Trusted Hazards Resources

211

The free 2-1-1 phone line, run by United Way and local partners, that connects you to local help for housing, food, utilities, and disaster recovery.

Dial 211 to reach a local service that knows what help exists in your area, which matters most in the weeks after a disaster. Each local 211 is run separately, so quality and currency vary; we found one state's disaster page still listing 2024 recovery centers as open.

Start here: 211.org/get-help/disaster-recovery

American Red Cross, Prepare for Emergencies

The American Red Cross preparedness section, with a short guide for each type of emergency.

Plain before, during, and after steps for more than a dozen hazards, and the tornado guidance we checked matches Ready.gov and the Weather Service. The pages sit beside donation appeals and the charity's own store; the guidance itself sells nothing.

Start here: redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/type...

FEMA

The federal agency that coordinates disaster response and runs the assistance program for households after a declared disaster.

After a federally declared disaster, this is where a household applies for help and finds the helpline. The assistance rules changed for disasters declared on or after March 22, 2024, and the individual assistance page explains what changed.

Start here: fema.gov/assistance/individual

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards

The government radio network that broadcasts Weather Service warnings around the clock and sounds an alarm when one is issued for your county.

With battery backup it keeps sounding warnings through a power outage, when other alerts can fail. It needs a dedicated receiver, from about $20 to over $100; look for the Public Alert or NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards logo and program it with your county code from the station list. The Weather Service makes and sells no radios.

Start here: weather.gov/nwr/nwr_receivers

Ready.gov, Be Informed

FEMA's public preparedness campaign, with a short page for each hazard on what to do before, during, and after.

The federal baseline much of this list is checked against. The flood and earthquake guidance we read matches the Weather Service and the ShakeOut earthquake drill program, and the pages we read were updated in 2023 and 2024.

Wireless Emergency Alerts

The Weather Service's plain explanation of the emergency alerts that arrive on your phone.

Alerts are free, need no sign-up, and arrive automatically on phones that support them. Some alert types can be turned off; presidential messages cannot. The page explains what the alerts mean and why older phones may get them for a wider area. For phone settings, it points you to your carrier.

Tsunami.gov

The public site of NOAA's two tsunami warning centers, with current warnings, advisories, and information statements for U.S. coasts.

After a large earthquake, this is where the official word appears on whether a tsunami threat exists, including statements issued to prevent unnecessary evacuations. The Weather Service's tsunami safety pages cover what to do before and during one, and they match the Red Cross guidance we checked.

Start here: weather.gov/safety/tsunami-before

USGS Landslide Hazards Program

The only federal landslide program, with maps, research, and a preparedness page on landslides and debris flows.

Explains where landslides and debris flows happen, what raises the risk, including heavy rain and recently burned slopes, and what to watch for around a home. Its preparedness advice matches the Red Cross guidance we checked. It has no during-event steps, so for evacuation follow your local emergency office and the Weather Service.

Start here: usgs.gov/programs/landslide-hazards/landslide-preparedness-0

CDC Chemical Emergencies

The CDC's guidance for households when a chemical is released nearby: when to shelter in place, how to choose and seal a room, and when to leave.

Clear steps, updated June 2026, that match the Red Cross guidance we checked. Chemical sheltering differs from radiation sheltering: for a chemical release CDC says to use a room on the highest floor possible, while for radiation it says the basement or the middle of the building. Do not mix the two.

Start here: cdc.gov/chemical-emergencies/response/index.html

CDC Radiation Emergencies

The CDC's guidance for a radiation emergency, built around three steps: get inside, stay inside, stay tuned.

Explains where in a building to shelter, the basement or the middle of the building, and to stay at least 24 hours unless told otherwise. On food and drink, EPA's guidance is the more careful of the two agencies: drink only unopened bottled or canned drinks, eat only packaged foods, and wash the packages first.

Start here: cdc.gov/radiation-emergencies/response/get-inside.html

FoodSafety.gov

The federal food safety site run by HHS with USDA, FDA, and CDC, covering recalls, outbreaks, and keeping food safe when the power fails.

The power outage chart says how long the refrigerator and freezer keep food safe and which foods to throw out, and its numbers match CDC's. It is also the place to check when you hear about a food recall or outbreak. Updated through October 2026.

Start here: foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/food-safety-during-powe...

Poison Help, 1-800-222-1222

The national poison help line, answered by the 53 member poison centers of America's Poison Centers, with an online guide.

Call it for any suspected poisoning, including carbon monoxide during an outage; its carbon monoxide advice matches CDC's. Note that poison.org, which still calls itself Poison Control, stopped answering phones in March 2025 and now offers only an online tool. For infants, adults over 79, more than one substance, or self-harm, call the line rather than using any online tool.