TEXAS — For better or worse, a monster storm like Hurricane Harvey often serves as a wake-up call.  So are you ready for the next storm?

September is preparedness month and FEMA says less than 50 percent of households have an emergency plan in place.

The agency encourages all Americans to take personal responsibility for emergency preparedness and planning ahead, including:

1.  Make an emergency plan for your family

2.  Practice your preparedness plan

3.  Learn life-saving skills like CPR and first aid

4.  Know the natural disasters and evacuation routes in your neighborhood.

"We often forget that many people in America don't save enough money," Dr. Daniel Kaniewski, FEMA's Deputy Administrator for Resilience said. "Did you know that 44 percent of Americans can't even put their hands on $400? If you don't have cash on hand, you won't be able to quickly recover so save a little bit of money for that disaster. And check your insurance. Most people don't know that homeowners insurance doesn't include flood insurance."

For more tips, download the FEMA app for your smartphone.