After the storm checklist
Use this printable checklist in the first days after a storm. Start with safety, then photograph every room and damaged item before you clean, write down claim and FEMA numbers, start drying wet areas within 24 to 48 hours, and watch for contractor scams. It works offline once the page is saved or printed.
Information may be delayed or incomplete. Always verify with official sources and follow local officials.
Right now: stay safe
- Stay out of floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock you down (Ready.gov).
- Run generators outside only, more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents (CDC).
- Stay away from downed power lines and report them to your utility.
- If you smell gas, leave and call the gas company from outside.
Before you clean: document
- Wide photo of every room from the doorway, then close-ups.
- Photo of the water line on walls with a tape measure in the frame.
- Model and serial numbers on damaged appliances.
- Outside: roof, siding, fences, vehicles, debris pile.
- Keep every receipt: tarps, fans, hotel, meals, repairs.
Call and write it down
- Insurance claim filed. Claim number: ____________________
- Adjuster name and phone: ____________________
- FEMA application (if declared): registration number ____________________
- Utility outage reported: date/time ____________________
Start drying (24 to 48 hours)
- Open windows and doors when it's safe; run fans and dehumidifiers.
- Pull out soaked carpet, pads and upholstery you can't dry fast (CDC).
- Bag and photograph anything you throw out.
- Mold bigger than about 10 square feet: get help (EPA).
Watch for scams
- No full payment up front. Get a written estimate.
- Ask for a license number and proof of insurance, then verify it.
- FEMA and SBA never charge a fee to apply or for an inspection. Anyone who asks is a scammer (FEMA).
Sources: CDC, EPA, Ready.gov and FEMA, linked in our guides. Storm Recovery Hub, stormrecoveryhub.com.