From the heat to the rain, we’ve had a couple of recent grizzly reminders of just how dangerous Arizona’s summer weather can be.

A major monsoon storm struck Sunday evening, resulting in a flash flood up in Payson that took the lives of several individuals. We were far luckier here in Fountain Hills, but the damage seen around town Monday morning serves as a reminder of how quickly this season of rain can turn ugly. From downed trees and light poles to damaged vehicles and a destroyed roof at Desert Canyon, a downpour lasting about half an hour certainly left its mark on the town.

This week, we’d like to point our readers to the website monsoonsafety.org, which is loaded with facts, safety tips and extra resources aplenty for all things related to the monsoon season. We know it can be easy to tune this type of information out since we hear it on repeat annually through the rainy season, but it’s very important to give yourself a proper refresher from time to time.

At that website, you’ll learn all about planning ahead when traveling during this time of year, what to include in a disaster supply kit, tips for flash flood safety, advice for driving through heavy weather and even how to prepare your home for the worst.

We know what it’s like to get on an airplane and zone out during the safety reminders before each flight. “I’ve heard this a million times, I’m fine,” we think to ourselves. It’s information we hope and assume we’ll never actually need, and the same goes for monsoon safety. Some things will always be out of our control, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take responsibility for those factors that are within our grasp.

Be safe out there this summer.