Hurricanes

Hurricane information for individuals, communities, or businesses, from Ready.gov

Below, see EPA information for protecting health and the environment:

Prepare for a hurricane before it strikes - information to help you understand the dangers and what you can do before a disaster (information below).
Recover from a hurricane - recognize possible environmental hazards and what you can do to protect your and your family's health, and for commercial buildings and schools (information below).

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Many of the links below go to sites outside EPA.

Prepare for a hurricane before it strikes.

Planning ahead can reduce risks and ease recovery efforts, for homes, schools, and businesses.

Other sites related
to preparedness

Before a Hurricane and
During a hurricane
- Federal Emergency Management Agency

Prepare for a hurricane
- Homeland Security & ready.gov

Hurricane Prediction Center
- National Weather Service

Drinking water and food

Keep at least a 3-day water supply per person and pets.
What you can do to protect your household drinking water well.

For water and wastewater facilities - Suggested pre-hurricane activities to help facilities prepare for severe weather conditions.

Planning For Disaster Debris Debris from disasters can overwhelm a community's ability to handle in terms of volume or type of debris. This guide highlights the need for communities to plan ahead for debris cleanup after a major natural or man-made disaster, plus case studies. Read a printable version (PDF) (94 pp 1.9 MB, about PDF).

Well-designed storage of fertilizer and chemicals - Properly designed or modified storage facilities enhance worker safety and minimize the risk contamination.

Summary of regulatory requirements related to shutdown operations - For complex industrial processes, shutdown operations require special care beyond normal operations. Facility owners and operators are required to minimize chemical releases during process shutdown operations; and if reportable releases occur, they must be reported immediately upon constructive knowledge of occurrence. Read more about applicable regulations: Reminder to minimize process shutdown-related releases and report releases in a timely manner.

Top of page

Recover from a hurricane.

There can be a wide variety of increased risks to health and the environment at home and in the community.

Other sites related
to recovery

Recovering from disasters.
Health and safety guidelines, returning home, seeking assistance, more - Federal Emergency Management Agency

What to do after a hurricane.
- fema.gov

Getting water -fema.gov

ALERT: Generator exhaust is toxic. Always put generators outside well away from doors, windows, and vents. Never use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces, sheds, or similar areas. Carbon monoxide (CO) is deadly, can build up quickly, and linger for hours. More information

Drinking water and food

Boiling water information To kill all major water-borne bacterial pathogens, bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Make sure older adults have enough water to drink.
What to do about water from household wells after a flood. Do not turn on the pump - danger of electric shock. Do not drink or wash with water from the flooded well. More info. General info about household wells.

Home or wastewater facilities

What do I do with my home septic system after a flood? Do not drink your well water until it is tested. Do not use the sewage system until water in the soil absorption field is lower than the water level around the house. If you have a home-based or small business and your septic system has received chemicals, take extra precautions to prevent contact with water or inhaling fumes. Proper clean-up depends on the kinds of chemicals in the wastewater. More information about your septic system.
Suggested post-hurricane activities to help companies and facilities recover.

Flooding and mold

Flood cleanup: keeping air healthy inside Mold can cause serious health problems. The key to mold control is moisture control. After the flood, remove standing water and dry indoor areas. Remove and discard anything that has been wet for more than 24-48 hours.
Mold cleanup in schools and commercial buildings. information for building managers, custodians, and others who are responsible for commercial building and school maintenance.
General info - Mold, moisture, and your home
- Basics
- Cleaning up mold
- What to wear - when cleaning moldy areas.

Pesticides, chemical and oil spills, hazardous waste

Call the National Response Center 1-800-424-8802 (24 hours a day every day). For those without 800 access, please call 202-267-2675.
Industries and businesses that encounter spills or discharges in a hurricane's aftermath should contact the National Response Center immediately. Even in a natural disaster situation you may be responsible for reporting spills or damage.
National Pesticide Information Center: 1-800-858-7378. Pesticide contacts in government, states, and other organizations.
How to report environmental emergencies and spills.

Debris and solid waste

What To Do With Disaster Debris - Disasters can generate tons of debris and solid waste, some possibly dangerous, for example building rubble, soil and sediments, green waste (e.g., trees and shrubs), personal property, machinery, ash and charred wood, dead animals, and more.
- Typical ways to recycle or dispose in a landfill often cannot be used for disaster debris because of the large amounts of waste that can overwhelm existing disposal capacity.
- Burying or burning is no longer acceptable because of the side effects of smoke and fire from burning, and potential water and soil contamination from burial or decay.
How a community manages disaster debris depends on the types of debris and the waste management options available. More information about handling debris after a disaster strikes.

Safety guidelines for debris piles Do not place debris on or near fire hydrants, utility boxes or gas meters. Keep children away from debris piles. More information from FEMA.