Plan it out.
Discuss an evacuation plan with members of your household well in advance of an emergency. Ask everyone to make a list of items they consider essential to bring and then prioritize.

Prepare a box with essential documents such as birth certificates, insurance records, passports, tax returns, wills and cherished photographs. Be sure to place this box in a secure location, such as a fireproof safe.

Create or update a home inventory list to accurately record your possessions and add the list to your essential document box.

• Plan your escape routes. Choose more than one route, going in different directions, as some streets may be blocked off.
• Choose a meet-up place for family members should an evacuation order come when you’re not together.
• If you have some advance warning, fill your car’s gas tank and keep it topped off. Keep some cash on hand too—ATMs may not be operable in a disaster.

Pack it up.
For efficiency and speed, divide packing duties among household members. The Insurance Information Institute and the Department of Homeland Security offer suggestions for items to bring if you have only minutes to pack:

• Your prepared document box
• Prescriptions, first aid supplies, basic toiletries
• Computers or laptops
• Clothing for three days
• Comfort items, such as a child’s blanket or stuffed animal
• Pet supplies, including food, medicine, toys, vaccination records and a leash or carrier
• Bottled water
• Flashlight, battery-powered radio, extra batteries
• Cash

Go to statefarm.com to learn how to be prepared in the event of a natural disaster, and visit the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) for a detailed preparedness plan. 

5 Easy Ways to Improve Fuel Mileage

1. Ease your speed – Your right foot is the key to better gas mileage. According the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph on the highway is like paying an additional 24 cents per gallon. Stick to the speed limits and you’ll save big.
2. Be smooth – Imagine you’ve always got an open cup of hot java in the beverage holder. That could help you avoid pedal-to-the metal acceleration and last-second braking. According to the DOE, driving less aggressively could deliver up to 33 percent better fuel economy.
3. Don’t idle away – Sitting with your engine idling while waiting to pick up the kids is just a waste of gas. Cutting the engine if you know you’ll be stopped for more than 30 seconds can provide 10 percent better fuel economy. You don’t want to do this at a stop light, of course.
4. Plan your drive – Run all of your errands in one trip. According to the DOE, several stop-start drives can use twice as much fuel as one trip to the mall. And if you see a parking spot, take it, even if it means a longer walk to the store. Circling the lot wastes fuel.
5. Lighten your load – That set of golf clubs in your trunk adds weight to your car. That means your engine has to work harder. Also ease the load on your engine by switching off the AC and heated rear screen when you don’t need them.

Visit statefarm.com to learn more gas mileage tips.