With Hurricane Harvey taking its toll on Houston and the Category 5 Hurricane Irma impacting the state of Florida, there are ways to prepare. Preparation can vary from buying supplies to creating elaborate plans and blueprints. Here are five ways you can prepare for a hurricane.

1. Create an evacuation plan

This method of preparing requires blueprints and drawings of the area you plan on escaping from. The evacuation plan should be memorized by everyone in your family and kept in an extremely visible place in a household. In case of an emergency, everybody will know what to do and what not to do.

2. Buy supplies

Buying supplies is a crucial part of sitting/waiting out a hurricane. Since you are not able to go anywhere you will have to stock up on food, water and gas to feed and protect yourselves from the hurricane.

3. Check insurance coverage

Having a good knowledge about your insurances is important. You have to be covered in order to replace belongings and even the whole house once the hurricane hits. Without insurance, you are likely to lose everything.

4. Make copies of important documents

It is crucial to make copies or have extras of important papers that you own. Such papers include your passport, citizenship form and house forms. Without these documents, you will have nothing to return too.

5. Protect your house

Protecting your house can help you stay protected from flood water and can also stop intruders from entering the premises. Methods of protection include barricading, digging and insulating parts of your home.