Preparing for Disaster During COVID-19

COVID-19 continues to pose a serious public health risk, but hazards like wildfires and hurricanes still happen. Disasters like these can cause sudden challenges like knocking out power, blocking roads, disrupting emergency services and causing stores and pharmacies to close for an extended period.

Knowing what hazards can affect your community and learning what to do before, during, and after each one will help you stay safe, and strengthen your ability to adapt, so that you can recover quickly. There are actions that you can take to prepare while still protecting yourself from COVID-19 during a disaster. Use this guide to help you prepare now so you can stay safe, while also protecting yourself and others from COVID-19.

Get Your Vaccine

Why get a vaccine?

Get a vaccine to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community.

Get a vaccine booster shot as soon as it is recommended for you to increase your protection. If you have questions, talk to your healthcare providers for advice. For more information, see the Centers for Disease Control.

How can I find a vaccine location near me?

There are three easy ways to find a nearby location where you can get the COVID-19 vaccine:

Search vaccines.gov (vacunas.gov).

Text your zip code to 438829.

Call 1-800-232-0233.

(TTY 888-720-7489)

Understand Your Risks

Some disasters, such as floods and home fires, can occur anywhere. Others, including earthquakes and hurricanes, are more common in certain regions. To understand your local risks:

Use the Red Cross interactive map to identify likely disasters in your area. Familiarize yourself with actions that you can take to stay safe by reviewing the Red Cross Emergency Library. Download the free Red Cross Emergency App for safety tips (search “American Red Cross” in app stores).
Reach out to your state or local emergency management agency to learn about your community’s response plan for each disaster and determine if these plans have been adapted because of COVID-19. Find contact information for state, local and tribal governments and agencies, and for state emergency management agencies.

Are You Preparing for Hurricane Season?

Scroll down or click here to find downloadable tips in multiple languages to help you prepare for tropical storms, hurricanes and typhoons during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are You Preparing for Wildfire Season?

Scroll down or click here to find downloadable tips in multiple languages to help you prepare for wildfire during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are You Preparing for a Heatwave?

Scroll down or click here to find downloadable tips in multiple languages to help you prepare for extreme heat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to Prepare

How do I make a disaster plan during a pandemic?

Plan what you will do before, during, and after each type of disaster. Different emergencies require different actions to stay safe.

Review the Red Cross Emergency Library for safety checklists and information.
Download the free Red Cross Emergency App for safety tips, severe weather alerts and more.
Get accurate information on how to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19 from the CDC at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html and the Red Cross at redcross.org/coronavirus.

Be sure that you can find out quickly about a hazard. Have access to weather alerts and community notifications. Be sure that you can receive official notifications even during a power outage. Always follow the directions of your state and local authorities.

Register to receive free emergency alerts that your community may offer. Consider purchasing a battery-powered radio or downloading the free Red Cross Emergency App.
Know the types of notifications to expect and what to do when you receive them. For example, a “watch” means you should be ready to act; a “warning” means you should take action immediately.
Learn the natural warning signs of a hazard — you may not always receive an official alert.
Because of COVID-19, stay current on advice and restrictions from your state and local public health authorities as it may affect your actions and available resources and facilities.

Stay or Go? Some disasters require you to stay in place to stay safe. Other disasters require you to go somewhere else to stay safe. If you need to go somewhere else, think through these questions:

Where will I go?
How will I get there?
Where will I stay?
How can I help protect myself from COVID-19?
What will I bring with me?

For example, in a hurricane or a wildfire, you may need to leave your home quickly and travel to a safe place outside the affected area. If authorities advise you to evacuate, be prepared to leave immediately with your evacuation kit (“go bag” of emergency supplies).

Plan now if you will need help leaving or if you need to share transportation.
Ask friends or relatives outside your area if you would be able to stay with them. Check and see if they have symptoms of COVID-19 or have people in their home at higher risk for serious illness. If they have symptoms or people at higher risk in their home, make other arrangements. Check with hotels, motels, and campgrounds to see if they are open. Find out if your local emergency management agency has adapted its sheltering plans.
If you have to evacuate, have a plan for where you’ll go (relatives, friends) and know what sheltering resources are available in your community through emergency apps or messaging from local emergency management officials.

Learn emergency skills

Prepare now so that you have critical skills and can meet your basic needs.

Learn first aid and CPR.
Be ready to live without power.
- Learn how to use a generator safely.
- Plan how you will use powered medical equipment.

Gather emergency supplies

Gather food, water and medicine. Organize supplies into a go-kit and a stay-at-home kit.

Go-kit: 3 days of supplies that you can carry with you if you need to leave quickly.
- Include masks (for everyone ages 2 and above), soap, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes to disinfect surfaces.
- Include backup batteries and chargers for your devices (cell phone, CPAP.). Include a carry all for back-up wheelchair batteries.
Stay-at-home kit: 2 weeks of supplies. Stores might be closed.

Whether you're in a situation to use your go-kit or your stay-at-home kit, either way you'll want to have a 1-month supply of prescription medication in a childproof container and medical supplies or equipment. Keep these items together in a separate container so you can take them with you if you have to evacuate.

Be sure to customize your kits to meet your household’s needs and the season. Basic supplies include:

Water: 1 gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
Food: non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day
Can opener
Medical items and medications (1-month supply)
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
First aid kit

Masks (for everyone ages 2 and above), soap, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes to disinfect surfaces
Flashlight or battery-powered lanterns
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
Extra batteries
Multi-purpose tool
Map(s) of the area

Cell phone with chargers
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Copies of critical documents
Emergency blanket
Change of clothes, plus:
- Hats, gloves, boots, coats, etc. (cold weather)
- Sun hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray, etc. (warm weather)

What critical documents do I need to recover quickly?

Having important documents will help you to start recovering right away after a disaster. Safeguard personal, financial, insurance, medical and other records. Important documents include:

Birth certificates, passports, Social Security cards
Current digital photos of loved ones updated every six months, especially for children
Insurance policies, deed, mortgage, lease, and loan papers
List of medications, allergies, and medical equipment.
Photos of valuable belongings you may want to include in an insurance claim

For detailed information on financial planning for a disaster, see Disasters and Financial Planning and Emergency Financial First Aid Kit .

If I am separated from my family, how will I reconnect with them?

Create a plan to reconnect with loved ones if communication networks are down. Have a back-up battery to charge your cell phone.

Complete a contact card for each member of your household, and ensure that they carry it with them.
Text is best. A text message may go through when a phone call will not.
Designate an out-of-town contact who can help your household reconnect. It may be easier to reach people outside the affected area.
Plan a meeting spot so you can reconnect when it is safe to do so:
- In a specific location, at a safe distance from your home for a home fire.
- Outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or must evacuate.

Download Tips on Preparing for Disaster During the Pandemic

Including resources in Spanish, French, Haitian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Arabic, Burmese, Hakha Chin, and Polish.