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Storm-prep guide

Hurricane prep

Hurricanes give days of warning, which is time to plan, stock up and know whether you need to leave.

Before the storm

  1. Know your zone. Find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone from your local emergency management office. NWS
  2. Make a plan. Write down where you'll go, how you'll get there, and how your family will reach each other. Check your insurance, including flood coverage. NWS
  3. Pack two kits. The Red Cross suggests a go-kit with 3 days of supplies you can carry, a stay-at-home kit for 2 weeks, and a 1-month supply of medicine. Red Cross
  4. Water: store one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation. Ready.gov

If you're told to evacuate

  • Leave right away and follow the official routes. Shortcuts may be blocked. Mobile homes, trailers and RVs can't protect you from hurricane winds. Red Cross

Flood water

  1. Turn around, don't drown. Never drive or walk into flood water, and never drive around barriers. The road underneath may be gone. NWS
  2. It takes very little. 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult down. 12 inches can carry away most cars, and 2 feet can carry away SUVs and trucks. NWS
  3. Stay out of it. Flood water can carry sewage, bacteria and chemicals. Red Cross

Generators and carbon monoxide

  1. Outside, 20 feet away. Never run a generator inside a home, basement or garage. Keep it at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents. CDC
  2. Get a CO alarm. Carbon monoxide has no smell or color and can kill fast. Use a battery-powered or battery-backup CO detector. CDC
  3. Know the signs: headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. Get fresh air and call 911 or Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. CDC
Days without power or signalA power station runs the Storm Proof kit for hours, so you can still look up first aid, food safety and directions when the grid and cell towers are out.

The basic kit

Ready.gov's basic kit includes water (one gallon per person per day for several days), several days of food, a battery or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio, a flashlight, a first-aid kit, extra batteries, a whistle, a manual can opener, local maps, and a phone with chargers and a backup battery. Ready.gov NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts warnings around the clock from more than 1,000 transmitters. NWS

Sources checked November 8, 2026. This guide summarizes official advice and isn't a substitute for instructions from local emergency officials.