Right now
If ordered to evacuate, go now.
Take your documents, medications, phone, and water. Follow designated evacuation routes. Do not wait. Storm surge is the leading cause of hurricane deaths.
Where you are right now
Your situation determines what you do
If evacuation is ordered
Leave immediately. Take medications, documents, phone and charger, cash, and water. Follow official evacuation routes. Do not take shortcuts through unfamiliar areas. Tell someone outside the area where you are going.
If you are sheltering in place
Go to a designated storm shelter or an interior room on the lowest floor for wind protection. Stay away from windows, skylights, and glass doors. Close all interior doors. Do not go outside during the eye of the storm; dangerous winds will return. Most hurricane deaths come from water, not wind, and rainfall flooding reaches communities hundreds of miles inland. The lowest floor is safest from wind, but not from water. If flooding is possible where you are, do not ride out the storm on a ground or low floor. Move to a higher floor and be ready to signal for help from a window or the roof.
If trapped by flooding
Go to the highest floor. Do not climb into a closed attic where rising water may trap you. Signal for help from an upper window or the roof. Do not walk, swim, or drive through flood water.
If the power goes out
Keep freezers and refrigerators closed. A full freezer holds safe temperature for about 48 hours. Use flashlights, not candles. If you use a generator, run it outdoors only, at least 20 feet from any window or door. Carbon monoxide from generators is lethal. The same is true of charcoal grills, camp stoves, and any fuel-burning device. Never bring one indoors or into a garage to cook, warm up, or dry out, even with a door or window open. The danger continues through the days-long outage after the storm passes, when it is easy to grow careless.
After the immediate danger
What to do next
Wait for the all-clear
Do not return home until local officials say it is safe. Roads may be impassable, and downed power lines can be hidden by debris or standing water.
Avoid flood water
Flood water is contaminated with sewage, chemicals, and debris. Do not drive through it. Six inches of moving water can knock you down. Twelve inches can carry a car.
Document everything
Take photos of all damage before cleanup. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible. Keep receipts for emergency repairs and temporary housing.
Check on neighbors
Elderly, disabled, and isolated neighbors may need help. Check on them if it is safe to reach them.
Sources: Ready.gov Hurricanes, NWS Hurricane Safety, FEMA Hurricane Preparedness, NOAA National Hurricane Center, CDC Hurricane Safety. All safety claims verified against primary sources. Last reviewed August 30, 2026.
This guide is not professional emergency management advice. It is a plain-language starting point for someone in an active hazard right now.