Baby boomers may remember the 1970s TV commercial for Chiffon where Mother Nature tastes margarine that she believes is butter.

“It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature,” she declares amid lightning and thunder.

Whenever mankind is confronted, history suggests that it’s not nice to fool with Mother Nature.

From hurricanes Andrew and Katrina, to earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, to volcanoes, floods, fire and drought, Mother Nature is not one to be reckoned with. Mankind will always be the underdog when facing natural disaster.

And so it is as Hurricane Irene drifts in our direction. By this time Saturday morning, the outer bands of the storm will be pelting us with wind and rain.

At this point, the best we can do is follow the Boy Scout motto: be prepared.

• If you are in an evacuation zone, be prepared to evacuate when officials issue an advisory.
• Check your disaster supplies, including prescription medications and supplies for your pet.
• Fill your vehicle with gas.
• Lower the thermostat in your refrigerator and freezer.
• Secure outside items so that they cannot be picked up by the wind.

These are just a few items to consider. For a complete preparation checklist, visit http://issuu.com/wdnweb/docs/hurricane/1.

We may not be able to beat Mother Nature, but with proper preparation, we can improve the chance she will not beat us.