The news of the flooding in Texas continues to keep us glued to the television.

Our hearts go out to all those affected.

Events like this that underscore the importance of voluntary organizations and humanitarian aid organizations. But before you start giving, confirm what is needed before you take action.

FEMA has outlined specifically how individuals and community groups can assist during a disaster.

Financial contributions to a disaster relief organization are the most effective donation to make, but beware! Make sure the organization you are donating to is a recognized group. If you need help in determining who to give to, the National Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster website, nvoad.org, has a list of major non-profits that are active in disaster work. For more information about donations, visit FEMA’s website at fema.gov.

As we watch the efforts in Texas, don’t forget that disasters can happen here at home too.

Are you emergency prepared?

The season is upon us now for sudden and severe storms, floods and tornadoes. Now is the time to give some thought as to how to best prepare your family in weather emergencies.

Every family needs to establish a storm-ready kit for each member of their household. These items can be easily stored in a bucket, back-pack or small suitcase.

You will want to store the kit in the room you have designated as a “safe-room,” whether it is in the basement or a center room of the home.

Items to include in your storm-ready kit are: flashlight with extra batteries, first aid kit, canned food and water (the individual serving sizes work great for those with different tastes), weather radio, paper towels, soap, pain reliever, prescription drugs, next-of-kin emergency contact numbers, gloves, trash bags and water. Remember to refresh your kit as we change our clock and the batteries in our smoke detectors each year.

For more information on Emergency Preparedness, contact the Clark County Extension Service at 744-4682 or visit us on the web at http://ces.ca.uky.edu/clark.

Jennifer Howard is the Clark County Extension Agent for family and consumer sciences.