Storm Preparation Checklist – USA: 24 Items
A practical United States storm safety checklist covering severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, outages and household emergency readiness across the united states.
Read Full Guide
What is Send Listy?
Create and organize your own lists. Start here, add or remove items, check off what matters, and share selections via WhatsApp or iMessage.
Make this checklist your own. Add what you need, edit what you like, and remove anything that doesn’t fit.
🗺️ Know Your Storm Risks
Notes: Check whether tornadoes, hurricanes, flash floods, lightning, winter storms or damaging winds affect your location.
Check whether tornadoes, hurricanes, flash floods, lightning, winter storms or damaging winds affect your location.
Notes: Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts and subscribe to county or city emergency notifications.
Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts and subscribe to county or city emergency notifications.
Notes: Use a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio or trusted local alerts if cellular service fails.
Use a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio or trusted local alerts if cellular service fails.
Notes: A watch means conditions are favorable; a tornado warning requires immediate shelter.
A watch means conditions are favorable; a tornado warning requires immediate shelter.
👨👩👧👦 Make a Household Safety Plan
Notes: Identify a basement, safe room or lowest-floor interior windowless room in a sturdy building.
Identify a basement, safe room or lowest-floor interior windowless room in a sturdy building.
Notes: Choose a safe destination and alternate route; follow local orders when evacuation is needed.
Choose a safe destination and alternate route; follow local orders when evacuation is needed.
Notes: Agree on an out-of-area contact, meeting points and short emergency text messages.
Agree on an out-of-area contact, meeting points and short emergency text messages.
Notes: Arrange carriers, supplies, medicines, mobility equipment and alternate transport before a warning.
Arrange carriers, supplies, medicines, mobility equipment and alternate transport before a warning.
🎒 Build and Maintain Emergency Supplies
Notes: Build supplies for several days for every household member, including pets, and check expiration dates.
Build supplies for several days for every household member, including pets, and check expiration dates.
Notes: Include prescribed medicines, a first-aid kit and written emergency health instructions.
Include prescribed medicines, a first-aid kit and written emergency health instructions.
Notes: Check flashlights, spare batteries, a portable radio, charging cables and power banks.
Check flashlights, spare batteries, a portable radio, charging cables and power banks.
Notes: Keep waterproof copies of IDs, insurance details and contacts in a secure accessible location.
Keep waterproof copies of IDs, insurance details and contacts in a secure accessible location.
🏡 Prepare the Home and Travel Options
Notes: Bring in patio furniture and objects that could become flying debris while conditions are safe.
Bring in patio furniture and objects that could become flying debris while conditions are safe.
Notes: Clear accessible gutters and review flood exposure before storms, never during dangerous weather.
Clear accessible gutters and review flood exposure before storms, never during dangerous weather.
Notes: Operate generators outdoors far from windows, doors and vents; use working carbon monoxide alarms.
Operate generators outdoors far from windows, doors and vents; use working carbon monoxide alarms.
Notes: Maintain adequate fuel or charge and check official road closures before any evacuation.
Maintain adequate fuel or charge and check official road closures before any evacuation.
🚨 Respond to Warnings Safely
Notes: Go to the designated lowest-floor interior shelter and shield your head and neck.
Go to the designated lowest-floor interior shelter and shield your head and neck.
Notes: Use a substantial enclosed building or hard-topped vehicle; remain sheltered for 30 minutes after the last thunder.
Use a substantial enclosed building or hard-topped vehicle; remain sheltered for 30 minutes after the last thunder.
Notes: Do not wait for rising water or worsening conditions when officials instruct your area to leave.
Do not wait for rising water or worsening conditions when officials instruct your area to leave.
Notes: Turn around; water may conceal missing pavement and can sweep away vehicles.
Turn around; water may conceal missing pavement and can sweep away vehicles.
🔧 Recover and Restock Carefully
Notes: Remain outside unsafe buildings; treat downed wires and standing water as hazards.
Remain outside unsafe buildings; treat downed wires and standing water as hazards.
Notes: Follow local water advisories and discard items exposed to contaminated floodwater.
Follow local water advisories and discard items exposed to contaminated floodwater.
Notes: Take photographs and preserve receipts after hazards have passed.
Take photographs and preserve receipts after hazards have passed.
Notes: Record lessons learned, replenish kits and update family contacts.
Record lessons learned, replenish kits and update family contacts.
Complete Guide
Who this checklist is for
This checklist helps households in United States prepare for Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, outages and household emergency readiness across the United States. It is a planning aid, not a warning service or an official evacuation instruction. Always follow the latest National Weather Service and local emergency management directions.
Plan locally, not by state name alone
Risk varies substantially by county, neighborhood, elevation, building type and the type of storm. Check your local hazard maps and official warning systems. For urgent hazards, protect life first and leave property-protection tasks until safe conditions return.
How to use this checklist
Work through the six sections before severe weather arrives. Mark actions completed, adapt tasks to your household and revisit plans when you move, replace equipment or receive updated evacuation guidance. Do not put personal document numbers or confidential medical details in public notes.
Official sources and safety updates
These agency links support the checklist. Recheck the official page for new warnings, instructions and local variations.
Important safety limits
Never drive into floodwater. Never use a vehicle, manufactured home or highway overpass as your planned tornado shelter. Do not run gasoline or other fuel-powered generators inside homes, garages or near openings. Follow local evacuation orders as issued; this static checklist does not provide real-time conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Does this checklist replace local emergency alerts?
No. Activate local warning channels and follow current emergency instructions.
Should I evacuate for every storm?
There is no one-size-fits-all rule. Follow official orders and your local evacuation or shelter guidance for the actual hazard.
Can this checklist be used in every part of the state?
Use it as a starting point. County, city, building and household risks differ; adjust the list to your location and needs.
Suggested Sources
More than just a checklist
Ready to organize your way? Add this checklist to Send Listy and make it yours.
Use this checklist in Send Listy