You can’t predict the future—or control the toll that a fire, hurricane, or flood takes on your home. But you can take steps to ensure that you’re prepared in the event you get stuck in your house after a natural disaster strikes. When it comes to being prepared, having insurance is crucial, and relatively affordable. But to be fully prepared for a natural disaster, you also need an emergency kit.

A useful survival kit has more than just flashlights and some bottled water (although you should have those things, too). Your kit should contain supplies that will last you at least three days. And you should start cobbling it together now, so you aren’t caught off guard in the event of a crisis. It’s easy to lose focus on what you need to do in a disaster; having an emergency kit will allow you to focus on other tasks while knowing that you have the best emergency supplies handily packed in a kit. Make sure all household members know where the kit is stored. And, since your emergency kit might be the only thing you can take with you when you eventually leave the home, keep everything in an easy-to-carry container.

As for what should go inside the kit, follow this comprehensive checklist. (Heads up: Because some items can expire—and your family’s needs can change over time—look at your emergency kit at least once a year and make any necessary updates.)

Prescription Medications

If you have multiple prescriptions, make sure each is in a label