When disaster hits southwest Ohio, it's most often in the form of weather.

Snow storms, hail storms, thunderstorms, floods, tornadoes and even the occasional earthquake are all on Mother Nature's menu.

In 2008, we experienced something quite different. The windstorm of Sept. 14, courtesy of the remnants of Texas-sized Hurricane Ike, threw everyone in the region for a loop.

Jeffrey Jordan, director of the Office of Emergency Management for Montgomery County, called the event unprecedented.

Tornadoes and straight-line winds, which typically cause localized damage, are in the agency's playbook.

Hurricane force winds — widespread and affecting larger areas — are not.

Storms of that type just don't hit Ohio. But with climatologists warning that hurricanes are entering a period of faster development and rising intensity, we may have them — and regularly.

The windstorm lasted more than four hours. By the time it ended, the state said, seven Ohioans had been killed and 84 of the 88 counties throughout the Buckeye State reported windstorm damage and power outages.

The county came up far short in portable stop signs as intersection signal lights winked out with the massive electrical outage. As night after night went by without power, driving became a scary experience. At the top of Jordan's to-do list: acquiring more portable stop signs.

"That's new for us and we'll incorporate that into our planning," he said. "We plan to be prepared for the next one."

This Emergency Preparedness Guide is intended to help you, our readers, and the public prepare for the next one — no matter what Mother Nature throws our way.

In this guide you will find articles on what to do, how to assemble your home emergency kit, how to disaster proof your home or business, what insurance to have and suggestions as to what phone numbers you need to keep.

To that end, you should consider taking a hint from Jordan and make an inventory of things you need in the aftermath of the windstorm but didn't have. That could include:

• Flashlights
• A battery-powered radio
• A five-day cooler to keep perishables longer when the electricity fails
• An alternate cooking appliance

"We want to stress to the public that the time to prepare is now," Jordan said. "They should work on developing an emergency disaster kit including a three-day supply of water — a gallon per person per day — canned food, flashlights, extra batteries and battery powered radios now that it is fresh in everyone's mind."

The American Red Cross and county emergency management agencies throughout southwest Ohio and the Miami Valley have guides on how to assemble kits and be prepared.

Use them.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7407 or sbennish@DaytonDailyNews.com.