The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Prepare before a hurricane watch or warning: learn your evacuation zone and routes, decide where your household will go, protect your home and records, and assemble supplies for at least three days. Plan at least one week of medications, then add items for infants, pets, disabilities, medical equipment, likely power outages and local hazards. During the storm, follow official evacuation orders; if sheltering from wind, use a designated safe room or storm shelter, or a small interior windowless room on the lowest flood-safe level. Never enter floodwater, and run generators only outdoors away from windows.
This guide explains How to Prepare Your Home and Emergency Kit for a Hurricane using Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidance. Evacuation zones, shelters, routes, alerts, building conditions and insurance rules differ by location, so your local emergency-management office and current official instructions always take priority.
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Start before a hurricane watch
Waiting for a forecast cone to narrow leaves less time for travel, medication refills, accessibility arrangements and safe home preparation. Make the major decisions during calm weather, write them down and review them at least annually and whenever someone joins or leaves the household.
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Identify your evacuation zone and destination
Ask your county or city emergency-management agency whether your address is in a coastal, storm-surge, river, low-lying or other evacuation zone. Record the zone name or number, the official evacuation routes, public-transit options and nearby shelter locations. Select a destination outside the hazard area: a relative or friend, a hotel that accepts your household and pets, or another location approved by local authorities. Do not assume the nearest shelter accepts animals or has space for medical equipment.
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Keep a paper map because a phone may lose power or service. Mark at least one primary route and an alternate route, fuel stations outside the evacuation area, pharmacies and places where you could stop safely. Leave when officials order your zone to evacuate; do not wait for roads to become crowded or floodwater to cover them. If you need accessible transportation, oxygen, dialysis, refrigerated medicine or other assistance, contact local emergency management before hurricane season rather than during an evacuation.
Set up alerts and a communication plan
Choose one out-of-area contact who can relay information if local networks are congested. Every household member should know the contact’s name and number, the meeting locations and how to report that they are safe. Choose a nearby meeting place for a separated household and another outside the danger area in case you evacuate.
Enable local emergency alerts on each compatible phone and follow your county, state and tribal emergency-management channels. The FEMA app page says its alerts can cover up to five locations nationwide; that page is marked last updated October 29, 2024, so verify current features before relying on it. Download maps, directions, prescriptions and critical contact information for offline use. Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio with spare batteries for warnings when the power or cellular network fails.
Plan for people, pets and medical needs
- List each person’s medications, allergies, medical conditions, mobility needs, communication needs and required equipment.
- Ask doctors and pharmacies how to obtain an emergency medication supply; FEMA’s checklist calls for at least one week of medication.
- Decide how you will transport wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen, hearing devices, refrigerated medicines and backup batteries.
- Give children age-appropriate jobs, such as checking a flashlight, and explain where the household will meet.
- Keep pets in your evacuation plan. Identify pet-friendly destinations and carriers, and keep vaccination and ownership records available.
FEMA’s 2025 preparedness toolkit recommends that pets have a seven-day food and water supply, medications and records, first-aid supplies, and a collar, identification tag, harness and leash. Adjust the amount for each animal and include litter, waste bags, bedding, a carrier and any species-specific supplies.
Build a household-specific hurricane kit
FEMA’s hurricane checklist uses a minimum of three days for water and non-perishable food and at least one week for medications. Those are planning floors, not a universal formula. A large household, an isolated location, a long power outage, an evacuation delay, an infant, a pet or a person who needs specialized care may require more. Store enough for the people and animals actually dependent on the kit, and replace items before they expire.
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Water and food
- Store drinking water for at least three days and extend the supply when local guidance or your circumstances call for it.
- Choose non-perishable food that household members can eat without normal cooking, refrigeration or much water.
- Include a manual can opener, utensils, cups and any adaptive equipment needed to eat safely.
- Pack infant formula, baby food and diapers when applicable.
- Add pet food and water separately; do not assume human emergency food meets an animal’s nutritional needs.
Keep some supplies in a portable go bag for evacuation and the remainder in a clearly labeled home storage area that is above expected flood levels. Follow local instructions about water safety after a storm; a supply that was exposed to floodwater may be unsafe.
Lighting, communication and power
- Flashlight and extra batteries.
- Battery-powered AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio and extra batteries.
- Fully charged phones, spare charging cables and portable phone chargers or other battery packs.
- Whistle to signal for help.
- Matches or a lighter kept in a waterproof container, used only where fire is safe and permitted.
FEMA’s 2025 preparedness toolkit specifically identifies a battery-powered radio, flashlights with extra batteries and a portable phone charger as power-outage essentials. Charge power banks before a storm, but do not rely on a charger as a substitute for evacuation information or a working emergency-alert system.
Tools and safety equipment
- Multi-purpose tool and basic household tools appropriate for shutting off utilities or making minor, safe repairs.
- First-aid kit and any household-specific medical supplies.
- Sturdy shoes and protective clothing for debris after the storm.
- Work gloves, eye protection and masks suitable for dusty cleanup.
- Soap, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, garbage bags and other sanitation supplies.
- Blankets or sleeping bags and clothing appropriate for wet conditions.
Do not improvise electrical repairs after flooding. Wet electrical equipment, damaged wiring and downed lines require professional or utility guidance.
Documents, cash and personal necessities
Place photo identification, insurance and property records, medical and financial information, prescriptions and emergency contacts in a waterproof portable document container. FEMA also advises keeping important documents safe or making password-protected digital copies. Store encrypted or password-protected copies in a location you can reach without depending on a single device, and keep the passwords available to the people who may need them.
Carry cash and credit cards because a power or communications outage can disable payment terminals. Pack spare glasses, hearing-aid batteries, chargers, mobility-device tools, menstrual products, personal-care items and any comfort items that help children or adults cope with a stressful evacuation. Keep a small amount of cash in the go bag and secure additional financial records in the document container.
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Organize the kit for two uses
Separate supplies into three clearly labeled groups:
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- Stay-at-home supplies: bulk water, food, sanitation materials, blankets, tools and items needed for several days without power.
- Go bags: documents, medications, chargers, water, ready-to-eat food, clothing, hygiene items and other essentials each person can carry.
- Vehicle supplies: paper maps, charging equipment, water, food, first aid, shoes, basic tools and pet or infant supplies that can remain safely in the vehicle.
Keep the go bags near an exit but not where storm debris or floodwater can block them. Rotate food, batteries, medications and seasonal clothing. Test radios, flashlights and power banks on a schedule, and teach every household member where the equipment is stored.
Prepare the home and important records
Inspect drainage and flood defenses
Before storm season, clear leaves and debris from drains and gutters so rain can move away from the building. FEMA’s hurricane safety sheet says to consider check valves in plumbing to help prevent backups. Ask a qualified local professional whether your property needs additional flood-protection measures, and follow local building-code requirements. Do not assume a measure designed for wind also protects against storm surge or inland flooding.
Reduce wind and water damage
Bring in or secure outdoor furniture, grills, tools, planters and other loose objects. Trim or have a qualified professional assess branches that could fall on the home or utility lines. If appropriate for your building and local requirements, consider hurricane shutters or other tested opening protection and arrange installation well before a storm. Never tape windows as a substitute for a recognized protective system.
Move irreplaceable items, electronics and documents above likely flood levels. Photograph the home’s condition and major belongings for your records, then review insurance policies for wind, flood, deductibles, exclusions and claim procedures. Standard homeowners coverage may not cover every hurricane-related loss; ask your insurer what applies to your property and region. Keep policy numbers and the claims phone number in the waterproof document container.
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Plan for utilities and fire safety
Learn how to shut off electricity, gas and water only if local utility instructions and your equipment make that safe. Do not touch electrical components while standing in water. Keep fire extinguishers accessible, and never use charcoal grills, camp stoves or fuel-burning appliances indoors or in an attached garage.
If you use a generator or other gasoline-powered machinery, FEMA says to operate it only outdoors and away from windows. Position it where exhaust cannot enter the home or a neighbor’s home, keep it dry, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and local fire guidance. Carbon monoxide is odorless; a working carbon-monoxide alarm adds protection but does not make indoor generator use safe.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Decide whether to evacuate or shelter
The correct choice depends on your evacuation zone, official orders, flood exposure, the building’s condition, household mobility and medical needs, and whether you have a safe destination. An evacuation order overrides personal preference. Ask local officials how voluntary and mandatory orders are defined in your jurisdiction, and monitor updates because zones and routes can change.
When evacuation is the safer plan
- Your zone or neighborhood is under an evacuation order.
- You are in a storm-surge, flood-prone or otherwise unsafe location.
- The building cannot withstand expected conditions or has damaged windows, roof or utilities.
- Your household cannot safely remain without electricity for medical equipment, refrigeration or essential care.
- You cannot reach a FEMA-recognized safe room or another suitable shelter location.
Take your go bags, document container, medications, chargers, pets and identification. Follow official routes rather than shortcuts, leave enough time to avoid driving in darkness or flood conditions, and tell your out-of-area contact where you are going.
If officials direct you to shelter from wind
Use a designated FEMA safe room or an ICC 500 storm shelter when one is available and local instructions direct you there. FEMA identifies the next-best protection as a small interior, windowless room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building that is not subject to flooding. A basement or low room is not automatically safe: never choose a space that can flood. Stay away from windows, skylights and exterior doors, and keep your emergency kit, shoes and communication equipment with you.
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If floodwater enters while you are inside
Move to the highest level that remains safe, but do not enter a closed attic where rising water can trap you. Call emergency services when possible and signal for help. Do not climb onto a roof unless authorities direct you and you have no safer option; moving water can isolate or sweep people away.
What to do during the hurricane
- Follow official alerts and evacuation instructions. Do not go outside to check conditions during the eye; dangerous winds can return quickly.
- Stay in the designated safe room or interior flood-safe room, away from windows and glass.
- Keep shoes, identification, medications, a flashlight, radio and phone within reach.
- Conserve phone battery for emergency communication and monitor official updates by radio or phone.
- Do not use candles where a flashlight is available, and never operate fuel-burning equipment indoors.
Floodwater may contain sewage, chemicals, debris and hidden electrical hazards. FEMA warns that it can be electrically charged by downed power lines and states: “Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.” Never walk, swim or drive through it. Turn around and choose a route directed by authorities.
Return and clean up safely
Wait for local officials to say it is safe to return. Roads, bridges, buildings and utilities may remain dangerous after wind subsides. Photograph damage before cleanup when it is safe, notify your insurer promptly and keep receipts for eligible emergency expenses. Do not enter a building with structural damage, a gas odor, standing water near electrical equipment or visible downed lines.
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- Wear sturdy shoes, gloves, eye protection and clothing that covers exposed skin.
- Work with another person, take breaks and keep children and pets away from debris and contaminated water.
- Assume downed lines are energized and report them to the utility; never move them.
- Avoid wet electrical equipment. Have a qualified electrician inspect systems before restoring power.
- Use generators and gasoline-powered machinery only outdoors and away from windows.
- Use disinfectants and bleach only as labels and local health guidance direct; never mix bleach with other cleaners.
FEMA advises wearing protective clothing, working with someone else and avoiding wet electrical equipment during cleanup. Discard food, medicine and other porous items exposed to floodwater unless public-health officials say they can be safely salvaged. Use bottled or officially approved water until authorities confirm the tap supply is safe.
Keep the plan current
At the start of each hurricane season, verify evacuation zones, routes, shelters, emergency contacts, insurance details and local alert systems. Recheck supplies after every use and replace expired food, batteries, medications and pet items. Practice a timed evacuation with the actual vehicle, carriers and mobility equipment. Rehearse moving to the safe room, shutting doors and windows, contacting the out-of-area person and accounting for every household member and pet.
Official guidance changes with local conditions. Use the FEMA checklist for the core supply categories and the FEMA hurricane safety sheet for sheltering, flood and cleanup precautions, then follow your local emergency-management agency for the decision that applies to your address.
Quick Recap
FEMA hurricane preparedness checklist
FEMA 2025 National Preparedness Month toolkit
Ready.gov FEMA app information
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