Even if there’s no risk of a hurricane right now, it’s important to be safe and plan ahead. Get tips on how to stock up on supplies and plan for emergencies.
- Make a Plan: Even if there’s no risk of a hurricane right now, make sure you and your family are prepared.
- Stock up on emergency supplies for your home and car.
- Write down emergency phone numbers and keep them near every phone in your house or on the refrigerator. Program them into your cell phone, too.
- Buy a fire extinguisher and make sure your family knows where to find it and how to use it. Read the National Fire Protection Association’s tips for using fire extinguishers.
- Find out where the nearest shelter is and the different routes you can take to get there if you have to leave your home.
- Make sure that everyone in your family knows what the warning sirens in your area sound like — and what to do if they go off.
- Family, Health, and Safety Preparation:
- Prepare an emergency water supply
- Prepare an emergency food and medicine supply
- Gather safety items
- Gather personal care products
- Tip: Make sure your supplies are stored together in a place that’s easy to reach.
- Get Your Family, Home, and Car Ready:
- Get your family ready
- Put pets and farm animals in a safe place
- Get your home ready for the storm
- Make an emergency car kit
- Make sure your car is ready
- Evacuate or Stay at Home:
- If you need to evacuate:
- Only take what you really need with you, like your cell phone, chargers, medicines, identification (like a passport or license), and cash.
- Make sure you have your car emergency kit.
- If you have time, turn off the gas, electricity, and water. Also unplug your appliances.
- Follow the roads that emergency workers recommend even if there’s traffic. Other routes might be blocked.
- If you need to stay home:
- Keep listening to the radio or TV for updates on the hurricane.
- Stay inside. Even if it looks calm, don’t go outside. Wait until you hear or see an official message that the hurricane is over. Sometimes, weather gets calm in the middle of a storm but then gets worse again quickly.
- Stay away from windows. You could get hurt by pieces of broken glass during a storm. Stay in a room with no windows, or go inside a closet.
- Be careful. Winds can blow debris — like pieces of broken glass and other objects — at high speeds. Flying debris is the most common cause of injury during a hurricane. You’re also at a higher risk of breaking a bone or cutting yourself on loose nails, metal, or other objects.
- Be ready to leave. If emergency authorities order you to leave or if your home is damaged, you may need to go to a shelter or a neighbor’s house.
- If you need to evacuate:
For more information visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.