By Kelli Walter, Vice President of Community Development at Envision Credit Union
Living in the Southeast, hurricanes aren’t a question of if but a matter of when. And after last year’s storm season, I’m thinking a lot more about what it really means to be prepared.
Like many, I remember watching coverage of Hurricane Helene slamming into the Big Bend as a Category 4. Towns flooded. Power out for days. Families displaced. For many, the storm didn’t just take roofs — it took stability.
We often talk about bottled water and batteries when storm season arrives. But the truth is, being financially ready is just as important as boarding up windows.
Too many families don’t have the savings to cover even a few days in a hotel if they have to evacuate. Others can’t meet steep insurance deductibles or replace spoiled groceries after days without power. Some people even lose their homes, not from the wind or rain but from the financial strain left behind.
I’m not here to throw out a long checklist, but I’ve learned a few things that have helped me feel more in control before the skies go dark:
- Set aside a little emergency money. Even $10 a week adds up.
- Know your insurance policy. Don’t wait until a crisis to find out what’s covered.
- Keep important documents safe. Use waterproof bags — or better yet, scan and store them in a secure cloud platform. If you lose power or access to your home, digital backups can make a world of difference.
- Have some cash on hand. If the power’s out, so are the card readers.
These small steps may seem basic, but they’ve given me and my family peace of mind. And while I work for a financial institution, this isn’t about promoting a product. It’s about sharing something I wish more people were thinking about before the next storm hits.
Because here’s the hard truth: recovery doesn’t start after the storm. It starts before it.
We can’t control the weather. But we can control how prepared we are to face it. And that kind of readiness? That’s real power.
