Tips to help you prepare for — and recover from — natural disasters

More than 85 large wildfires are ripping across the West Coast, from California to Oregon and Washington. In the Southeast, people are just beginning to recover from Hurricane Sally, while more storms are brewing in the Atlantic. And the Midwest continues to recover from the recent derecho.

Severe weather and natural disasters can occur anywhere — sometimes with little warning. The FTC’s site, Dealing with Weather Emergencies, has practical tips to help you prepare for, deal with, and recover from a weather emergency. It’s mobile-friendly, so easy to get to when and where you need it.

• Thinking about how you’d get your family, pets, and property ready for an emergency? There’s help for you. (And it’s National Preparedness Month – not a bad time to think about your plan.)
• Scammers scuttle out of the woodwork after a disaster, so you’ll find ways to spot and avoid their scams.
• Disasters can cause all kinds of financial stress — and lost documents. Check out some ideas to manage money, credit, housing, and those lost docs.

Then, help others in your community by sharing tips on social media or — if you’re able — by printing and handing out a one-page graphic, Picking Up the Pieces after a Disaster or Ready for HURRICANE SEASON? 5 things to do now, depending on where you are and what’s happening.

And don’t forget to sign up for our consumer alerts. Thank you, and stay safe.