It is said that “time heals all wounds,” and I believe this to be true. Still, as the long month of August inches towards its final days, I tend to remember something that happened eight years ago, but is as clear as though it happened just yesterday–Hurricane Katrina. But rather than rehash the story, nowadays I reflect more on the lessons that I learned. While I hope that I never again have to go through something as surreal as a deadly and devastating storm, I now know how to be better prepared and I hope my experience will benefit others.

First and foremost, forget the notion that “the government” will help you. God helps those who help themselves, and this couldn’t be more true in the wake of a disaster. If you’re advised to evacuate, evacuate. Realize that all of your possessions–including your home–are just things, and things can be replaced. Lives cannot. Don’t be complacent and think that “it won’t happen to you,” because it can. And even if it doesn’t, and you return to your home just as it was when you left, consider yourself lucky. This time. And even if you don’t have to evacuate, at least be sure that you have everything you need to ride out the storm as safely as as comfortably as possible: water, food, candles/lighter, a weather radio, batteries, first aid kit, medications, a whistle to signal for help, a can opener, and a local map. Katrina inundated our town with a twenty-six foot flood surge, and every street sign was decimated. It was a nightmare for search and recovery teams, as well as for those who were responsible for delivering and setting up FEMA trailers.

Have a binder in which you keep the originals or copies of all the important things of your life, and keep it current: birth certificates, your marriage certificate, health histories, Social Security cards, passports, credit cards, diplomas, mortgage papers, car titles, etc. In the event you have to leave in a hurry, this is easy to transport, and will save you a ton of headaches down the road. Believe me on this one.

About all those “things”: take photos of all the things that are meaningful, and if you’ve got receipts, that’s great. Insurance is the grand illusion, and if you can’t prove that you owned those things, chances are great that the insurance company won’t believe you and disallow coverage.

Speaking of photos, take as many with you as possible if you have to evacuate. You won’t believe how meaningful they are in the wake of a disaster.

Know that safe deposit boxes at banks may be fire-proof, but they are not flood-proof. We weren’t able to get access to the contents of ours until six weeks after the hurricane, and when we were able to, we discovered that the salt water–which remained in the safe deposit box until the locksmith emptied it–had destroyed several savings bonds and other valuable papers. Luckily, I had an inventory of everything that was in the box, so things that were destroyed were eventually replaced.

Have one or two out-of-town contacts that can relay information from you and to you. Communication will likely be interrupted in the wake of a storm and, therefore, intermittent at best. Plus, we all know how the media can perpetuate misinformation. So have one person to whom you can convey information and news, and ask them to pass it along to other relatives and friends.

If you decide to return and help with the recovery, realize that you will experience the best of human nature, as well as the worst. You will be utterly amazed at those who up and leave their own lives to help you recover yours…there truly are angels among us. You will also be shocked at those who come to prey on those who have been affected: looters, shysters, and the like.

Speaking of those who come to help, the ones who helped Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi the most were the Salvation Army, medical teams, and all of the religious organizations. The Salvation Army sent their trucks out to distribute water and meals…and if the trucks were not able to get to the neighborhoods, the workers set out on foot to reach the people. Medical tents and triage units were set up quickly and manned with medical personnel from all over the country 24/7, and although they were continually overwhelmed with people who were hurting both physically and emotionally, they somehow kept their wits about them and provided care in both a professional and humane manner. The religious organizations had their acts together like the government never will, and distributed food, water, and basic living supplies like toilet paper and diapers in an incredibly organized fashion, which was so helpful. They were a true godsend. And while I am always careful to preface my opinions regarding the American Red Cross with “their first aid and CPR classes are really good,” I must say that their disaster response leaves much to be desired. I will never, ever, make a donation to that organization again, and advise others not to either.

Also realize that modern conveniences such as ATMS, gasoline pumps, and credit cards probably won’t work. Count on electricity being out. Carry cash, and bring your own supply of fuel. However, in light of the predators aforementioned, be able to guard your belongings.

If you feel comfortable, pack heat. Or at least have a dog with a ferocious bark. Gun control is a sensitive issue these days, but realize that you are responsible for your own safety. In the days after Katrina, the local police force had its hands full with serious problems, let alone looters. So be prepared to fend for yourself, because you’ll have to.

While we will never be able to control the direction or the intensity of the wind, we will always be able to adjust our sails, and so it is with life’s disasters. We can choose to be prepared and we can be proactive, or we can succumb and be victims. Life is not always a bed of roses, and it may deal us a bad hand from time to time, but we can always make the most of it and benefit from the lessons those experiences impart. It’s a chance for growth. It’s all part of our journey.