With hurricane season here, the IAFF has prepared a public safety toolkit to help educate members of your community about how to stay safe in the event of a hurricane.

While hurricanes don’t threaten every community, this public safety campaign can also be used to help educate your community about how to be ready for any natural disaster. This public safety toolkit on hurricane safety offers opportunities to generate positive publicity in your community and for your members.

Share the infographics and videos, along with a strong message (tag your friends in the media in any tweets to maximize your reach), on social media.

Send the op-ed and infographics to your local media. Be sure to follow-up with reporters and assignment editors to let them know you are available to discuss these important tips for ensuring safety when a hurricane threatens a community.

Media outlets are always in need of short, high-quality content. Providing a steady stream of quality content will help establish a solid, positive relationship with the public and local media to ensure they continue to look to their fire fighters for safety advice all year long.

Contact [email protected] with any comments or questions about using IAFF toolkits.

Safety Tips

Before a Hurricane

  • Review our Disaster Preparedness Guide
  • Build an emergency kit or a “go bag” and make a family communications plan
  • Have enough food and water for three days
  • Make arrangements for your pets if needed. Keep a phone list of pet-friendly hotels/motels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation routes. Remember, if it’s not safe for you to stay home, it’s not safe for your pets either.
  • Secure your house (bring in anything that might get blown away, etc.)
  • Keep your gas tank at least half full at all times
  • Learn community evacuation routes in case you are told to leave

During a Hurricane

  • Follow guidance from local authorities
  • If not ordered to evacuate – take refuge in a small, interior room, closet or hallway
  • Move to higher ground if there is a flood warning
  • Stay away from windows, skylights or glass doors

After a Hurricane

  • If you are evacuated, return home only if officials say it is safe
  • Keep away from dangling power lines and immediately report them to the power company
  • Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed out bridges
  • Never use a generator inside homes, crawlspaces or sheds

More information on disaster preparation can be found at ready.gov.

Posts/Tweets

  • Hurricane season is here. Know how to protect yourself in case of a storm. #IAFFSafetyTips
  • Your fire fighters urge you to prepare for a hurricane by stocking supplies. #IAFFSafetyTips
  • The greatest potential for loss of life in a hurricane is from the storm surge. #IAFFSafetyTips
  • Preparing for a hurricane can greatly help in preventing a tragedy during and after the storm. #IAFFSafetyTips
  • Most hurricane warnings are issued within 36 hours of the disaster, giving you time to prepare. #IAFFSafetyTips
  • During hurricane season, prepare a safety kit with flashlights, batteries, food, water and important documents. #IAFFSafetyTips
  • Consider purchasing a generator in case of a power outage in a hurricane. #IAFFSafetyTips
  • If you are evacuated from your home during a hurricane, do NOT return until officials say it is safe to do so. #IAFFSafetyTips​

Op-Ed for Local Media

Your local newspaper is a great resource to help brand your local as the community public safety advocate. These op-eds are designed for you to send to your newspaper’s editorial team to be included in their opinion section to highlight the importance of public safety, with your local president as the author. An op-ed is an especially useful tool for smaller papers, including neighborhood weekly services. Follow up to let them know you are available to answer any questions.

Hurricane Safety Op-Ed

What is an op-ed? An op-ed stands for “opposite editorial” and is an opinionated article submitted to a newspaper for publication. They are written by members of the community and not journalists or reporters.