Most people think that a disaster situation won't happen to them, and that if it does, they would be prepared.

But if a tornado comes roaring into your neighborhood, or the wildfire crests over the hill by your home, you'll find that your focus immediately turns to getting you, your family, and your pets to a safe place. Gathering any items from your home for the evacuation takes a back seat to your own safety.

The best time to prepare for an emergency evacuation is during a calm time when you can organize your packing lists and locate cherished family heirlooms.

Test yourself to see if you'd be able to evacuate in 5 minutes.

Set a timer for 5 minutes, because in many emergencies, like a wildfire, that's all the time you'll have before you have to leave. Gather everything you think you'll want to take with you in this 5 minute period and set it by your door.

When the time is up, take an inventory of what you've chosen and make a list of those items.

What did you find to take? If you'd like, share some of the things that made it into your evacuation pile.

• Did you remember your car keys?

• Do you have your driver's license and wallet?

• Did your cell phone make it into the pile?

• What about a cell phone charger?

• If you take prescription medications, did you include them?

• If you have pets, do you have a leash and identification for your dog(s) and a carrier for your cat(s)?

If you're like me, maybe you'll discover that you missed a lot of items that are essential to you and your family during your first evacuation prep.

This exercise is helpful to teach how important it is to prepare for an emergency evacuation before you need to go. Having a Go Bag packed and ready for every family member and for your pets is only the first step to a successful emergency evacuation.

Over the next few days I'll share some lists of items that you may want to think about organizing for your home evacuation.