September is National Preparedness Month, and the American Red Cross is encouraging Hudson Valley residents to take simple steps now to prepare for emergencies without feeling like they need to spend hundreds of dollars all at once.

John Vale, executive director of the American Red Cross Hudson Valley Chapter, told Radio Catskill that preparedness can cover everything from major flooding and severe storms to everyday emergencies such as house fires and power outages.

“When we look towards preparing, it’s just making sure our families, our individuals here in the Hudson Valley have what they need to remain safe during an emergency, but also those hours and days that follow,” Vale said.

That includes having enough food, water, medications and other basic supplies available if a household is unable to leave home for several days.

One of the easiest and least expensive places to start is by creating a household emergency plan.

Vale said families should determine where they would meet if they had to evacuate their home and make sure everyone in the household knows how to get out safely.

That kind of planning can be especially important if an emergency happens in the middle of the night.

Vale said families should also think about how they would escape their homes during a fire.

The Red Cross recommends identifying two escape routes from each room whenever possible and establishing a meeting place outside so family members know where to go after evacuating.

Families should also consider whether children, older adults or people with mobility or other functional needs may require additional help.

Building an emergency kit does not have to happen in one shopping trip, Vale said.

He recommends gradually adding supplies during normal grocery or hardware store trips while watching for sales, coupons, clearance items and discounts.

“You can start by building your kit slowly,” Vale said. “You can start buying items every time you shop.”

Vale said a smaller “go kit” for an evacuation can include about three days of supplies, while households preparing to shelter in place should work toward having enough food, water and other necessities for one to two weeks.

A general guideline is about one gallon of water per person per day, Vale said.

Other useful supplies include flashlights, batteries, first-aid materials and a hand-crank radio.

Vale said a hand-crank radio can be particularly helpful during an extended power outage because it does not depend on household electricity.

“If we have, let’s say, a power outage, I would still be able to tune into the radio and stay informed,” he said.

Residents can also download the free Red Cross Emergency app.

Vale said the app can provide alerts and preparedness information based on a person’s ZIP code, helping residents learn what types of disasters are most likely in their area and what steps they can take beforehand.

Staying informed becomes especially important during power or internet outages.

Vale said residents should know where their local town, county, police and fire departments share emergency information and have backup ways to receive updates if cell service becomes unreliable.

The Red Cross also stresses the importance of community connections during a disaster.

Vale said neighbors checking on one another can become especially important during a major emergency, when police, firefighters and other emergency services may be stretched thin during the first 24 to 48 hours.

With winter weather eventually returning to the Hudson Valley, Vale said September is also an opportunity for residents to think ahead about snow, ice, power outages and other seasonal emergencies.

His main advice for anyone who has not started preparing is simple: start small.

“Disasters never wait for the right time,” Vale said. “Any step today will go a long way in helping you in the future.”

More emergency preparedness information and checklists are available through the American Red Cross and its Emergency app.