Hours 0 to 6
Safety Before Everything
The immediate period after a disaster is not the time to assess property damage. It is the time to account for every person in your household, address injuries, and reach a safe location. These are not simultaneous tasks. Safety is first. Everything else waits.
If you are at home when the disaster occurs, do not attempt to re-enter a damaged structure until local authorities have cleared it as safe. This applies even when the damage appears minor from the outside. Gas leaks, compromised electrical systems, and structural instability are not always visible. If you smell gas outside your home, do not enter. Call your utility company from a safe distance. Do not use any switches, outlets, or open flames until the gas line has been inspected.
Find shelter if you cannot return home. Text SHELTER plus your ZIP code to 43362 to locate the nearest open emergency shelter. The American Red Cross operates most shelters in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. The FEMA App also shows open shelter locations in real time. Red Cross shelters are free and require no registration in advance.
Reach your out-of-area contact. Cell networks are often overwhelmed immediately after a disaster. Text messages travel more reliably than voice calls in congested conditions. Your household's designated out-of-area contact — someone who lives far enough away to be unaffected — should be your communication hub. Let them know your status and location. They relay information to other family members who may be trying to reach you.
Hours 6 to 24
Document the Damage
Once you have confirmed your household is safe and have a place to stay, documentation becomes your most important task. The quality of your damage documentation will directly affect the outcome of your insurance claim and any FEMA application. This work needs to happen before you clean up, before repairs begin, and before anything is discarded.
Walk through every room of your home with your phone camera. Photograph the overall condition of each room from multiple angles, then close-up photographs of specific damage to walls, floors, ceilings, fixtures, and belongings. Photograph serial numbers on appliances if they are damaged. If you have a home inventory list or photographs from before the disaster, those are valuable comparison documents.
Do not throw away damaged items before your insurance adjuster has documented them. If an item must be disposed of for health or safety reasons, photograph it thoroughly first and note in writing why it was discarded before the adjuster arrived. The Red Cross advises keeping receipts for all emergency expenses you incur — lodging, temporary repairs, replacement of essential items — because some of these may be reimbursable through your insurance policy or through FEMA assistance.
Document as You Go
For each damaged area or item, note:
- Location in the home
- Description of the damage
- Approximate value or purchase price if known
- Whether the item is repairable or a total loss
- Photo file name or number for cross-reference
A simple spreadsheet or notes app works. The goal is a written record that matches your photographs.
Hours 24 to 48
Contact Your Insurance Company
Call your homeowners or renters insurance company as soon as possible after photographing the damage — within 24 hours if you can. Your policy almost certainly requires prompt notification of a loss. Delayed reporting does not automatically void a claim, but it can complicate it. The insurance company will assign a claims adjuster to inspect your property. Ask for a claim number when you report.
Before the adjuster arrives, gather your policy documents if you have access to them. If your policy documents were lost in the disaster, your insurance company can provide copies. Note your coverage types: dwelling coverage applies to the structure, personal property coverage applies to contents, and additional living expenses coverage may reimburse temporary housing costs while your home is uninhabitable.
Keep copies of everything you submit to the insurance company. If you mail documents, send them certified. If you hand documents to an adjuster, photograph them first. The Red Cross recommends making copies of all documentation given to your claims adjuster or insurer and keeping receipts for all additional expenses you incur, including lodging and temporary repairs.
If You Are Underinsured or Uninsured
FEMA Individual Assistance may cover some unmet needs after a federally declared disaster, but it is not a substitute for insurance. FEMA assistance is typically limited to basic repairs and temporary housing. File your insurance claim first. FEMA will want to know your insurance settlement before determining your assistance amount.
Hours 48 to 72
Register with FEMA
If the President has issued a major disaster declaration for your county, you may be eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance. You have 60 days from the disaster declaration date to register. Do not wait for the deadline. FEMA processing takes time, and early registrants generally receive faster service.
Register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 1-800-462-7585). If you use 711 or Video Relay Service, call 1-800-621-3362. FEMA disaster recovery centers — staffed offices where you can speak with representatives in person — are typically established within a few days of a major disaster. The FEMA App and the official FEMA website list open recovery center locations.
Documents to Have Ready for FEMA Registration
- Social Security number
- Address of the damaged property
- Current contact information (phone and address where you are staying)
- Insurance policy information (name of company, policy number)
- Bank account and routing number for direct deposit
- Photographs of the damage
- Proof of occupancy (mortgage statement, lease, or utility bill)
Source: FEMA Individual Assistance. DisasterAssistance.gov →
FEMA Individual Assistance may provide housing assistance (repair or rental), personal property assistance, and other needs assistance for costs not covered by insurance. The program has limits — the maximum amounts change annually and vary by disaster. Do not rely on FEMA assistance as your primary recovery plan. Use it to supplement what your insurance covers.
Beware of disaster fraud. Scammers operate in disaster areas. FEMA inspectors carry official identification and will never charge a fee. Legitimate charities do not solicit door-to-door in disaster zones in the first days after an event. Verify any contractor's license before signing any repair agreement.
What Comes After 72 Hours
The first 72 hours are about immediate safety and getting the right systems in motion: insurance documentation, FEMA registration, and temporary shelter. The next phase — the first 30 days — is where the recovery process itself unfolds: adjuster visits, FEMA decisions, mold assessment, contractor vetting, and decisions about whether to repair or relocate.
The quality of your documentation work in the first 72 hours will determine how that next phase goes. A thorough photographic record, a complete list of damaged items, and early insurance and FEMA contacts put you in the best possible position. These are not bureaucratic tasks. They are the tools your recovery runs on.
Before the Next Disaster
Every action in this guide is harder without preparation. The household documentation that makes insurance claims faster, the out-of-area contact your family can reach, the insurance policy you've actually read — these are built before a disaster, not during one.
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