Weather & Natural Hazards

Your plan & kit

A simple plan and a stocked kit do most of the work before the sky turns. Make the choices now, while no one is rushing.

Step one

Make a plan

A plan is just a few decisions made calmly ahead of time, so no one has to figure them out in the moment.

Pick your shelter spots

Pick your shelter spots ahead of time: the lowest-floor interior room for a tornado; the plan to LEAVE a mobile home early; higher ground for a flood; and Drop, Cover, and Hold On wherever you are for a quake. Everyone in the household should know them.

Make a family communication plan

Make a family communication plan: choose an out-of-town contact everyone can check in with (long-distance lines often work when local ones jam), pick a meeting place, and make sure everyone — including kids — knows how to text, since texts get through when calls won't.

Plan for people and pets

Plan for everyone under your roof: children, older adults, anyone with medical needs or a disability, and pets. Think through who needs help moving, what equipment needs backup power, and who you'll check on.

Know shutoffs, but do not guess

Know where your water, gas, and electrical shutoffs are and how to use them — but don't shut utilities off as a precaution. Turn off gas only if you smell, hear, or see a leak, or an official tells you to, and never turn gas back on yourself.

Step two

Build a kit

Build a kit that can carry your household for several days on its own — three days is a floor, not a guarantee, so aim for more, and keep extra in the southeast where an earthquake could cut you off longer. Keep it somewhere everyone can grab it.

The one number to remember

Water: about 1 gallon per person per day (and don't forget pets).

Water — about 1 gallon per person per day, several days' worth.
Food that needs no cooking, plus a manual can opener.
A NOAA Weather Radio (battery or hand-crank), a flashlight, and extra batteries.
A first-aid kit.
As much essential medication as you can safely and legally keep on hand, plus a current written list of medications and doses.
Phone chargers, a backup battery, and printed copies of important phone numbers.
Cash in small bills (ATMs and card readers fail in an outage).
Warm blankets and clothes, sturdy shoes, and rain gear.
Sanitation supplies, work gloves, and a whistle to signal for help.
A fire extinguisher, and battery-backed smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms.
Copies of important documents (IDs, insurance, medical) in a waterproof bag.
Pet supplies — food, water, a carrier, a leash, and vaccination records.
Backup power for any medical devices, hearing aids, or mobility equipment.
A winter car kit (blankets, traction, shovel, scraper) in each vehicle.

Accessibility & access needs

Make the plan work for everyone

The protective actions work for everyone — with a few adjustments planned ahead of time.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On in a wheelchair: It's Lock, Cover, and Hold On: lock your wheels first, then cover your head and neck with your arms (or a pillow or book) and hold on until the shaking stops.
Alerts you can't miss: If you're deaf or hard of hearing, set up alerts you'll catch — a bed-shaker or strobe NOAA Weather Radio accessory, and the visual and vibration alerts on your phone (check that Wireless Emergency Alerts are on).
Backup power for medical equipment: If you depend on powered equipment — oxygen, a CPAP, refrigerated medicine, a powered wheelchair — plan backup power and a place to go before an outage, and register a medical need with your utility.
A way to reach shelter: If you can't get to shelter on your own, arrange ahead of time who will help you and how, and have a transportation plan for evacuations.
Service-animal and pet supplies: Keep your kit stocked for service animals and pets — food, water, carriers, leashes, and records — so you're never forced to choose between leaving and staying.

When it's over

After a disaster

After a disaster: wait for officials before returning, and watch for downed power lines (treat them as live), gas leaks, floodwater, and weakened buildings. Check on neighbors, especially older people and anyone alone. For help and information, turn to your county emergency management agency, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and FEMA.

Two coverage gaps

Review insurance before a disaster

Two coverage gaps catch people every time: flood damage and earthquake damage are almost always SEPARATE policies, not part of a standard homeowner's or renter's policy. Ask a licensed agent which you need before a disaster — this is general information, not insurance advice.

With your plan and kit ready, make sure warnings can reach you. Start with watches, warnings & getting alerts. Then review what to do for each hazard from the Weather & Natural Hazards hub.

When a warning is issued

Official sources and current guidance

Prepare here, then follow live warnings from the National Weather Service and your local officials.

Last checked: 2026-06-18. Hazards repeat, so most of this page stays true year to year — but alert-product names, the year's stats, and the ShakeOut date can change. Check the date above, and always follow the live National Weather Service warning and your local officials over anything written here.

This site explains and prepares — it is not a live warning. When a warning is issued, follow it and your local emergency officials immediately; they have the live picture. This is not insurance, legal, or medical advice. In any life-threatening emergency, call 911.

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