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How to Prepare Your Home and Emergency Kit for a Hurricane starts with decisions made before a watch or warning: learn your evacuation zone and routes, decide where your household will go, protect the home and records, and assemble supplies for at least three days of food and water plus at least one week of medication. Follow local emergency-management instructions because evacuation zones, shelters, flood risk and routes differ by community.
Start before a hurricane watch or warning
Use the quiet part of hurricane season to make decisions that are difficult during a rapidly changing forecast. FEMA’s Hurricane Preparedness Checklist and hurricane safety sheet both emphasize planning before officials issue urgent instructions.
Learn your evacuation zone and routes
Contact your city or county emergency-management office or use its official website to identify your evacuation zone, designated routes, public shelters and acceptable destinations. A shelter listed for one storm may not open for another, so check current instructions rather than relying on an old map. Identify at least one destination outside the evacuation area, such as a relative’s home or a hotel that accepts your household and pets, and write down more than one route in case bridges or low-lying roads close.
Choose evacuation or sheltering using local instructions
Do not make the decision solely from the storm’s category. Use the official order for your zone, expected flooding, the strength and condition of your building, access to a recognized safe room, transportation, and the needs of everyone in the household.
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| Factor | Why it changes the plan |
|---|---|
| Evacuation-zone status and official orders | An order takes priority over a personal preference to remain home. |
| Flood exposure | A room that is suitable for wind protection may be unsafe if rising water can reach it. |
| Building and safe-room protection | A designated safe room or ICC 500 storm shelter can provide stronger wind protection than an ordinary room. |
| Mobility, medical or accessibility needs | Arrange transportation, equipment, caregivers and medications before routes become congested. |
| Pets and service animals | Confirm that the destination or shelter accepts them and keep their supplies ready. |
| Route and destination availability | Leave early enough to use an open route; follow traffic controls and official changes. |
Make a household communication plan
Choose an out-of-area contact whom everyone can reach if local networks are overloaded. Decide where the household will reunite if separated, how children will be picked up, and who checks on older adults, neighbors or people who use medical devices. Put the contact’s name, phone number, meeting locations, evacuation destination and key medical information on paper as well as in phones. Tell relatives or caregivers what to do if the primary plan fails.
Set up reliable alerts
Enable county, city and state emergency alerts and monitor official weather and emergency-management channels. The FEMA app page says its alerts can cover up to five locations nationwide and lists a last-updated date of October 29, 2024; verify its current features at Ready.gov’s FEMA app page before relying on it. Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio available for power outages.
Prepare the house and property
Reduce water and wind problems before the storm
- Clear leaves and debris from drains and gutters so rain can flow away from the building.
- Ask a qualified professional whether check valves in plumbing are appropriate for preventing sewage or drain backups.
- Review whether hurricane shutters or other code-compliant opening protection are appropriate for your home and location; use local building-code and contractor guidance.
- Bring in or secure loose outdoor objects, including furniture, tools, decorations and containers, before winds increase.
- Know how to shut off utilities only as directed by local authorities or your utility company, and keep access to shutoff points clear.
These measures do not replace local flood, wind, building-code or insurance advice. Complete work while conditions are safe, not after tropical-storm winds begin.
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Protect insurance and identity records
Review homeowners, renters, flood and auto policies before the season. Check deductibles, exclusions, temporary-living provisions and the insurer’s claim-reporting method. FEMA recommends keeping important records safe or making password-protected digital copies. Place photo identification, insurance and property records, medical and financial information, prescriptions, contact details and cash or cards in a waterproof portable document container that you can carry during an evacuation. Keep an encrypted digital copy accessible without relying on a device that may lose power.
Plan for power and communications outages
Charge phones, battery packs, hearing aids and other essential devices before conditions deteriorate. Decide which equipment is essential and how it will be powered. Never operate a generator or other gasoline-powered machinery inside a home, garage, crawl space or near windows; FEMA’s safety guidance requires outdoor use away from windows to prevent deadly exhaust exposure.
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Build a household-specific emergency kit
FEMA’s checklist organizes supplies by function. Use the list below as a starting point, then adjust quantities for household size, climate, disabilities, medical treatment, infants, pets and the likely length of an outage. Store supplies where everyone can reach them and keep a smaller grab-and-go bag for evacuation.
| Kit area | Examples to pack | Planning notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tools and safety | Flashlight, spare batteries, multipurpose tool, whistle, matches or a lighter in a waterproof container | Keep lighting and signaling equipment together and test batteries periodically. |
| Emergency communication | AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio with extra batteries; charged phone; spare battery or power bank and charging cables | Have a way to receive instructions when cellular service or household power fails. |
| Water and food | At least three days of drinking water and non-perishable food | Scale the amount to every person, dietary restriction, heat and local guidance; include a manual can opener if food requires one. |
| Medical needs | First-aid kit, prescription and over-the-counter medicines, medical supplies, glasses, hearing-aid batteries and copies of treatment information | FEMA’s checklist calls for at least one week of medication. Keep a refill and storage plan for temperature-sensitive medicines. |
| Hygiene and sanitation | Soap or sanitizer, toilet paper, personal hygiene products, bleach and cleanup materials | Pack supplies for people with incontinence, infants or other specific needs. |
| Documents and money | Photo ID, cash, credit cards, medical and financial information, property or insurance records | Use the waterproof portable document container described by FEMA. |
| Protective clothing | Sturdy, closed-toe shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, gloves and rain protection | Keep shoes where they can be put on before walking through debris or broken glass. |
| Comfort and sleep | Blankets or sleeping bags and items that help children or adults manage stress | Choose compact items that can travel if evacuation is ordered. |
| Infants and children | Infant formula, diapers, wipes, feeding supplies and age-appropriate comfort items | Include more than the minimum if access to stores may be interrupted. |
| Pets and service animals | Food and water, medications and records, first-aid supplies, collar, identification tag, harness and leash | The 2025 FEMA preparedness toolkit lists a seven-day pet food and water supply; tailor it to the animal and destination. |
Adapt the kit for medical and accessibility needs
Make a written inventory of every prescription, dosage, prescribing clinician and pharmacy, and keep it with treatment records. Include backup eyeglasses, hearing-aid batteries, mobility-device chargers, catheters and other routine supplies. Ask clinicians and equipment providers how to protect refrigerated or electrically powered treatments during an outage. Arrange accessible transportation and a backup caregiver before evacuation routes become crowded. If someone uses a service animal, carry identification and health records and confirm the destination’s rules.
Set quantities and rotate supplies
The three-day water-and-food and one-week medication figures are minimum planning targets from FEMA, not a guarantee for every household or storm. A larger household, remote location, medical dependency or prolonged utility outage requires more. Write purchase dates on food, batteries and medications where appropriate; replace expired, damaged or consumed items and keep a current medication list with the kit. Do not store all supplies in one place if flooding could isolate part of the home.
Separate home, go-bag and vehicle supplies
Your home cache can hold bulk water, food, sanitation supplies and blankets. A go-bag should contain the documents, medicines, chargers, identification, cash, clothing and pet or infant items needed to leave quickly. A vehicle kit can hold spare water, food, lighting, first aid and sturdy footwear, but never use a car as a substitute for following an evacuation order. Check that each bag fits the person who may have to carry it.
Prevent common kit failures
Test the flashlight, radio and power bank instead of assuming they work. Keep spare batteries in their packaging, protect electronics from moisture and place the manual can opener with canned food. Store cash in small bills because electronic payment systems or ATMs may be unavailable. Label each household member’s bag and keep a paper list of emergency contacts. Review the kit whenever a baby outgrows supplies, a prescription changes, a pet’s diet changes or a household member moves.
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Evacuate safely when officials direct you to leave
- Read the order carefully and confirm whether it applies to your zone, neighborhood or building type.
- Tell your communication-plan contact that you are leaving, where you are going and which route you expect to use.
- Pack the waterproof document container, medications, phones and chargers, water and food, clothing, sanitation items, pet supplies and infant supplies.
- Secure the home only with actions that can be completed safely; do not delay departure to perform last-minute exterior work.
- Follow designated routes, traffic controls and shelter instructions. Do not take shortcuts through closed roads or flooded low areas.
- At the destination, check in with household members and continue monitoring local emergency management for changes.
Leave early when local officials advise it, particularly if anyone needs accessible transportation, oxygen, refrigerated medicine or extra travel time. Do not assume a shelter has beds, medical services, food for special diets or space for pets unless officials confirm those details.
Choose a safe place if you shelter from wind
If local authorities have not ordered evacuation and your plan is to shelter from high winds, use a FEMA safe room or an ICC 500 storm shelter when one is available. FEMA identifies the next-best protection as a small interior, windowless room or hallway on the lowest floor of a sturdy building that is not subject to flooding. Keep the emergency kit, shoes, helmets or other protective equipment and a battery radio there before the storm.
Never choose a lower room simply because it is underground or interior if floodwater can enter it. If floodwater traps you inside, move to the highest level possible, but do not enter a closed attic where rising water can trap you. If officials later order evacuation, leave when directed rather than treating a wind-safe room as protection from every hazard.
Actions during the hurricane
- Stay inside the designated safe area and monitor official alerts by radio or a charged device.
- Keep away from windows, glass doors and exterior walls; do not go outside during a temporary lull in wind because the eye can pass before dangerous conditions return.
- Assume floodwater is dangerous. It may contain debris, sewage or contaminants and can be electrically charged by downed power lines.
- Never walk, swim or drive through floodwater. FEMA states:
Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
This sentence appears in FEMA’s How to Stay Safe When a Hurricane Threatens safety sheet. - Use flashlights instead of open flames when possible, and keep matches or lighters secured in their waterproof container.
- Do not use a generator, grill or gasoline-powered machine indoors, in an attached garage or near windows. Operate it outdoors and away from windows as directed by FEMA.
After the storm: return and clean up cautiously
Wait for an official all-clear
Remain at your shelter or safe location until emergency officials say it is safe to travel. Roads may be blocked, bridges damaged, power lines down and floodwater deeper than it appears. Continue receiving local instructions even after rain and wind ease.
Inspect from a safe distance
Watch for unstable roofs, walls, trees, broken glass, gas odors and downed wires. Avoid wet electrical equipment and do not touch wires or standing water near electrical systems. Photograph damage only from a safe position, notify the utility or emergency services about hazards and contact your insurer using the documented claim process.
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Clean up with protection and help
Wear sturdy shoes, gloves, eye protection and clothing that covers your skin. FEMA advises wearing protective clothing, working with someone else and avoiding wet electrical equipment during cleanup. Treat floodwater and mud as contaminated; follow local public-health instructions for disinfecting, disposing of spoiled food and restoring utilities. Use generators outdoors and away from windows throughout cleanup, not only during the storm.
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- Before hurricane season, confirm your zone, routes, destination, shelters and household contact plan.
- At the same time, inspect drains, gutters, shutters and document storage, and review insurance policies.
- When a storm is forecast, charge devices, refresh food and water, collect medications, move the kit to an accessible location and secure outdoor objects.
- When a watch or warning is issued, monitor local officials continuously and make the evacuation-versus-shelter decision using the current order and flood conditions.
- After every storm, replace used or damaged supplies and update the plan for any medical, mobility, pet or household changes.
FEMA’s detailed checklist is available at ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/fema_how-to-prepare-for-hurricane.pdf, while the newer hazard guidance is in the FEMA hurricane safety sheet and the 2025 preparedness toolkit at ready.gov/sites/default/files/2025-08/2025_national-preparedness-month-toolkit.pdf. Use those resources alongside your local emergency-management office’s current instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I put in my emergency kit for a hurricane?
Start with at least three days of water and non-perishable food, at least one week of medication, a flashlight with spare batteries, an AM/FM or NOAA Weather Radio, phone charging equipment, first-aid supplies, sanitation items, sturdy shoes, documents, cash and clothing. Add infant, disability, medical, pet and service-animal supplies for your household.
How much food and water should I store?
FEMA’s checklist uses at least three days of water and non-perishable food as a baseline. Scale it for every person, dietary needs, heat, pets and the possibility that stores or utilities remain unavailable longer.
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Should I evacuate or shelter at home?
Follow the current local order first. Compare your evacuation-zone status, flood exposure, building condition, safe-room access, transportation, medical needs, pets and route availability. A wind-safe room is not protection from flooding.
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Where is the safest room during high winds?
Use a FEMA safe room or ICC 500 storm shelter when available. Otherwise choose a small interior, windowless room or hallway on the lowest level of a sturdy building that is not subject to flooding.
What should I do if floodwater enters my home?
Move to the highest level possible, but do not enter a closed attic where rising water can trap you. Never walk, swim or drive through floodwater, which may hide debris or energized electrical hazards.
How should I prepare pets for a hurricane?
Keep food and water, medications and records, first-aid supplies, a collar and identification tag, harness and leash. The 2025 FEMA toolkit suggests a seven-day pet food and water supply. Confirm in advance which shelters and destinations accept animals.
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No. Use generators and other gasoline-powered machinery outdoors and away from windows. A garage, crawl space or partially open door can still allow deadly exhaust to accumulate.
What should I do after the hurricane?
Wait for an official all-clear, avoid downed wires and unstable structures, stay away from wet electrical equipment, wear protective clothing, work with someone else and follow local instructions for contaminated floodwater, cleanup and utility restoration.
The Bottom Line
Prepare before the forecast turns urgent: know your zone and routes, protect records, tailor a three-day-plus kit and one-week medication supply, include pets and medical needs, and follow local evacuation or shelter instructions. During and after the storm, avoid floodwater, use generators only outdoors and wait for officials before returning.
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