How do you know which hazards threaten your area?

Start with your county emergency management website and FEMA's hazard maps. Every county in the United States has a hazard mitigation plan that lists the threats specific to that area, ranked by probability and potential impact. NOAA's Storm Events Database, the USGS earthquake hazard maps, FEMA flood maps, and state forestry wildfire risk maps provide additional detail.

Why do you need hazard-specific plans if you already have a general emergency plan?

Because different hazards require different actions, sometimes opposite actions. A tornado requires sheltering in the lowest interior room. A flood requires moving to higher ground or evacuating entirely. A wildfire may require immediate evacuation with only minutes of notice. A winter storm may require sheltering in place for days. A general plan covers roles, supplies, and communication. Hazard-specific plans cover the unique actions, timing, and decisions each threat demands.

What is the difference between a watch and a warning?

A watch means conditions are favorable for a hazard to develop. A warning means the hazard is occurring or is imminent. A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible in your area. A tornado warning means a tornado has been detected or indicated by radar and you should take shelter immediately. Watches are for preparation. Warnings are for action.

Hazard-Specific Planning — Planning

The principle

Why general plans are not enough

A general emergency plan covers the constants: roles, communication, supplies, meeting points. But hazards are not interchangeable. A tornado and a flood both threaten life and property, but the correct response to each is nearly opposite. Tornado: go to the lowest interior room, away from windows. Flood: go up, or get out entirely. A plan that says "shelter in place" without specifying which hazard demands what action creates confusion at the worst possible moment.

Hazard-specific planning starts with knowing which threats are realistic for your location. A household in coastal North Carolina plans for hurricanes and flooding. A household in central Oklahoma plans for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. A household in the Pacific Northwest plans for earthquakes. Your county's hazard mitigation plan (available from your local emergency management agency) lists the threats ranked by probability and impact.

You do not need a detailed plan for every possible hazard. Focus on the two or three threats most likely to affect your specific location. Our local risks tool shows you the hazards with the highest probability for your ZIP code.

By hazard

What makes each hazard different

Each hazard type has unique characteristics that determine the planning response. The key variables are warning time, primary action, duration, and the specific preparations that differ from general readiness.

Hurricane

Warning time: days. Primary decision: evacuate or shelter. Unique preparations: board or shutter windows, secure outdoor items, fill bathtubs for flushing water, fuel the vehicle, have cash, know your evacuation zone and route, confirm lodging. Extended aftermath: power may be out for days to weeks. Flooding often causes more damage than wind.

Tornado

Warning time: minutes. No time for preparation once a warning is issued. Unique preparations: identify your safe room (lowest floor, interior room, away from windows), practice getting there quickly, keep shoes and a helmet near the bed (nighttime tornadoes give even less warning), have a weather radio with alert function. Post-tornado: watch for downed power lines, gas leaks, and structural instability.

Flood

Warning time: hours to days for river flooding, minutes for flash floods. Primary action: move to higher ground. Unique preparations: know your flood zone (FEMA flood maps), consider flood insurance (standard homeowners does not cover flooding), elevate utilities and valuables, have sandbags or flood barriers. Never drive through standing water. Six inches of moving water knocks a person down. Two feet floats a vehicle.

Earthquake

Warning time: none to seconds (ShakeAlert system provides up to tens of seconds). Primary action: Drop, Cover, Hold On. Unique preparations: secure heavy furniture, water heaters, and bookshelves to walls. Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed. Know how to shut off gas. Expect aftershocks for days to weeks. Post-quake: check for gas leaks, structural cracks, and chimney damage before using the fireplace.

Wildfire

Warning time: hours to minutes. Primary action: evacuate early. Unique preparations: create defensible space (30 feet minimum clear zone around structures per NFPA), clear gutters of debris, have a grab bag pre-packed, plan multiple evacuation routes (fire can cut off roads), know your community's evacuation zones and alert system. Do not wait for a mandatory evacuation order to leave if conditions are deteriorating.

Winter storm

Warning time: days. Primary action: shelter in place. Unique preparations: stock food, water, and medications for 3 to 7 days of confinement. Ensure heating fuel supply (propane, firewood, fuel oil). Insulate pipes. Have alternative heat and cooking capability if power fails. Stock sand or kitty litter for traction. Plan for the possibility that roads may be impassable for days in rural areas.

Extreme heat

Warning time: days. Primary risk: heat-related illness, especially for elderly and medically vulnerable individuals. Unique preparations: identify cooling centers in your community, ensure AC is functioning before heat season, have battery-powered fans and adequate water supply, know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, check on elderly neighbors. If power fails during a heat wave, the risk escalates rapidly.

Extended power outage

Not a natural hazard itself but a consequence of many hazards. Unique preparations: know what in your household depends on electricity (medical devices, refrigeration, heating, cooling, water pump), have backup power or a plan for each critical dependency, stock batteries, fuel for the generator, and know the food safety rules for refrigerator and freezer contents.

Alerts

Watches, warnings, and action triggers

The National Weather Service uses a tiered alert system. Understanding the tiers prevents both under-reaction (ignoring a warning) and over-reaction (panicking at a watch).

Advisory

Conditions are expected to cause inconvenience or minor impact. Be aware and adjust plans if necessary. Example: a winter weather advisory means snow or ice is expected but not at severe levels.

Watch

Conditions are favorable for a significant hazard to develop. Prepare to act. Review your plan, charge devices, top off fuel, move outdoor items inside, confirm your safe room or evacuation route. A watch means "get ready."

Warning

The hazard is occurring or is imminent. Act now. Take shelter, evacuate, or execute whichever action your hazard-specific plan calls for. A warning means "act now." Do not wait for conditions to look dangerous from your window. By the time they look dangerous, you may have lost your window for safe action.

Pre-decide your action triggers. "When we receive a hurricane warning for our county, we evacuate." "When a tornado warning is issued for our area, everyone goes to the safe room." Deciding in advance eliminates the debate that consumes critical minutes during a warning.

Hazard-Specific Planning