Hurricane season starts on May 15 in the north Pacific and June 1 in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. It ends on November 30. Before hurricane season each year, make sure you and your family are prepared by planning ahead. Write down emergency phone numbers and keep them on the refrigerator or near every phone in your house. Program them into your cell phone too. Prepare an emergency supply kit. Locate the nearest shelter and different routes you can take to get there from your home. If shelter locations in your area have not been identified, learn how to find them in the event of a storm Preparing for a Hurricane Research your evacuation route. Use a website such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency's gov or RoadIRApp. If you are in a flood zone, think about installing flood-resistant windows and siding. Ask your contractor about proper workmanship. Build your home to be more resilient to flooding. Repairs to a flooded home are generally more costly than repairs to a flood-da

In an emergency you'll need to provide and receive help, and after it's over, you'll have to return, repair, and rebuild. Central to this is communication and documentation. Our society loves red tape, especially after disasters. Below are 50 ways the camera phone can be used in an emergency to document, record, and relay important information. Any camera could be used for some of these things, but the camera phone carries a distinct advantage. It can immediately transmit your pictures. If you don't have a camera phone, go with what you have, or what you can afford. Disposable cameras and digital cameras are acceptable. However, the camera phone rules, so let's look at ways yours can be used in an emergency. 1. Last minute child ID. Whenever the family might be separated, take last-minute pictures of all family members, especially the kids, and pets. 2. Send a map. To send or receive directions to or from a location when voice directions aren't working, draw a m