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A workable hurricane plan answers six questions before the forecast becomes urgent: Which evacuation zone are you in? Where will you go and which route will you use? Where can you shelter if you stay? How will your household communicate? What supplies, medicines and documents must move with you? What will you do around flooding and reentry? Write the answers down, share them with everyone in the household, and update local details through your emergency-management office and official alerts.
1. Start with the risks and rules for your address
General hurricane advice cannot identify your evacuation zone, open shelters or the route that is currently usable. Those details are set locally and can change with a storm. Begin by finding your city or county emergency-management office and recording the information it publishes for your exact address.
Record your local evacuation information
- Evacuation zone: Write the zone or designation assigned to your home. Do not assume that being outside a coastal flood area means you will never be ordered to leave; local authorities may issue broader orders for wind, surge, dam or infrastructure hazards.
- Official routes: Note the designated roads, bridges and transit options. Keep a paper copy because cellular service, navigation apps and roadside signs may be unavailable or changed.
- Authorized destinations: List at least one destination outside the threatened area, such as a relative’s home or a hotel you have confirmed can accept you. Add a second destination in a different direction in case the first is inaccessible.
- Shelter information: Record how your jurisdiction announces shelter openings, accessibility services, pet policies and transportation assistance. A shelter list from a previous storm may be out of date.
- Alert channels: Enroll in local emergency text, telephone or app alerts and learn which agency issues evacuation orders. Keep the alert volume enabled for the people responsible for making decisions.
Account for every way someone may need to travel
Write down who drives, who needs public transportation, and who may need an accessible vehicle or medical transport. Include children at school, adults at work, older relatives, roommates and anyone who may be away when an order arrives. Decide who picks up children, who collects pets and what happens if roads close before everyone reaches home. Never make a plan that depends on a person driving after officials have closed a route.
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Use a one-page summary with your address, zone, destinations, routes, contacts, meeting places and medication needs. Put a copy in the emergency kit, one in each vehicle and one with an out-of-area contact. Review it at the start of hurricane season and whenever you move, change schools or jobs, acquire new medical equipment or add a pet.
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2. Build a household communication plan
Phone networks can become overloaded or lose power. A communication plan therefore uses several methods and does not depend on a single person or device.
Choose contacts and meeting places
- Write full names, mobile numbers, email addresses and workplace or school numbers for household members, doctors, caregivers and other essential contacts.
- Choose an out-of-area contact who is unlikely to be in the storm’s path. Everyone reports to that person, who can relay updates when local calls are difficult.
- Select two meeting places: one nearby for a quick separation, and one outside the immediate neighborhood if roads remain open. Specify an exact address or landmark rather than “the downtown area.”
- Give the plan to children and practice how they would reach the meeting place from school, childcare or a workplace.
Use text and messages first
FEMA advises texting or messaging when phone systems are down or busy. Send short updates such as your location, destination and condition; avoid repeated voice calls that may fail or consume limited network capacity. Keep a charged phone, a car charger and spare charging options with the emergency kit. If you use a battery bank, charge it before the storm and store the cable needed by each household phone.
Keep an independent source of alerts
A battery-powered AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio with extra batteries is a checklist-supported backup for watches, warnings and local instructions when internet or cell service is unavailable. Test it before storm season and write down the frequencies or alert settings used in your area. A flashlight with spare batteries should be immediately reachable, not buried under supplies.
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Practice the plan
Run a short drill: each person says where they would go, which route they would take, who they would contact and what they would carry. Correct missing numbers, unclear responsibilities and unrealistic travel assumptions while conditions are calm.
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3. Decide where you will go: evacuate or shelter in place
Your plan needs a decision for both possibilities. If officials order evacuation, leave immediately, take critical supplies and documents, use designated routes and obey barricades. If no evacuation order applies and you remain, choose a sturdy building and prepare a specific interior shelter room before winds rise.
If officials order an evacuation
- Act on the order: Do not wait for the last forecast update or for roads to appear dangerous. FEMA’s official hazard guidance states, “If told to evacuate, do so immediately.”
- Take people, pets and essential equipment: Bring medications, identification, chargers, mobility devices, children’s supplies, pet carriers and the documents listed in your plan.
- Follow designated routes: Do not drive around barricades, use closed bridges or select a shortcut that officials have not identified as open. Keep the paper route map available.
- Tell your contact: Send your destination and expected arrival time by text or message. Update the contact if traffic, a closure or a medical issue changes the plan.
- Leave room for assistance: If you need an accessible vehicle, medical transport or public evacuation service, request it through local authorities as soon as an order is issued; do not wait until roads are flooded.
Compare possible shelter locations
Choose the best available option by considering wind protection, flood exposure, travel distance and the needs of every person and animal. A location that is strong but can flood is not a safe choice for rising water.
| Option | Wind protection | Flood concern | Access and household fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| FEMA safe room or ICC 500 storm shelter | FEMA guidance identifies this as the safest available option for high winds when one is accessible. | It must still be located where floodwater will not trap occupants; follow local instructions. | Check distance, opening status, accessibility, medical support, children’s needs and pet rules before a storm. |
| Small interior, windowless room in a sturdy building | Provides protection from flying glass and wind when a safe room is unavailable. | Use the lowest level that is not exposed to flooding; a basement is unsuitable where floodwater can enter. | Choose a room everyone can reach quickly and keep it clear of furniture that could block the door. |
| Evacuation destination outside the threat area | Can remove the household from both wind and surge hazards if the destination is outside the affected zone. | Check the destination’s own flood and storm risk rather than assuming it is safe. | Confirm sleeping space, transportation, medication storage, pets and a backup route. |
If you stay in a sturdy building
Move to a small interior room without windows on the lowest level that will not flood. Stay away from windows and exterior doors. A hallway, closet or bathroom may work if it is structurally sound and large enough for everyone without blocking exits. Keep shoes, a flashlight, communication devices, water and the first-aid kit in that room.
Flooding changes the response. If water enters the building, move to the highest level to avoid rising water, but do not climb into a closed attic where you could become trapped. Follow local instructions as conditions change; an apparent lull in wind is not a signal that hazards have ended.
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4. Assemble a hurricane emergency kit for your household
FEMA’s hurricane checklist calls for at least a three-day supply of water and nonperishable food. Build beyond the minimum when local officials advise that roads or utilities may be disrupted longer, and tailor every item to the people and animals in your home.
Core supplies
- Water and ready-to-eat, nonperishable food for at least three days, plus a manual can opener if needed.
- Prescription and essential over-the-counter medicines for at least one week, along with copies of prescriptions and a written medication list.
- First-aid supplies, disinfectant, basic tools and sturdy shoes and clothing for debris and wet conditions.
- Flashlights or lanterns with spare batteries.
- A charged phone, vehicle or wall chargers, and extra battery capacity compatible with your devices.
- A battery-powered AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio and extra batteries as an independent alert source.
- Hygiene and sanitation supplies, including soap, toilet paper, menstrual products, diapers and a way to manage waste if water service stops.
- Cash in small denominations, keys, copies of critical records and a waterproof way to carry them.
Customize for medical and accessibility needs
Add backup batteries, charging equipment and instructions for oxygen, refrigeration, powered mobility devices, hearing aids, communication devices or other medical equipment. Keep equipment manuals and provider telephone numbers with the kit. Ask your utility and local emergency-management office about medical-needs registries or priority restoration, but do not assume registration guarantees power or transport.
Prepare for children and pets
Pack infant formula, bottles, child medicines, comfort items and age-appropriate food. For each pet, include food and water, bowls, medication, a leash or harness, carrier, waste bags, vaccination records and a recent photo. Identify hotels, shelters or relatives that accept animals; many emergency shelters have restrictions, so do not leave this decision until evacuation begins.
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A go bag should hold the items needed to leave quickly: identification, medications, phone and charger, water and snacks, a change of clothes, hygiene items, critical documents, glasses, keys and pet supplies. Store it where every adult can reach it, and keep one in each vehicle if your household regularly separates during the day.
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5. Protect documents, insurance information and property
Place identification, medical information, financial records, prescriptions, contact lists and insurance policies in a portable waterproof container. Password-protected digital copies can supplement—not replace—paper records. Store encrypted copies where you can reach them without relying on a device that may be lost or have no power.
Check coverage before hurricane season
Review your policy and ask the insurer what is covered, what deductible applies and how to report a claim. Standard insurance policies do not cover flooding; FEMA hazard guidance recommends checking your own policy and insurer for applicable terms. Keep the insurer’s claim number and contact method with your documents.
Document the property when safe
Photograph or video major rooms, appliances and valuable items before a storm, and keep an inventory with model or serial numbers when available. Do not delay evacuation to complete documentation. If damage occurs, photograph it only when conditions are safe and officials permit access.
6. Use a warning-to-action checklist
When a storm may affect your area
- Check official local alerts and the National Weather Service information available through your alert channels.
- Charge phones, battery banks, radios and medical equipment.
- Refill prescriptions and secure the go bags, documents, food, water and pet carriers.
- Confirm your destination, route, transportation and out-of-area contact.
- Move vehicles and outdoor equipment according to local instructions; do not create a last-minute trip during dangerous weather.
When an evacuation order is issued
Leave immediately, as directed by officials. Take the go bags and critical supplies, use designated routes, and send your destination to the communication contact. Do not drive around barricades or wait for conditions to worsen.
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When sheltering
Move to the selected interior room before winds become dangerous. Close interior doors, stay away from windows and keep the radio, phone, shoes and flashlight with you. Continue monitoring official instructions rather than relying on a single forecast or social-media post.
When flooding occurs
“Do not walk, swim, or drive through flood waters.” Moving water can sweep away a person or vehicle, and floodwater can hide holes, debris, electrical hazards and contamination. Turn around and use an official alternate route. If water enters your building, move upward as directed, but never enter a closed attic.
After the storm
Wait for official reentry instructions before returning. Roads, bridges, utilities and buildings may remain unsafe even after rain and wind stop. Keep away from downed lines, standing water, damaged structures and unknown debris. Use protective clothing during cleanup, follow utility and public-health directions, and document damage when it is safe. Contact your insurer through the method in your records and keep receipts for authorized emergency expenses.
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Set a recurring review before each hurricane season and after every drill or real event. Verify evacuation zones, routes, shelter locations, alert subscriptions, contact numbers, medication quantities, pet arrangements and insurance terms. Replace expired food, batteries and medicines, and recharge equipment after testing it.
The FEMA App can assist with family plans and kits, provide National Weather Service alerts for up to five locations and help find nearby shelters; features can change, so confirm current availability in the app. Treat it as one information channel, not a replacement for instructions from your local emergency-management authorities.
A written, practiced plan turns an evacuation order or shelter decision into a sequence of actions: receive the alert, contact the household, take the right supplies, use the approved route or room, avoid floodwater and wait for clearance before returning.
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