Last year, reports surfaced about flood waters claiming family treasures, people drowning from attempting to drive through flood waters, farmers struggling with their crops after intense severe weather, choking smoke from raging wildfires and earthquakes shaking up fears of a greater occurrence to follow.

With the peak of hurricane season upon us and the possibility of more billion-dollar weather events across the nation, it's important to have a plan in place ahead of time.

View of the serene countryside and stormy sky with a tornado in the background. (Tokarsky/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It doesn't take a catastrophic event to have extreme impacts on the average American. Even a relatively small disaster can have major impacts on the lives it affects--from rainwater flooding an unsuspecting home to high speed winds from a severe storm toppling a tree onto a house.

Here are some important steps to help you protect both family and property if a natural disaster hits your area.

1. Find out what natural disasters your area of residence might face and plan accordingly

Different areas may be prone to different natural disasters depending on the environment. A few obvious examples are areas in flood planes are more susceptible to flooding than areas outside of them, tornadoes in Tornado Alley are notoriously more frequent than tornadoes outside of the area and earthquakes tend to occur along fault lines.

For flooding and hurricanes, websites such as FloodTools.com and FEMA.gov have an address look-up tool that will show where your property lies in regards to high-risk areas.

For fires, FEMA also has an interactive tool to view the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data that shows how many fire incidents have happened in each state from 2008 to 2017 and what percentage of them were natural and outdoor fires. For earthquakes, FEMA provides earthquake hazard maps.

However, keep in mind that just because a specific disaster doesn't happen in an area doesn't mean that it won't in the future. An example of this is Waco, Texas, where the people believed a tornado could not reach. In 1953, however, an EF5 tornado hit the town, killing 144 people and injuring another 597.

2. Have a game plan

After determining which disasters the area you live in might be prone to, plan on how you and your family will react to a potential disaster. Determine how you might care for any pets in the event of each disaster, where you will go if you need to evacuate and if you might need to find a way to power any medical equipment if the power goes out.

Don't forget to research an evacuation route and consider a backup route in case your first option is closed due to the disaster. Ready.gov provides some information on planning ahead for evacuating, including suggesting to research the shelters available and setting up a family or household communication and re-unification plan.

If you have kids, FEMA encourages families to include them in preparedness conversations. Practice emergency plans with them regularly, and make sure they have emergency contacts memorized or written down.

3. Prepare for long periods of time without power

Make an emergency kit that has food, water, flashlights and any necessary medications in the event of a power outage. Portable chargers might help for a period of time, but battery-operated items might be more reliable in an extended time without power.

Don't forget to prepare for any extreme temperatures that might accompany a power outage, such as an outage in a winter storm or one in extreme heat.

4. Think ahead about financial impacts

Check your insurance plans to see what will and won't be covered. Take the time to create a disaster fund for anything insurance might not cover. Disasters often strike without warning, so saving money as soon as possible might save you a headache down the road.

5. Protect important documents

Passports, birth certificates and licenses are important to keep in safe places no matter the situation. There are fireproof and waterproof safes available to keep not only those documents safe but also precious family heirlooms that could be easily destroyed by water.

Consider whether you want to store these items at your house or in a safe at a bank. However, know that banks accept no liability for the loss or damages of items within safe deposit boxes.

For more safety and preparedness tips, visit AccuWeather.com/Ready.

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