Quick answer: To help people during a hurricane in the United States, start before dangerous winds and water arrive: check on neighbours, share verified evacuation orders, help people reach authorised shelters, and make a simple check-in plan. During the storm, stay in a safe location and call 911 for immediate danger. After the storm, avoid floodwater, downed power lines and unsafe buildings; deliver help through established local responders and volunteer groups. Helping must never require you to ignore an evacuation order.
If the storm is happening now: for immediate danger in the U.S., call 911. Follow your county or city emergency management office and the National Weather Service (NWS) hurricane safety page. Locate operating shelters through the American Red Cross open-shelter resource. This article is general guidance, not a live shelter directory or storm forecast.
Before the hurricane arrives: the most useful time to help
A hurricane does not wait for neighbours to finish organising. If an evacuation order is announced, the best way to help is to support the person’s decision and ability to leave on time. That may be a ride arranged before roads become unsafe, help locating an accessible shelter, a call to a caregiver, or a reminder to bring essential medication. It is not a last-minute drive through storm surge.
- Check on at-risk people early. Ask whether they know their evacuation zone, have transport, receive official alerts, have a safe destination, and can take necessary equipment or medication.
- Offer specific practical support. “I can help find an accessible shelter,” “I can charge your phone,” or “I can call your support worker” is clearer than “Let me know if you need anything.”
- Follow local orders. A hurricane’s path is uncertain; a neighbourhood may face storm surge, rainfall flooding, dangerous wind or tornadoes even when the forecast centre is elsewhere.
- Arrange travel while routes are open. Do not promise a pickup you cannot complete before hazardous weather. If you cannot transport someone, contact local emergency management or established transport and shelter services.
- Think about pets and service animals. Ask the destination about their rules and keep service-animal needs in the plan. Do not abandon a person’s required mobility or communication support.
- Leave room for responders. Do not park at evacuation routes, block hospital entrances, or treat a mandatory evacuation zone as a volunteer assembly area.
The NWS explains the changing threat from storm surge, inland flooding, destructive wind and tornadoes. The correct action depends on the hazard and local instructions; a location safe from wind may not be safe from flooding. Confirm which areas are evacuating rather than assuming all nearby households should do the same thing.
During the hurricane: what help is safe?
If you are sheltering inside
Stay in a sturdy, appropriate shelter and away from windows. If officials tell your location to shelter, follow that advice. If flooding threatens the building, follow the evacuation or relocation instructions that apply to your address. Do not venture outdoors to check a fence, move a car, rescue belongings or make a neighbourly visit during high winds. If the storm’s eye passes over, the quiet period can end suddenly.
You can still help people remotely: send concise safety messages, check that family members have an emergency contact, translate an official warning accurately, or pass a verified address and current situation to an emergency operator. Communications may be unreliable; keep messages brief and time-stamped.
If you receive a call from someone trapped
Ask for the address, nearest landmark, current floor or room, number of people, immediate hazards, injuries and a callback method. Call 911 or have them call it if they can. Do not tell someone to drive through water or swim to reach you. If they are trapped by rising floodwater, relay their situation and location to rescuers, follow dispatcher instructions and avoid amateur boat or vehicle rescues.
If a neighbour has no electricity
If a check-in is safe and permitted, share official information and ask about essential medical equipment that needs power. Refer urgent medical needs to 911. Do not lend a generator for indoor use: gasoline-powered generators can cause fatal carbon monoxide poisoning. The NWS advises running portable generators outdoors, more than 20 feet from the home, doors and windows, with exhaust directed away.
How to check on people with different needs
Older adults and people living alone
Before the storm, establish two contacts and agree on a check-in time and fallback. Respect the person’s choices and ask what might actually prevent evacuation: transport, stairs, oxygen or other medical equipment, medication, cost or language. A failed check-in during a power outage does not prove an emergency, but if there is a concrete reason to fear imminent harm, provide the details to emergency services.
People with disabilities
Ask about accessible transport and shelter conditions before departure. Never separate someone from assistive technology or a service animal without a compelling safety reason and professional guidance. If you relay information on their behalf, preserve exact medical and access needs, with consent whenever possible.
Families with children
Explain the next step simply: where to go, who is taking them, what to bring and when to check in. Pack essential medications, baby supplies and contact information early. Do not publish identifying pictures of displaced children or announce their sleeping location without permission.
People who prefer Spanish or another language
Share the official local warning in the language available from the authority. Confirm street names, evacuation zones, shelter eligibility and timings; do not improvise translations of terms such as “mandatory evacuation,” “watch” or “warning.” NWS hurricane resources include multilingual material.
After the hurricane: dangers that are easy to overlook
The strongest winds may have stopped, but floodwater, collapsed roads, damaged trees, contaminated drinking water and exposed electrical equipment remain hazardous. Do not drive to an affected area just because the radar shows the storm moving away.
- Do not cross floodwater. Roads can be washed out underneath. Never drive around barricades or walk into water to look for someone. Report their location instead.
- Stay away from downed power lines. Treat every line as energised. Do not approach a submerged electric box, flooded outlet or sparking equipment.
- Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Never operate a generator, grill or fuel-burning appliance inside a home, garage, porch or near openings.
- Wait for re-entry clearance. Do not enter a damaged building or restricted area until local authorities say access is safe. A roof, staircase or wall may be unstable.
- Watch for heat and exertion. Clean-up during hot, humid weather can overwhelm people. Take breaks and ask if a neighbour needs safe cooling or medical attention.
- Use food and water guidance. Follow local boil-water notices and public-health advice, discard food that may be unsafe and seek clean drinking water from verified distributions.
- Do not disturb potentially hazardous debris. Downed trees, loose gas connections, flood-damaged materials and contaminated silt may require professionals.
See the NWS’s post-hurricane preparedness and recovery guidance for specific flood, generator and clean-up precautions. Helping after a disaster begins with identifying risks that a tired neighbour may not have noticed.
Five kinds of help that often matter more than a box of supplies
1. A reliable connection
Contact relatives, insurers, landlords, medical providers or employers with the person’s permission. Record the time, name of the contact and agreed next action. One calm, accurate call can relieve substantial uncertainty.
2. A verified place to sleep
Use the Red Cross shelter resource and local emergency management information. Never claim an ordinary public building is open without checking. Ask whether the site can accommodate an access requirement, pets or other household needs.
3. Clean water and meals people can use
Confirm dietary needs, allergies, medical restrictions and safe storage. Do not assume that every affected household has working power, refrigeration, running water or a place to cook. When an established distribution centre is operating, direct people there or ask whether you can assist its existing supply route.
4. Assistance with recovery applications
Some affected households may be eligible for FEMA help after a qualifying federal disaster declaration. The official DisasterAssistance.gov portal describes assistance and applications; availability depends on the disaster, location and individual circumstances. Offer to find the correct information, not to promise a grant. Beware of people demanding payment or banking details to “unlock” government aid.
5. Help next week, not only today
Temporary shelter, transport to medical appointments, child care, debris clearance by authorised teams and document replacement may matter after attention has moved elsewhere. A useful offer is bounded: “I can drive you to the recovery centre on Tuesday if the roads are open” rather than “I’ll fix everything.”
How to volunteer or donate responsibly
Do not arrive in a disaster zone uninvited. National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD) advises would-be volunteers to connect with an established member organisation, wait for a defined role and avoid self-deployment. This prevents unnecessary vehicles, accommodation demand and untrained people entering dangerous clean-up sites.
The American Red Cross hurricane relief programme describes support such as shelters, meals, supplies and recovery assistance. Donations can be effective, but check the organisation’s official domain, what the appeal funds and whether it is specific to an event. Do not send money in response to an unverified social media message, a stranger’s QR code or an unsolicited payment request.
One clear check-in message you can send
Suggested text: “I’m checking in because of the hurricane. Are you somewhere safe? Do you need help finding official shelter information, medication support or a contact number? Please don’t travel through flooded roads. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. Reply when you can.”
Keep messages brief enough to read on a phone with little charge. A check-in is not a substitute for an emergency call. If you are coordinating a neighbourhood group, use a minimal private record of confirmed needs and who is responding. Protect medical details, names and addresses from public sharing.
Common questions about helping during a U.S. hurricane
Should I drive over to check on a neighbour when the winds begin?
No. Contact the person remotely and stay in an appropriate safe place. Driving or walking into high winds, storm surge or floodwater can create a second emergency. If urgent help is needed, call 911 and share the exact location.
Can I help someone evacuate if there is an order?
Yes, when it can be done safely and early enough, with an official open route and a confirmed destination. If conditions have already become unsafe, contact emergency services or the local evacuation authority for instructions rather than attempting a hazardous pickup.
Where can an affected family find a shelter?
Check Red Cross shelter information and the county or city emergency management office. Shelter availability, accessibility and pet arrangements vary and can change. Verify before travelling.
Is it safe to use a generator in a garage with the door open?
No. Use it outdoors only, far from living spaces and openings, according to manufacturer and NWS guidance. Carbon monoxide can build to dangerous levels even when a garage door is open.
What is the best way to help if I live in another state?
Give through a verified disaster-relief organisation, volunteer with an established group for an assigned role, or offer specific remote help with forms, calls and reliable information. Do not self-deploy.
More practical disaster-help guides on eduKateSG: Earthquake response in Japan · Flood response in Bangladesh · Bushfire response in Australia. Each guide is country-specific; always follow the local authorities where you are.
U.S. official resources
- National Weather Service: hurricane safety
- National Weather Service: what to do when a hurricane threatens
- National Weather Service: hurricane preparedness and post-storm safety
- American Red Cross: search for open shelters
- National VOAD: safe volunteering guidance
- Official U.S. disaster assistance application portal
Reviewed 2 November 2026. This guide covers U.S. hurricanes generally and does not state that any particular state, county, route or shelter is currently safe. Local evacuation orders and current NWS information always take precedence.