Bug In Preparation

The decision should be based on official instructions, the hazards affecting your location, the condition of your home, and the needs of everyone in your household.

Do not stay simply because evacuation traffic is inconvenient. Do not leave without considering where you will go, when you should depart, and whether the route remains safe.

Follow evacuation orders from local emergency management and law enforcement.

An evacuation order may be based on storm surge, flooding, wind exposure, bridge closures, emergency-service limitations, or hazards that are not obvious from your property.

Shutters, supplies, and a generator cannot make a storm-surge evacuation zone safe.

Leaving early may be appropriate when:

• Someone depends on electricity for essential medical equipment
• A household member needs regular medical treatment
• The home is a mobile or manufactured home
• The building has known structural problems
• The roof, windows, or exterior doors are already damaged
• The property floods during ordinary heavy rain
• The home is in a low-lying area
• You live on an island or beyond a bridge that may close
• Transportation could become difficult later
• Someone requires a special-needs shelter
• Pets or large animals require additional evacuation time
• Remaining without air conditioning would create a medical risk
• Local officials recommend voluntary evacuation

Ask your county whether special-needs shelter registration must be completed before a storm threatens.

Before deciding to stay, ask:

• Is the home outside the area ordered to evacuate?
• Is it outside the expected storm-surge threat?
• Is the structure in sound condition?
• Can vulnerable windows and doors be protected?
• Is there an interior room away from windows?
• Is the selected room protected from flooding?
• Can everyone tolerate several days without electricity?
• Do you have enough drinking water?
• Are medication and medical supplies available?
• Can you receive emergency alerts during an outage?
• Is there a safe way to prepare food?
• Is there a backup evacuation plan?
• Can the vehicle leave quickly if conditions deteriorate?

If several answers are uncertain, reconsider the decision to remain home.

Bug-in preparation is not one pile of supplies. It is a household system that must continue working when electricity, water, internet service, refrigeration, air conditioning, and normal shopping are unavailable.

Complete exterior work before wind and heavy rain arrive.

• Install shutters or approved window protection.
• Bring outdoor furniture, grills, tools, decorations, and loose objects inside.
• Secure items that cannot be moved.
• Reinforce the garage door with an approved system.
• Clear gutters, downspouts, drains, and drainage paths.
• Move vehicles away from trees, power lines, and flood-prone areas.
• Close and lock windows and exterior doors.
• Move important belongings away from vulnerable windows.
• Elevate valuable items if water intrusion is possible.
• Photograph the interior and exterior before the storm.
• Keep hallways and exits clear.
• Know how to shut off electricity, water, and gas if officials or utility providers instruct you to do so.
• Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.
• Keep working fire extinguishers accessible.

Do not tape windows. Tape does not prevent glass from breaking and may create larger pieces of dangerous debris.

Use the complete Home Prep List for detailed household preparation.

Select the safest available location before conditions deteriorate.

Look for:

• A small interior room
• No exterior windows
• Distance from exterior doors
• Space for every household member
• Space for pets
• Protection from likely flooding
• Access to flashlights and emergency information
• A clear route from sleeping areas

A bathroom, hallway, closet, or interior room may work depending on the home.

Store sturdy shoes, flashlights, helmets, a weather radio, first-aid supplies, and essential medication nearby.

If flooding is possible, identify a higher location. Do not enter a sealed attic unless you have a safe way to escape to the roof.

A loss of water pressure, broken water main, contamination, or boil-water notice can interrupt safe drinking water.

• Store at least one gallon per person per day for several days.
• Increase the amount for hot weather, illness, pregnancy, and medical needs.
• Store additional water for pets.
• Use clean, food-safe containers.
• Protect stored water from heat, chemicals, and floodwater.
• Keep smaller containers that household members can lift.
• Freeze containers of water to help keep food cold.
• Follow local boil-water instructions after the storm.

Water stored in a bathtub should be reserved for toilet flushing or cleaning. Do not treat bathtub water as drinking water.

Choose food that fits the household’s actual eating habits and medical needs.

Stock:

• Ready-to-eat meals
• Canned food
• Shelf-stable food
• Protein bars
• Crackers
• Nut or seed butter
• Dried fruit
• Infant food
• Food appropriate for dietary restrictions
• Comfort foods
• Pet food
• Manual can opener
• Eating utensils
• Paper plates and cups
• Trash bags

Use refrigerated and frozen food first when it remains safe.

Before the storm:

• Set the refrigerator and freezer to their coldest practical settings.
• Freeze containers of water.
• Group frozen items together.
• Place appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer.
• Prepare coolers and ice packs.
• Avoid unnecessary door opening during an outage.

An unopened refrigerator generally keeps food cold for about four hours. A full freezer may hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours, while a half-full freezer may hold it for about 24 hours.

Use a thermometer and current food-safety guidance. When uncertain about perishable food, throw it away.

Discard anything that contacted floodwater.

A power outage changes how food can be prepared.

Possible options include:

• Shelf-stable food requiring no cooking
• Outdoor propane grill
• Outdoor charcoal grill
• Outdoor camp stove
• Manufacturer-approved electric cooking equipment powered by an appropriate source

Never use a grill, camp stove, charcoal burner, or other fuel-burning cooking device inside a home, garage, porch, carport, tent, or partially enclosed area.

Carbon monoxide has no color or smell and can kill without warning.

Plan meals that reduce fuel use, cleanup, and the amount of water needed for cooking.

Assume that electricity may remain unavailable longer than expected.

Prepare:

• Flashlights
• Headlamps
• Battery-powered lanterns
• Spare batteries
• Charged power banks
• Vehicle chargers
• Portable power station
• Solar charging equipment when appropriate
• Battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio
• Extension cables rated for their intended use
• Surge protection
• Backup power for medical equipment

Test equipment before hurricane season. Label cables and adapters so they can be found in the dark.

Avoid candles. Flashlights and battery-powered lights are safer.

Turn off or unplug sensitive electronics when power fluctuations are likely. Never handle electrical equipment while standing in water.

A portable generator must remain outdoors and at least 20 feet from the home, with exhaust directed away from windows, doors, vents, and neighboring buildings.

Never operate a generator:

• Inside a home
• Inside a garage
• Inside a shed
• Under an enclosed porch
• In a carport
• Near an open window or door
• In any partially enclosed space

Additional precautions:

• Test carbon monoxide alarms.
• Keep the generator dry without enclosing it.
• Follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions.
• Allow the generator to cool before refueling.
• Store fuel outdoors in approved containers.
• Never connect a generator directly to a household outlet.
• Use a professionally installed transfer switch when powering household circuits.
• Keep children and pets away from operating equipment.
• Check on neighbors so exhaust is not entering their homes.

Carbon monoxide can enter a building even when a generator appears to be far enough away. If an alarm sounds or anyone develops headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, chest pain, or confusion, move outside into fresh air and call 911.

The loss of air conditioning can become one of the most difficult and dangerous parts of remaining home after a hurricane.

Prepare:

• Battery-powered fans
• Rechargeable fans
• Cooling towels
• Lightweight clothing
• Extra drinking water
• Electrolyte drinks
• Shaded areas
• Cross-ventilation when outdoor conditions are safe
• A battery thermometer
• A cooler location outside the affected area

Reduce heat inside the home by closing curtains or blinds on sun-facing windows and limiting unnecessary cooking.

Fans can improve comfort, but they may not prevent heat illness when indoor temperatures become dangerous.

Watch for:

• Heavy sweating
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Confusion
• Fainting
• Hot or unusually dry skin

Older adults, infants, pregnant people, pets, and people with heart, lung, kidney, mobility, or temperature-regulation conditions may be at greater risk.

If anyone shows signs of severe heat illness, call 911. If the home cannot remain safe without air conditioning, move to a cooling center, medical facility, hotel, shelter, or another safe location.

A water outage can affect toilets, handwashing, cleaning, and waste disposal.

Prepare:

• Hand sanitizer
• Soap
• Disposable gloves
• Wet wipes
• Toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Heavy-duty trash bags
• Resealable plastic bags
• Disinfecting supplies
• Personal hygiene products
• Menstrual products
• Infant supplies
• Incontinence supplies
• Pet waste supplies
• Water reserved for cleaning and toilet flushing

Keep household waste contained and away from food and drinking water. Follow local guidance if sewer or septic systems are damaged.

Never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar, or other household cleaners.

Medical planning should happen before the final days leading up to landfall.

• Refill prescriptions as early as permitted.
• Keep medication in original labeled containers.
• Maintain a written medication list.
• Record doctors, pharmacies, dosages, and emergency contacts.
• Plan safe storage for refrigerated medication.
• Charge medical devices and backup batteries.
• Test backup power equipment.
• Contact oxygen, dialysis, home-health, and medical-equipment providers.
• Confirm where treatment will be available after the storm.
• Pack mobility-device supplies.
• Keep glasses, hearing aids, and spare batteries accessible.
• Prepare a first-aid kit.
• Know which symptoms require immediate medical attention.

Contact the prescribing provider, pharmacy, or manufacturer for instructions about medication exposed to unsafe temperatures.

If essential medical equipment cannot operate reliably during an extended outage, staying home may not be appropriate.

Prepare several ways to receive information and contact others.

• Enable emergency alerts on every phone.
• Bookmark the National Hurricane Center.
• Bookmark local emergency-management information.
• Keep a NOAA Weather Radio available.
• Charge phones and power banks.
• Keep vehicle chargers accessible.
• Write down important telephone numbers.
• Download offline maps.
• Designate an out-of-area contact.
• Share your plan with family.
• Identify a nearby person who can check on you.
• Learn how your community announces evacuations, boil-water notices, reentry, and relief services.

Use text messages when cellular networks are congested. Texts may go through when voice calls do not.

Do not depend entirely on social media for emergency information. Confirm important developments through official sources.

Preparedness is not limited to water, calories, and batteries. Emotional well-being affects how people sleep, communicate, make decisions, and manage several difficult days together.

Consider:

• Familiar meals
• Coffee or tea
• Books
• Board games
• Playing cards
• Music
• Downloaded entertainment
• Headphones
• Comfort items for children
• Familiar routines
• Quiet activities
• Earplugs
• Sleep masks
• Lightweight bedding

Explain the plan to children without overwhelming them. Give them simple jobs, such as keeping a flashlight nearby or helping organize comfort supplies.

Allow space for stress. People may be tired, frightened, irritable, or unable to concentrate. A calm routine and clear information can help the household function.

Bring animals inside before conditions deteriorate.

Prepare:

• Food and water
• Medication
• Leashes and harnesses
• Carriers or crates
• Identification
• Vaccination records
• Veterinary information
• Waste bags or litter supplies
• Cleaning supplies
• Bedding and comfort items
• Current photographs
• Backup evacuation destination

Keep animals away from floodwater, damaged electrical equipment, broken glass, and contaminated food.

Even when the plan is to remain home, carriers and evacuation supplies should remain accessible.

When a storm may threaten your area:

• Monitor official forecasts.
• Check local evacuation information.
• Confirm that staying home remains appropriate.
• Finish outdoor preparation.
• Install shutters or approved protection.
• Fill prescriptions.
• Store drinking water.
• Buy remaining food and household supplies.
• Charge power banks and portable power stations.
• Test the generator.
• Obtain approved generator fuel.
• Freeze water containers.
• Complete laundry and household cleaning.
• Fill the vehicle’s fuel tank or charge the EV.
• Review the backup evacuation plan.
• Confirm that the bug out bags are packed.
• Contact anyone who may need assistance.
• Recheck medical and pet supplies.

Before conditions deteriorate:

• Review the latest official forecast.
• Recheck evacuation orders and recommendations.
• Complete all outdoor work.
• Bring everyone and every pet inside.
• Close and lock windows and doors.
• Set the refrigerator and freezer to their coldest practical settings.
• Fill clean water containers.
• Charge every device.
• Prepare the interior safe area.
• Move emergency supplies where they can be reached.
• Keep sturdy shoes and flashlights nearby.
• Put medication and important documents together.
• Confirm that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms work.
• Tell your designated contact where you will be.
• Move vehicles to the safest available location.
• Stop outdoor preparation before wind or flooding makes it dangerous.

• Remain indoors.
• Stay away from windows, skylights, and exterior doors.
• Use the selected interior safe area when necessary.
• Continue monitoring official alerts.
• Wear sturdy shoes if glass or structural damage is possible.
• Keep pets secured.
• Do not operate generators or grills inside.
• Do not go outside during a sudden period of calm. The hurricane’s eye may be passing, and dangerous winds can return from the opposite direction.
• Move away from rooms where water is entering near electrical outlets or appliances.
• Call 911 for life-threatening emergencies, while understanding that emergency response may be delayed during dangerous conditions.

Conditions can change even when staying home was initially reasonable.

Be prepared to leave when:

• Officials issue an evacuation order
• Storm surge or flooding becomes a threat
• Water begins entering the home
• The structure is damaged
• A fire starts
• You smell gas
• Electrical damage creates a hazard
• Indoor heat becomes dangerous
• Essential medical equipment cannot operate
• Someone needs urgent medical care
• Drinking water becomes unavailable
• The home can no longer protect the household
• Authorities direct residents to relocate

Do not wait until every route becomes unsafe.

Keep bug out bags, vehicle supplies, medication, documents, keys, shoes, and pet carriers accessible throughout the storm.

The end of the wind does not mean every danger has passed.

• Wait for official confirmation before going outside.
• Watch for downed power lines.
• Avoid floodwater.
• Look for unstable trees and damaged structures.
• Check for gas leaks and electrical hazards.
• Photograph damage before cleanup when safe.
• Keep generators outdoors and away from buildings.
• Check food temperatures.
• Follow boil-water notices.
• Wear gloves, sturdy shoes, eye protection, and appropriate masks during cleanup.
• Keep children and pets away from damaged areas.
• Use licensed and insured contractors.
• Save receipts for storm-related expenses.
• Monitor official information about roads, reentry, utilities, water, and relief services.

Do not enter a severely damaged building until authorities determine that it is safe.

Use Home Preparation for detailed guidance about protecting your property.

Follow the Home Prep List for actionable household preparation steps.

Review Power and Lighting before choosing backup electricity and lighting equipment.

Use Medical and Safety to prepare first-aid supplies and household safety equipment.

Review Communications for outage-ready alerts and contact planning.

Use Family and Pets to prepare for children, older adults, disabilities, pets, and service animals.

Keep your Bug Out Bags ready in case remaining home is no longer safe.

Complete the Vehicle Prep List before evacuation becomes necessary.

Use Evacuation Planning and the Evacuation List to decide where you will go, how you will travel, and when you should leave.