UpOnly Learning Presents: Family Emergency Guide — Natural Disasters, Power and Internet Outages

Family Emergency Guide

Hurricanes

Last checked: October 26, 2026

Official guidanceThis guide summarizes official guidance. It does not replace instructions from local officials. In the United States, call 911 in an emergency. If your 911 call does not go through.

Related pages: Emergency Kit Checklist · Family Emergency Plan

What it is

  • Ready.gov says hurricanes "are massive storm systems that form over warm ocean waters and move toward land."[1]
  • Ready.gov says hurricanes can bring strong winds, heavy rain, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, rip currents, tornadoes, and landslides.[1]
  • Ready.gov says hurricanes can strike any U.S. coast or territory and can affect areas more than 100 miles inland.[1]
  • The National Weather Service (NWS) says storm surge "is historically the leading cause of hurricane related deaths in the United States."[2]

For students

  • Ready.gov Kids says a hurricane's "heavy rain, strong winds, and large waves can damage buildings, trees, and cars."[7]
  • Ready.gov Kids says, "Always follow instructions to evacuate your home or neighborhood."[7]
  • Ready.gov says, "Turn around, don't drown!"[1]

Before

  • NWS says to find out whether you live in a hurricane evacuation area by contacting your local government or emergency management office.[4]
  • Ready.gov says to sign up for local emergency alerts and learn what each alert means.[1]
  • Ready.gov says to make an evacuation plan for your zone, including where you will go and how you will get there, and to practice the route.[1]
  • Ready.gov says to practice going to a safe shelter, such as a small interior room without windows in a sturdy building, on a floor that floodwater won't reach.[1]
  • Ready.gov says to make a communication plan and plan on texting, since calls may not go through.[1]
  • The American Red Cross says mobile homes, manufactured homes, trailers, and RVs cannot give safe shelter from strong winds.[3]
  • The Red Cross says to be ready to go without power, water, gas, phone, and internet for a long time.[3]
  • Ready.gov says to "Gather enough food, water and emergency supplies to last you several days."[1]
  • Ready.gov says, "Standard insurance policies do not cover flooding."[1]
  • Ready.gov says to protect your home by installing shutters or reinforcing windows, clearing drains and gutters, and securing or bringing in outdoor items.[1]

During

  • Ready.gov says to evacuate right away if you are told to, follow official routes, and never drive around barricades.[1]
  • Ready.gov says that if you stay, stay indoors away from windows and doors.[1]
  • Ready.gov says that if flooding happens, go to the highest level of the building, but don't go into a closed attic.[1]
  • Ready.gov says, "Turn around, don't drown!" and explains that even shallow, fast-moving water can knock a person down or sweep away a car.[1]
  • Ready.gov says to use generators only outdoors, "at least 20 feet away from any building openings."[1]
  • Ready.gov says, "Conserve mobile device batteries for emergency use."[1]

After

  • Ready.gov says to return home only when local officials say it is safe.[1]
  • Ready.gov says to stay out of floodwater, which may contain sharp objects, downed power lines, sewage, chemicals, and animals.[1]
  • The Red Cross says, "Avoid damaged or fallen power lines, poles, and downed wires."[3]
  • The Red Cross says, "Throw out food that got wet or warm," and "Avoid drinking tap water until local officials say it is safe."[3]
  • Ready.gov says to use texts or social media to communicate and save phone calls for emergencies.[1]
  • Ready.gov says to photograph damage, file an insurance claim, and register with FEMA for help.[1]
  • The Red Cross says children should not take part in disaster cleanup work.[5]

Watch vs. Warning (NWS)

  • NWS defines a watch as conditions that are "possible" and a warning as conditions that are "expected," as quoted below.[6]
  • Hurricane Watch: "Hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or greater) are possible within your area."[6]
  • Hurricane Warning: "Hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or greater) are expected somewhere within the specified area."[6]
  • Tropical Storm Watch: "Tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within the specified area within 48 hours."[6]
  • Tropical Storm Warning: "Tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are expected within your area within 36 hours."[6]
  • Storm Surge Watch: "There is a possibility of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline" somewhere within the specified area, "generally within 48 hours."[6]
  • Storm Surge Warning: "There is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline" somewhere within the specified area, "generally within 36 hours."[6]
  • Extreme Wind Warning: "Extreme sustained winds of a major hurricane (115 mph or greater), usually associated with the eyewall," "are expected to begin within an hour."[6]

Sources

Last checked: October 26, 2026. Each numbered source below was opened and checked on the date shown. Numbers in brackets in the text, like [1], point to this list.

  1. [1] Ready.gov (FEMA), Be Prepared for a Hurricane (info sheet, PDF)
    Published by
    Ready.gov (FEMA)
    Level
    U.S. federal government
    Found at
    www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2024-03/ready.gov_hurricane_hazard-info-sheet.pdf
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  2. [2] National Weather Service, Hurricane Safety
    Published by
    National Weather Service (NWS)
    Level
    U.S. federal government
    Found at
    www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  3. [3] American Red Cross, Hurricane
    Published by
    American Red Cross
    Level
    Not a government agency (non-governmental organization)
    Found at
    www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/hurricane.html
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  4. [4] National Weather Service, Hurricane Preparedness (Plan)
    Published by
    National Weather Service (NWS)
    Level
    U.S. federal government
    Found at
    www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-plan
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  5. [5] American Red Cross, Tornado
    Published by
    American Red Cross
    Level
    Not a government agency (non-governmental organization)
    Found at
    www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/tornado.html
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  6. [6] National Weather Service, Hurricane Watches and Warnings
    Published by
    National Weather Service (NWS)
    Level
    U.S. federal government
    Found at
    www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-ww
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026
  7. [7] Ready.gov (FEMA), Know the Facts: Hurricanes (Kids)
    Published by
    Ready.gov (FEMA)
    Level
    U.S. federal government
    Found at
    www.ready.gov/kids/know-the-facts/hurricanes
    Checked
    Oct 26, 2026

We check every line against official sources. If you ever spot an error (rare, but it happens), send us a screenshot through our form and we’ll fix it.