I haven't always been prepared for the extreme weather I experienced during my life but somehow we always found a way to survive

I can think of many many times extreme unexpected weather hit where I was:

Like walking down from Horse Camp on Mt. Shasta in August in shorts and boots and t-shirts in 90 degree weather or above and suddenly it started to hail ice as big as my little finger. At first my family was just saying "OW" from being hit by large hail until I told everyone to get under a large pine or fir tree nearby. This cut down the injuries a lot to very few. This way we could wait out the hail falling for 10 to 15 minutes. Then when it stopped we just had to not slip on the hail on the ground.

Another time driving my car a 1968 Camaro in likely 1969 and a wall of water coming towards me out of the mountains and onto the desert from flash flooding. So, I burned rubber and spun my car around before the wall of water hit my car and I was being pushed sideways across the desert in my car which likely could have wrecked my car and possibly ended my life. Luckily there was a paved road in the opposite direction of the wall of water so I and my car could survive this.

Another time climbing Mt. San Gorgonio on top of the mountain in winter there was an ice storm which was ripping my face so I covered my face with greenhouse plastic I brought to slide down from the top in the snow. But, I kept falling down in the 100 mph or more winds as they gusted. Finally I had gotten injured enough and gave up and simply slid down from the peak on the same plastic I was protecting my face with on the snow.

Another time I was high on Mt. Shasta with my family near Clear Creek nearer to McCloud side of the mountain and it was August again but it began to snow and we were several miles from our 4 wheel drive and once again in shorts and hiking boots and t-shirts without jackets. The children were with us and dressed like us and the sudden blizzard when it was 80 or 90 degrees before was completely unexpected in August. So, we carried the littler ones and made the oldest walk while holding our hands. Slipping on rocks we finally made it to the car before we all got hypothermia too bad to function or walk anymore and started the 4 wheel drive and turned on the heater and drove to a lower altitude where we could all recover.

Preparing for strange experiences like this just like those who were flooded out in Kentucky and those who died there and preparing for fires like the mcKinney fire in California that has already killed 4 people is the kind of thing many need to prepare for.

Just like the boy scout motto says: 

"BE PREPARED"

So, you and your family don't die when the unexpected happens. 

For example, if you aren't used to altitude just remember that you might not be able to breathe air and get enough if it is smoky some places. My wife spent a night in the hospital in Truckee years ago when she didn't listen to me about unloading our vehicle into a hotel in Lake Tahoe when there was a fire nearby and had to spend the night in a hospital on oxygen to recover.

Also, If you are from California or where there are fires a lot you might already know this. But, when there is a fire and bad smoke you put your air on recycle in your vehicle and turn on your air conditioner because you might not be able to breathe otherwise where you are without going to the hospital otherwise. If you live where there are fires all the time you might already know this.

So, you roll up your windows, put your air on recycle and turn your air conditioner on so it can save your life and keep you out of the hospital on oxygen for 12 to 24 hours.