It's a good idea to put together emergency preparedness supplies long before you need them. The Galveston County Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service advises that it's much easier to gather the supplies and documents you need before hurricane season starts. Hurricane season begins on June 1 and continues through Nov. 30.

Having emergency supplies in easy-to-carry containers will serve you well, no matter what kind of natural or manmade emergency you may face. Use this checklist:

• First-aid kit.
• Extra prescription medications, written copies of prescriptions, other special medical items.
• Important documents and records, photo IDs, proof of residence, information you may need to process insurance claims.
• Cash (power outages mean banks and ATMs may be unavailable).
• Battery-operated radio.
• Flashlight with extra batteries.
• Phone numbers of family and friends.
• Road maps, a travel plan, hotel reservations, list of places between your town and your destination you can stop if the highways are clogged.
• 3-day supply of non-perishable food, one gallon of bottled water per person per day.
• Coolers for food and ice storage, paper plates, plastic utensils.
• Manual can opener, knife, tools, booster cables, fire extinguisher, duct tape, tarp, rope.
• Blankets, pillows, sleeping bags and extra clothing.
• Toilet paper, cleanup supplies, personal hygiene products.
• Eyeglasses, sunglasses, hearing aids.
• Special supplies needed for babies, older adults or pets.
• Extra keys.