Hurricane Preparedness Guide for Families

Hurricanes give you something most emergencies don’t: advance warning. You’ll typically have 24–72 hours of notice before a major storm makes landfall. That’s enough time to protect your home, stock your supplies, and get your family out if you need to — but only if you’ve done the thinking in advance.

This guide walks you through exactly what to do before, during, and after a hurricane, with a realistic supply list and clear guidance on when to stay and when to go.

Before the Storm: Preparation Starts Before a Watch Is Issued

Don’t wait for a watch or warning to start preparing. The best time to build your hurricane kit is when the skies are clear.

Build Your Supply Kit

FEMA recommends having supplies to last at least 72 hours — ideally a week — because storm damage can delay access to utilities and stores well beyond the initial landfall. Your hurricane kit should include:

Water: 1 gallon per person per day, minimum 3 days (7 days is better for hurricanes)
Food: Non-perishable items that don’t require cooking — canned goods, peanut butter, crackers, trail mix
Medications: At least a week’s supply of all prescription medications; keep a list of dosages
First aid kit: With bandages, antiseptic, pain relievers, and any prescription items
Battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA weather radio: Essential for tracking storm updates when the internet is down
Flashlights and extra batteries
Phone charger and power bank
Cash: ATMs go offline in power outages; keep small bills on hand
Documents: Copies of IDs, insurance policies, and important records in a waterproof bag

→ See our top-rated NOAA weather radios on Amazon

A portable power station is one of the most useful investments for hurricane season. It can run a fan, keep devices charged, and power a CPAP or small medical device through a multi-day outage.

→ See top-rated portable power stations for home emergency use

Protect Your Home

Board up windows or install storm shutters before the season starts
Bring in outdoor furniture and decorations — anything that can become a projectile in high winds
Clear gutters and downspouts so storm water drains away from your foundation
Review your homeowners insurance — know your coverage before you need to file a claim
Document your belongings with photos or video stored offsite or in the cloud

Know Your Zone

Most coastal areas use evacuation zones labeled A through E (or similar). Know which zone your home is in — it determines whether you’ll be asked to leave and in what order. Find your zone at your county emergency management website.

Plan Your Route

Identify at least two evacuation routes out of your area
Know where the nearest shelter is — and whether it accepts pets
Designate an out-of-state contact your family can check in with (local lines get jammed; an outside contact often reaches family faster)

When a Watch or Warning Is Issued

Hurricane Watch: Conditions possible within 48 hours. Finish preparations. Don’t wait.

Hurricane Warning: Conditions expected within 36 hours. If you’re in an evacuation zone, leave now.

Checklist When a Warning Is Issued

Fill your car with gas (stations run out fast once warnings are issued)
Fill bathtubs with water — useful for flushing toilets if water pressure fails
Charge all devices and power banks to 100%
Withdraw cash
Move valuables to upper floors if possible
Pack go bags with 3–7 days of supplies, medications, and documents
Confirm your destination — family, hotel, or shelter out of the storm’s projected path

During the Storm

If you stayed home and the storm is hitting:

Stay inside, away from windows. The safest place is an interior room on the lowest floor — a bathroom or closet works well.
Don’t go outside during the eye. The eye can pass quickly, and the back eyewall is just as dangerous as the front.
Listen to your weather radio for official updates — don’t rely on cell service, which often goes down.
Avoid floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock an adult down. Don’t walk through it. Two feet can carry a vehicle.

After the Storm: The Part People Underestimate

The storm passing doesn’t mean it’s safe.

Wait for official all-clear before going outside. Debris, downed power lines, and standing water remain dangerous.
Don’t use generators, grills, or camp stoves indoors — carbon monoxide kills more people after hurricanes than the wind does.
Document damage immediately with photos before cleanup for insurance purposes.
Check on neighbors, especially elderly or mobility-limited residents.
Boil water or use your filter until authorities confirm tap water is safe.

Power may be out for days or weeks in severe storms. Stock food and water accordingly.

→ Shop water storage containers for hurricane season

Evacuation: When to Go and What to Bring

If authorities issue a mandatory evacuation for your zone, leave. Shelters are designed to handle capacity; your home is not designed to handle a Category 4 storm.

Go bag for each adult should include:

3 days of water (or collapsible containers)
3 days of food (bars, crackers, pouches)
Prescription medications (full supply)
Phone charger and power bank
Cash and copies of key documents
Change of clothes
First aid basics

If you have pets, plan ahead: not all emergency shelters accept animals. Research pet-friendly options or shelters specifically for evacuees with animals before hurricane season starts.

→ See pre-assembled go bags rated for 72-hour evacuations

The Bottom Line

A hurricane’s advance warning is an advantage — but only if you’ve already decided what you’ll do and have what you need. Build your kit before the season starts. Know your evacuation zone. Have a clear “stay or go” decision rule based on your zone and the storm’s category. When officials say leave, leave.

The families who fare best in hurricanes aren’t the ones who reacted fastest the day before landfall — they’re the ones who had already done this work.

For official hurricane preparedness guidance, visit FEMA’s hurricane page at Ready.gov.