This week, the East Coast experienced a devastating hurricane. And just two weeks ago, many of us in the Northeast felt the earthquake that had its epicenter in Hollis.

Natural disasters will always occur. Some, like the earthquake, are not able to be predicted, and for others, like Hurricane Sandy we can get advance warning, even if we did not know the exact trajectory or strength with which it would hit our shores.

This major storm rocked the entire East Coast, from Florida to Maine, with the mid-Atlantic states taking the brunt of the damage, creating a true state of emergency.

Here in Maine, we get a lot of storms, so it can be easy to become complacent and think we can manage well whenever a big storm threatens us. But the fact is, we never will know ahead of time when the next hurricane or ice storm can be truly dangerous.

In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie encouraged people along the coast to evacuate the area, and get to safer ground. Not everyone took his advice. He called those who stayed in at-risk areas “stupid and selfish.”

Those were strong words, but he was right. It is not smart to stay behind when an area is evacuated. If flooding is bad enough, people eventually do have to leave, and it can be difficult or even impossible to do so. Bridges can be damaged or closed, roads can be impassable, and without electricity, gas for cars will be hard to find.

It is also selfish to stay, because then the rescuers are put in harm’s way. The police and firefighters and national guardsmen who participate in rescue efforts are brave people, but much of their rescue efforts are truly dangerous. Sometimes they lose their lives.

Hurricane Sandy pounded nearly one-third of the U.S. mainland. The National Weather Service Operations Center called it a Level 3 Hurricane on Sunday, Oct. 28, but later reduced it to a massive post-tropical superstorm. The Atlantic coast beaches were hit by large sea waves, many up to 20 feet high. Some of these wave surges breached berms that were set up to protect communities from flooding damage.

Heavy rains and winds caused problems for several hundred miles inland, including structural damage to private homes and commercial businesses. Downed trees have destroyed automobiles, crushed parts of homes and taken lives. Inland flash and river flooding have caused heavy damage to roads and to some bridges. It is estimated this storm damage could reach $20 billion or more in overall losses.

Electricity was down in many areas, with widespread power outages throughout the entire East Coast region. Without power, most public transportation systems were shut down, and people in nursing homes and hospitals were managing on dwindling emergency supplies.

We all need to be prepared for emergencies like Hurricane Sandy and other disasters, and National Geographic has offered some great safety tips:

Ӣ An evacuation plan should be established before any hurricane warning is issued. A traveling route should be laid out ahead of time to leave the area for a specific destination or to go to a local shelter nearby.

”¢ Emergency supplies should be assembled that include food, water, clothing, medicines, important documents like wills, bank and insurance papers, duplicate sets of house and car keys, phone numbers of family members, cash and credit cards, photo IDs, flashlights, a First Aid kit and a portable radio with extra batteries. And remember to fill up your car’s gas tank beforehand.

Ӣ Contact friends or relatives who can take care of pets or find a local safe kennel; otherwise, pets should be brought along with a sufficient supply of pet food, cage and medications.

Ӣ The American Red Cross also should be contacted by those whose homes are destroyed by fire or flooded out in a hurricane, as the Red Cross can supply temporary shelter and limited money for clothing and food.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has reported that 40 percent of businesses do not re-open after a disaster. If you have a small business and are concerned, check for helpful information on the internet at SBA.gov/Prepare.

Prepare an emergency crisis plan now. It’s never too late to start. Your life could depend on it in the future.

— Bernard Featherman is a business columnist for the Journal Tribune and former president of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce.