After a Disaster
- If you have damages following a disaster, contact your local emergency management office.
- There may be a formal survey you can take on their website or social media. Reporting damages helps counties get access to additional resources.
- Local officials and voluntary organizations are typically the best options for immediate needs such as food and shelter.
- If you have insurance, contact your insurance agent to file a claim.
- Make sure to document all your damages – before you clean up, take photos and make a list.
- Save all your receipts for post-damage repair and clean-up.
- If you have insurance and damages, you must file a claim with your insurance company.
- Tune in to local and county news, websites, and social media for updates and critical information.
Recovering from a Disaster
- Recovering from a disaster is a gradual process, take care of yourself and your family.
- Your first concern after a disaster is your family's health and safety. You need to consider possible safety issues and monitor family health and well-being.
- If you are returning home following a disaster, know it can be both physically and mentally challenging. Above all, use caution. You may be anxious to see your property but do not return home before local officials say it is safe to return.
- Administer first aid and seek medical attention for any injured person following a disaster.
Safety Issues After a Disaster
- Be aware of new safety issues created by the disaster. Watch for washed-out roads, contaminated buildings, contaminated water, gas leaks, broken glass, damaged electrical wiring, and slippery floors.
- Walk carefully around the outside and check for loose power lines, gas leaks, and structural damage. If you have any doubts about safety, have your residence inspected by a qualified building inspector or structural engineer before entering.
- Watch out for animals, especially poisonous snakes. Use a stick to poke through debris.
- Do not enter your damaged home if:
- You smell gas.
- Floodwaters remain around the building.
- Authorities have not declared it safe to enter.
- Inform local authorities about health and safety issues, including chemical spills, downed power lines, washed-out roads, smoldering insulation, and dead animals.
- Keep a battery-powered radio with you for emergency updates from local officials.
Household Planning
There are steps you can take now to make the recovery process easier when a disaster strikes.
- Check your insurance policies to ensure you have accurate coverage. Not all insurance policies are the same. Review your policy to make sure the amount and types of coverage you have meets the requirements for all possible hazards. Homeowners insurance does not typically cover flooding, so you may need to purchase flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program.
- Take photos of your property. Photos of the outside and inside of your home can help you in case you need to make an insurance claim.
- Store documents and phone numbers in your emergency kit, and virtual if possible. Include home, auto, and health insurance documents, medical records, and copies of important documents like your birth certificate.
Preparing your Home
There are steps you can take before a disaster to try to mitigate damage.
- Prepare your roof against high winds. Wind storms and falling debris can cause major damage to your home. If your roof is damaged, you risk further destruction to the interior of your home. Repairing any loose gutters and Check shingles to make sure none are in poor condition.
- Reinforce your windows and doors. Reinforcing your doors and windows protects the inside of your home from the impacts of flooding, wind storms, and similar natural disasters. Add weather stripping or fill in any gaps.
- Create a temporary flood barrier if needed to prevent water damage. You can set up sandbag barriers around all entrances to the home to soak up water and defend your home from rising water levels.
- Store valuable documents and items in a watertight safe.
- Trim trees and Remove dead foliage. Trees are a major source of property damage during natural disasters. If a tree falls on your home, it can tear straight through your roof and walls, opening up your home to further property damage.
- Secure outdoor furniture and appliances including patio furniture, grills, outdoor toys, and landscaping ornaments or tools. Outdoor items can go flying and rapidly become dangerous projectiles capable of significant harm to people and property.
Financial Preparedness
After a disaster rebuilding your life may be stressful and challenging. Having access to personal financial, insurance, medical, and other records will aid you in starting the recovery process quickly and efficiently.
- Gather financial documents, insurance information, and critical personal, household, and medical information and keep it in your emergency kit, or accessible virtually.
- Keep small bills and change in your emergency kit for use in a crisis. It is important to have small bills on hand because ATMs and credit cards may not work during a disaster.
- Obtain property (homeowners or renters), health, and life insurance if you do not have them. Make sure coverage is adequate for your needs.
Types of Documentation to Gather
Household Identification
- Photo ID (to prove identity of household members)
- Birth certificate (to maintain or re-establish contact with family members)
- Social Security card (to apply for FEMA disaster assistance)
- Military service
- Pet ID tags
Financial and Legal Documentation
- Housing payments (to identify financial records and obligations)
- Some individuals and households may experience financial difficulty because of a disaster. If you do not think you can pay your loan payments on time, immediately contact your bank and discuss your options before skipping any payments or taking any other actions contrary to the terms of your loans.
- Insurance policies (to re-establish financial accounts)
- Sources of income (to maintain payments and credit)
- Tax statements (to provide contact information for financial and legal providers and to apply for FEMA disaster assistance)
Medical Information
- Physician information (in case medical care is needed)
- Copies of health insurance information (to make sure existing care continues uninterrupted)
- Immunization records
- Medications
Insurance Information
Having insurance for your home or business property is the best way to make sure you will have the necessary financial resources to help you repair, rebuild, or replace whatever is damaged. Document and insure your property now.
Household Contact Information
- Banking institutions
- Insurance agents
- Health professionals
- Service providers
- Place of worship
Financial Safety Considerations
- Be cautious about sharing personal financial information, such as your bank account number, social security number, or credit card numbers.
- Do not click on links in texts or emails from people you don’t know. Scammers can create fake links to websites.
- Remember that the government will not call or text you about owing money or receiving economic impact payments.
- Be aware that scammers may try to contact you via social media. The government will not contact you through social media about owing money or receiving payments.
- Keep in mind that scammers may try to take advantage of financial fears by calling with work-from-opportunities, debt consolidation offers, and student loan repayment plans.
- Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov/complaint if you receive messages from anyone claiming to be a government agent.