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EnglishHow Ready.gov Advises Preparing for Floods, Power Outages, and Tornadoes
Updated
Ready.gov's core advice for these three hazards is short and specific: for flooding, never drive or walk through flooded roads or walkways — "turn around, don't drown"; for power outages, line up alternative ways to charge your phone before the outage happens; for tornadoes, know what to do before, during, and after. Underneath all three is the same instruction: know your risks and plan ahead, because severe weather can happen anytime.
Flooding: "Turn Around, Don't Drown"
Ready.gov states the rule directly: if you approach a flooded road or walkway, turn around — do not attempt to cross. This applies to both driving and walking, and it is the single most concrete piece of flood guidance on the site.
The reasoning behind the rule is that floodwater hides what is underneath it. You cannot see washed-out pavement, debris, or how fast the water is actually moving, so the depth and the road condition are unknown at the moment you decide.
What to do instead:
- Choose a different route rather than estimating whether your vehicle can make it.
- Treat a flooded walkway the same as a flooded road — turn around.
- Prepare before flooding happens, using Ready.gov's flooding preparation guidance, rather than deciding mid-storm.
Power Outages: Plan Your Phone Charging in Advance
Ready.gov's power outage advice centers on one preparation item: have alternative charging methods for your phone in case of a power outage. That means deciding now how you will charge a phone when the wall outlets are dead — not after the lights go out.
The site also points to food safety as part of outage planning. Because a refrigerator only holds temperature for so long without power, the practical sequence is:
- Before an outage, identify your backup charging method for phones.
- During an outage, keep the refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible.
- Use Ready.gov's power outage tips for the full set of precautions.
Tornadoes: Before, During, and After
Ready.gov frames tornado preparedness as three phases — know what to do before, during, and after a tornado. The site does not compress this into a single action, which reflects the fact that the correct behavior changes as the storm progresses.
The practical takeaway is to learn your tornado plan in advance so that "during" requires no decisions. Ready.gov's tornado tips cover the full sequence.
Severe Weather Generally: Know Your Risks
Ready.gov's overarching message is that severe weather can happen anytime, so you should know your risks and plan ahead. "Know your risks" means identifying which hazards actually apply where you live — a coastal household and an inland one do not face the same set.
Two Ready.gov tools support this planning:
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Make a Plan Form | A fillable form for creating a family communication plan quickly |
| Build a Kit | An emergency supply list so your kit is stocked with the right items |
Ready.gov also notes that wireless emergency alerts let officials push life-saving information to the public quickly, and offers the FEMA mobile app for preparedness strategies and real-time weather and emergency alerts. If you want alerts on your phone, the FEMA app is the route Ready.gov points to.
The Common Thread
Across flooding, power outages, tornadoes, and severe weather, Ready.gov's advice follows the same structure: identify the hazard, decide your response in advance, and prepare the supplies and communication plan you will need. The one rule worth memorizing verbatim is the flood rule — turn around, don't drown.