AUSTIN, Texas — Hurricane season arrived last week, even as thousands of Texans continue to rebuild and recover from last year’s devastating Hurricane Harvey. This season’s weather is dangerous and unpredictable, but there are steps you can take to keep your family safe in case of a hurricane and ease your transition to recovery:

Prepare an emergency kit: Include water, food and medications for at least three days as well as some cash, a first aid kit, a flashlight, batteries and any important documents you can’t lose or will need if you evacuate. Consider purchasing a portable generator and external batteries or portable chargers for your cell phone. Don’t forget about your pets’ needs.

Know where to go: Do you know your local hurricane evacuation route? After you evacuate, do you have a planned destination? If you don’t have time to evacuate, do you know where to find a safe room or storm shelter?

Get insured: Flood insurance, wind insurance and homeowners insurance cover different things. Make sure you understand your policies, or you could end up with a huge bill. Learn more at https://go.usa.gov/xQ7px.

Download the FEMA app: It provides alerts from the National Weather Service, safety reminders, tips to survive natural disasters, an emergency checklist and up-to-date information about shelters and where to speak with FEMA in person or on the phone. Get the app at www.fema.gov/mobile-app.

Sign up/watch for alerts: Many communities have text or email emergency-notification systems, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s Weather Radio (www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr) and www.hurricanes.gov provide updates. You also can pick up an emergency radio, which receives alerts and can be charged by solar power or hand crank.

The best way to make sure your family knows what to do when disaster strikes is to practice responding to an emergency.

Prepare yourself financially: Check out FEMA’s new Emergency Financial First Aid Kit at https://go.usa.gov/xQ7pC to see how you can strengthen your financial preparedness for disasters and emergencies.

Visit www.ready.gov to learn more about improving your family’s disaster preparedness.

Planning and preparation are crucial to keeping your family safe, mitigating damage and quickly recovering once a storm passes. Don’t sit back and wait for a natural disaster to impact your life. Get yourself, your home and your family ready today.

For more information on Hurricane Harvey and Texas recovery, visit the Hurricane Harvey disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4332, Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMAharvey, the FEMA Region 6 Twitter account at www.twitter.com/FEMARegion6 or the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at https://www.dps.texas.gov/dem/.