A useful hurricane plan answers six questions before the forecast becomes urgent: Is your home in an evacuation zone? Where will you go and which route will you use? Where will you shelter if you stay? How will your household communicate? What supplies, medicines and documents must move with you? What will you do if flooding or official instructions change the plan?
Write the answers down, share them with everyone in the household, and practice the key steps. Local evacuation zones, routes, shelters, transit arrangements and active orders are location-specific, so use your local emergency-management office for current instructions. General federal guidance can explain the decisions, but it cannot identify the correct route or shelter for your address.
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Start with the risks at your address
Hurricanes create several hazards at once: storm surge and inland flooding, destructive wind, tornadoes, prolonged power loss, blocked roads and disrupted communications. Your plan should reflect the hazards that can affect your home, not just the category of the storm.
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Contact your city, county or state emergency-management office and record your official evacuation zone or designation. Save the information on paper and in your phone. Ask which conditions trigger evacuation, whether your neighborhood has a mandatory or voluntary designation, and how officials announce changes. A map from a previous storm may be outdated; use the current map and instructions issued for your area.
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Identify official routes and destinations
Choose a destination outside the threatened area before a storm is approaching. Options may include a friend or relative inland, a hotel that accepts your household and pets, or an officially designated shelter. Identify at least one backup destination in case the first is full or inaccessible.
Write down the designated evacuation route rather than relying on a familiar shortcut. Mark fuel stations, rest areas, charging locations and places where you could stop for medication or medical assistance. Plan for road closures, contraflow traffic and bridge restrictions. Never drive around a barricade or use a route that officials have closed.
Account for every person, animal and vehicle
List household members, children’s schools, workplaces, caregivers and pets. Decide who collects children, who transports an older adult or a person with a disability, and which vehicle carries medicines, mobility equipment and documents. Ask your local emergency office about accessible transportation and shelters if anyone cannot drive, climb stairs or tolerate heat. Arrange pet-friendly lodging or a shelter that accepts animals; many general shelters cannot accommodate pets except service animals.
Write a household communication plan
Storms can overload or interrupt cellular networks, electricity and internet access. A communication plan prevents a failed call from becoming a missing-person problem.
Record essential contacts
Keep a printed contact sheet in each go bag and store the same information in every adult’s phone. Include:
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- Every household member’s mobile, work and school number.
- An out-of-area contact who can relay updates between separated family members.
- Doctors, pharmacies, home-health providers and medical-equipment suppliers.
- School, child-care, employer and building-management contacts.
- Your local emergency-management office, utility companies and insurance company.
- The address and phone number of your planned destination and backup destination.
Include email addresses and messaging handles when useful. Add instructions for a person who may answer on behalf of a child, older adult or dependent adult.
Choose meeting places
Set one meeting place immediately outside the home, such as a neighbor’s designated location, and another outside the neighborhood in case roads are blocked. Choose a place that is not in a flood-prone low spot. Tell everyone when to use each location and who is responsible for checking that children and pets are accounted for.
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Prefer text or messaging to voice calls
FEMA advises texting or messaging when phone systems are down or busy. Texts often use less network capacity than voice calls, so send short status messages such as “safe at destination” and include your location only when it is safe to do so. Do not assume a message was delivered; establish a check-in schedule and a fallback contact.
Keep phones charged and carry vehicle chargers, wall chargers and spare battery packs. A battery-powered AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio with extra batteries provides an information backup when mobile service or internet access fails. Check the radio periodically so you know it works.
Practice the plan
Run a short drill before hurricane season and whenever someone’s address, school, job or medical needs change. Have each person show where the contact sheet is, identify the meeting place, and explain who collects children and pets. Practice sending a text, switching to the backup destination and leaving by the selected route.
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Decide where you will go
The decision to evacuate belongs to local authorities and the household’s risk assessment. If officials order evacuation, leave immediately. FEMA’s hazard guidance states: “If told to evacuate, do so immediately.” Take critical supplies and documents, follow designated routes, and obey police, transportation officials and emergency managers.
When evacuation is ordered
- Check the order’s area, deadline, route restrictions and destination information through official alerts.
- Collect the ready-to-go bags, medicines, medical equipment, pet supplies, documents and chargers.
- Turn off or secure utilities only if local instructions tell you to do so and it can be done safely.
- Lock the home, tell your out-of-area contact that you are leaving, and take the planned route.
- Do not drive through standing water, ignore barricades or take an unapproved shortcut.
Leave early enough to account for traffic, refueling, mobility needs and rest stops. If you use public transportation, learn the evacuation pickup point and schedule in advance; service may stop when conditions worsen.
If you are not ordered to evacuate
Not receiving an order does not make every location safe. Consider storm surge, river or drainage flooding, wind exposure, the building’s construction, your ability to receive alerts, and whether you can care for dependent people without power or medical services. Contact local officials if you are unsure whether your address is included in a zone or order.
Where is the safest place to shelter during a hurricane?
If you stay, use a sturdy building and move away from windows and exterior doors. For extreme wind, FEMA guidance favors a FEMA safe room or an ICC 500 storm shelter. If one is unavailable, use a small interior room without windows on the lowest level that is not exposed to flooding.
Compare your shelter options
| Option | Wind protection | Flood concern | Access and household fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| FEMA safe room or ICC 500 storm shelter | Designed for high-wind protection when properly built and used as intended. | Must still be outside areas that can flood; wind protection does not make a flooded location safe. | Check entry, space, ventilation, medical-device power and whether children and service animals can use it. |
| Small interior, windowless room in a sturdy building | Best available alternative when a certified shelter is not available; stay away from windows and doors. | Use only on the lowest level that will not flood. Do not choose a basement or low room in a flood-prone structure. | Choose a room everyone can reach quickly and that fits mobility, medical and caregiving needs. |
| Official public shelter | Protection varies by building and operating rules; follow the shelter manager’s directions. | Use only a shelter opened and identified by local authorities. | Confirm transportation, registration, accessibility, medication storage, children’s needs and pet policy. |
| Friend or relative’s inland home | Depends on its construction, windows and ability to withstand wind. | Confirm it is outside evacuation and flood zones for the expected storm. | Agree in advance on arrival time, sleeping space, pets, medical equipment and backup power. |
When flooding changes the plan
A room that is appropriate for wind may become dangerous when water rises. If water enters the building, move to the highest level that remains accessible and safe. Do not enter a closed attic: rising water can trap you there. Keep a way to communicate with rescuers, but never enter moving water to reach another room or person unless directed by trained responders.
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Build a hurricane emergency kit for several days
FEMA’s hurricane checklist calls for at least a three-day supply of water and nonperishable food, while medicines should cover at least one week. Your household may need more if roads are isolated, power restoration is slow or a member depends on refrigerated medicine or powered equipment. Store supplies where they are easy to carry and check them at least twice a year.
Core supplies
| Need | What to pack | Planning notes |
|---|---|---|
| Water and food | At least three days of drinking water and nonperishable food; manual can opener and utensils. | Include foods household members can eat without cooking. Rotate items before expiration. |
| Medicines and health | At least one week of prescription and essential over-the-counter medicines, prescription copies, first-aid supplies and health records. | Ask clinicians and pharmacies how to obtain emergency refills. Keep temperature-sensitive medicines according to medical advice. |
| Power and information | Charged phone, spare battery, chargers, flashlight, battery-powered AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio and extra batteries. | Test batteries and cables. Keep a backup lighting source for each sleeping area. |
| Sanitation | Toilet paper, soap, hand sanitizer, disinfectant, menstrual products, diapers, wipes, sturdy garbage bags and a portable toilet solution if needed. | Plan for no running water or sewer service. |
| Clothing and protection | Sturdy shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, rain gear, blankets, gloves and eye protection. | Pack footwear that protects against nails, glass and contaminated water during cleanup. |
| Money and records | Cash in small bills, spare keys and critical records in a waterproof container. | Electronic payment systems and ATMs may be unavailable. |
| Pets and service animals | Food and water, bowls, medicines, leash or carrier, waste bags, identification, vaccination records and a recent photo. | Confirm destination and shelter rules before leaving. |
Customize the kit for real household needs
- Infants: formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, food, medicines and a safe way to warm or prepare feeds.
- Older adults: hearing aids and batteries, glasses, dentures, mobility aids, medication lists and caregiver contacts.
- Disabilities and medical equipment: backup batteries, charging cables, transfer aids, supplies and written operating instructions. Ask the equipment provider about outage procedures.
- Food allergies or special diets: shelf-stable foods that meet the diet, plus clearly labeled alternatives.
- Communication needs: paper instructions, visual alerts, translation support or an assistive device.
Keep a smaller go bag ready
A go bag is different from the household stockpile: it is light enough to take immediately. Put identification, medicines, a phone and charger, water, snacks, flashlight, weather radio, cash, keys, a change of clothes, hygiene items and essential documents in a backpack or rolling bag. Keep one bag for each person when possible, and place pet supplies where they can be loaded quickly.
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Make documents portable
Store identification, medical information, medication lists, insurance policies, bank and mortgage information, vehicle titles, emergency contacts and proof of residence in a portable waterproof container. Keep copies with your go bag rather than in a locked cabinet that cannot be moved.
Password-protected digital copies can supplement paper records. Use an encrypted drive or secure account, enable multifactor authentication, and keep recovery information available offline. Do not rely on a device that may lose power or on an account you cannot access without cellular service.
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Review insurance before a storm
Standard homeowners or renters policies generally do not cover flood damage. Check your own policy, exclusions, deductibles, waiting periods and coverage limits with the insurer, and ask specifically about flood, wind, temporary living expenses and vehicles. Do not assume that buying coverage immediately before a storm will protect against that event; the policy’s terms control.
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Document the property safely
If conditions are calm, photograph or video rooms, valuables, serial numbers and the exterior of the property. Store the inventory with your protected records and send a copy to a secure account. Do not remain outside or delay evacuation to document belongings when officials have issued an order.
Use alerts and make decisions during the storm
Enable local emergency alerts on your phone and monitor official weather and emergency-management channels. A battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio is a useful backup, especially when internet or mobile service is unreliable. Keep the radio and spare batteries where everyone can find them.
While sheltering
- Stay in the selected interior room and away from windows, skylights and glass doors.
- Keep shoes, a flashlight, phone, charger and communication sheet within reach.
- Do not go outside during a temporary lull; the eye of a hurricane can bring a short period of calmer conditions before dangerous winds return.
- Follow local instructions if officials direct you to move to another shelter or evacuate.
Floodwater rules
FEMA guidance is explicit: “Do not walk, swim, or drive through flood waters.” Water can hide open drains, debris, electrical hazards, chemicals and damaged roads, and moving water can sweep away a person or vehicle. Turn around and seek a higher, authorized location rather than testing the depth.
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Wait for an official reentry notice. Authorities may restrict access because of live power lines, contaminated water, structural damage, gas leaks, debris or ongoing rescue work. Carry identification and follow checkpoints and curfews.
Before entering
- Look for downed lines, smell of gas, unstable walls, standing water and damaged roofs. Do not enter a visibly unsafe structure.
- Use a battery light instead of a flame if gas may be present.
- Have utilities inspected or restored by qualified personnel when required; do not reconnect systems yourself.
- Wear sturdy shoes, gloves and eye protection, and assume floodwater and mud may be contaminated.
Document damage and get help
Photograph damage before cleanup when it is safe, keep receipts for temporary repairs and report losses to your insurer. Make only repairs needed to prevent further damage, and use licensed professionals for electrical, gas and structural work. If you cannot safely return, contact local emergency services or relief organizations for shelter, food, medication and transportation assistance.
Keep the plan current
Review the plan at the start of hurricane season and after any move, new medical diagnosis, vehicle change, school change or addition of a household member or pet. Replace expired food, batteries and medicines; test radios and chargers; confirm that destinations still accept your household; and verify evacuation zones, routes and shelter information with local officials. The FEMA App may assist with family plans and kits, provide National Weather Service alerts for up to five locations and help find nearby shelters, but features can change, so confirm current availability before relying on it.
A one-page hurricane plan template
Write these details on one sheet and give a copy to every adult:
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- Primary destination and address: ____________________
- Backup destination and address: ____________________
- Primary evacuation route: ____________________
- Backup route: ____________________
- Meeting place near home: ____________________
- Meeting place outside neighborhood: ____________________
- Out-of-area contact: ____________________
- Child, school and work pickup responsibilities: ____________________
- Pet transport and destination: ____________________
- Medical equipment, medicines and accessibility needs: ____________________
- Official alert sources and local emergency number: ____________________
Keep the sheet with the go bags, review it together and leave as soon as officials order evacuation. A written plan cannot remove hurricane risk, but it turns a rapidly changing event into decisions your household has already made.
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