitizer and wipes. There are a lot different types on the market and a must have to clean up after bathroom needs.

Extra water. Having cases of water bottles on hand is a must for drinking and meal preparation. Having a bathtub or two filled with water, and a little bleach to keep it from going bad, is good for flushing, quick sponge baths, and washing up.

Fully charged electronics. A movie before bed really helped my kids sleep better at night, especially when the wind howled most of the night. To make our device time last longer, we only turned one on at a time.

A weather radio and a regular radio. When the power is down, and your cell phone is dead, a weather radio can warn you if more trouble is coming your way. A regular radio, tuned into a local station, will keep you informed about FEMA locations, where and how to seek help, and other valuable information. Listening to your favorite tunes is a great way to help the day pass as well.

Lanterns. We had oil lanterns our first time around and battery powered ones the second. We liked the battery powered ones more because they didn’t heat the house up!

Glow Sticks. Glow sticks not only bring comfort to a child in the dark, they are a safer alternative to candles, lightweight, waterproof, windproof, and can light up a room for many hours without needing their batteries replaced. Plus, they are really inexpensive.

A/C during the hottest part of the day. When the storm is over, and power and running water is not available, going to the store to get dinner during the hottest part of the day makes the most sense. Not only did we cool off in the car, we charged up electronics in preparation for our nightly movie.

Have cash on hand. It’s a good idea to have cash on hand when going to the store because credit cards machines may not work.

FEMA. When FEMA came into our area, they gave us bags of ice, cases of water, and enough food for all of us, for an entire day, everyday. We were very grateful to have that available to us and it helped a great deal. When we went, they asked us to spread the word about them being there because they wanted to serve as many people as possible.

Look for the silver lining. If the situation looks (or is) really bad, try to keep in mind that things will get better. We tried to think of our bad weather experiences as a real-life pioneer reenactment. It helped us all deal with it a little better.

There’s nothing like a personal experience to make you wiser!

Below, you will find some sites and videos that can help inform you of what you will need to be prepared in the event of an emergency.