The Storm Has Passed—What Should You Do Next?

After a tornado, protect life before property. Remain sheltered while the warning affecting your location is active and follow any continuing instructions from local officials. Check for injuries without exceeding your training, stay away from damaged utilities and structures, and postpone re-entry, cleanup, and damage documentation until the area has been declared safe.

If local emergency officials give instructions that differ from this guide, follow the officials.

First 10 Minutes: Stay Sheltered and Confirm the Threat Has Ended

Use this immediate checklist:

• Keep sheltering while a tornado warning remains active or local officials advise you to remain sheltered.
• Monitor official alerts through local authorities, the Emergency Alert System, NOAA Weather Radio, or trusted local news.
• Check yourself and others for injuries before inspecting the building or looking for belongings.
• Avoid damaged rooms, debris, utility lines, and standing water.
• Call 911 for a serious injury or an immediate threat such as fire, a suspected gas leak, or collapse.
• Follow local emergency officials over all general guidance.

Do not assume the danger has ended because the wind stopped or the area became quiet. Multiple rounds of tornado-producing thunderstorms can occur during one severe-weather outbreak. Continue monitoring official information for additional watches, warnings, and local instructions (National Weather Service post-tornado guidance).

Before opening a shelter door, check whether the warning affecting your location has ended and whether authorities have issued further instructions. If officials advise continued sheltering, remain where you are unless the shelter itself becomes immediately dangerous.

Fire, flooding, smoke, collapse, or a strong gas odor may make remaining in place unsafe. If that happens, call 911 when possible, explain your location and the hazard, and follow the dispatcher’s or an on-scene responder’s directions. Do not improvise a route through unstable debris when professional instructions are available.

Once immediate conditions allow, tell loved ones you are safe. Reserve voice calls for emergencies; texts, messaging services, or social media may be better for routine check-ins when networks are congested. Keep the message brief:

Safe at [location]. [Number] people are with me. We are staying sheltered and monitoring official alerts. I will update when possible.

If you need help, include your location, the nature of the emergency, the number of people involved, and any urgent medical, mobility, or communication needs.

Check for Injuries Without Creating Another Victim

Check yourself first, followed by everyone in your immediate shelter area. Ask whether each person is injured and look for serious bleeding, breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness, or an inability to move safely.

Call 911 for a serious or life-threatening injury and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Provide first aid or CPR only within your training and only when you can reach the injured person without exposing yourself to fire, gas, fallen utility lines, unstable debris, or collapse.

Do not routinely move someone who may have a neck, back, head, or other serious injury. Move the person only if an immediate hazard creates a greater danger, and follow dispatcher instructions when communication is available (post-tornado injury guidance).

Do not create another victim while trying to help:

• Do not climb into unstable rubble.
• Do not touch or approach fallen utility lines.
• Do not enter an area containing smoke, fire, or a suspected gas leak.
• Do not shift heavy debris that may be supporting other material.
• Do not perform medical procedures beyond your training.
• Do not travel through blocked or hazardous areas unless responders direct you.

Tell the dispatcher about hazards that may prevent responders from reaching an injured or trapped person.

If your household’s urgent needs are under control and the route is safe, check on nearby neighbors who may need additional assistance. This can include older adults, families with infants, people with disabilities, and people with medical, communication, mobility, or personal-care needs. Check from a safe location; concern for another person does not make a damaged building safe to enter.

If You Are Trapped: Protect Your Breathing and Signal Rescuers

If you are trapped under or behind debris, remain as still as conditions allow and assess the space around you. Do not pull at boards, pipes, masonry, or other heavy material if movement could cause additional debris to fall.

Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth or mask if one is within reach. This can reduce ordinary dust exposure, but it does not make contaminated air safe or protect against every chemical, vapor, or particulate hazard.

If phone service is available, send a text containing:

• Your street address or best available location
• Your position within the building
• A nearby room name or landmark
• The number of people trapped
• Known injuries
• Any gas, fire, water, or electrical hazard you can detect
• Urgent medical, mobility, or communication needs

After sending the message, keep the phone available for emergency instructions.

Use a whistle if you have one. Otherwise, make repeated banging sounds on a pipe, wall, or another solid object. Avoid prolonged shouting, which can exhaust you and increase dust inhalation. The American Red Cross recommends signaling by text, whistle, or banging rather than relying on shouting (Red Cross tornado safety guidance).

If you hear responders, stop making other noise and listen. Follow their directions. Do not crawl into an unknown void or move major debris unless responders direct you or remaining in place presents an immediate, unmistakable threat.

Recognize the Immediate Hazards Outside Your Shelter

Leaving shelter does not mean the surrounding area is safe. Before moving, pause and assess the route. Stay away from damaged utilities, unstable structures, fire, standing water, and shifting debris.

Hazard	What to notice	What to do	What not to do
Electricity	Fallen wires, broken poles, damaged service lines, sparking equipment, or wires in puddles	Stay well away and report the location to the utility or emergency authorities	Do not touch a line, puddle, fence, vehicle, or object that may be in contact with it; do not assume a quiet line is harmless
Gas or flammable material	Gas or fuel odor, hissing, damaged piping, or a suspected flammable spill	Leave the area and contact emergency services or the utility from a safe location	Do not use flames or potential ignition sources
Structures	Damaged walls, roofs, foundations, floors, chimneys, or stairways	Stay outside until emergency personnel or an appropriate qualified inspector permits entry	Do not conduct a do-it-yourself safety inspection or assume appearance proves stability
Debris	Broken glass, exposed nails, sharp metal, unstable objects, and shifting rubble	Move cautiously along a clearly safe route and wear sturdy footwear if available	Do not climb debris piles, shift major material, or allow children into the area
Fire or smoke	Smoke, heat, visible flame, or burning odors	Leave the hazardous area, call 911, and follow responder instructions	Do not enter to retrieve property or attempt to assess the fire yourself
Unknown spill	Unidentified liquid, powder, damaged container, chemical odor, fuel, or sewage	Keep away and report it to the appropriate authorities	Do not sweep, rinse, mix, neutralize, or clean unknown material

Treat every fallen or broken utility line as hazardous. Stay away from the line and from nearby puddles or objects that may be energized. Report the location without approaching it.

If you smell gas or suspect a leak, leave the building or affected area. Avoid flames and potential ignition sources, warn others from a safe location, and notify emergency services or the utility. Damaged buildings may also remain at risk of collapse, so do not return to investigate the source or retrieve property (Mercer Police tornado safety measures).

Do not use matches, lighters, candles, or other open flames in or around a damaged building.

Unknown chemicals, fuel, sewage, damaged containers, and material near electrical hazards require appropriate assessment. Keep people away and let utility crews, firefighters, emergency responders, or hazardous-material specialists handle the danger.

Power Outage Safety: Prevent Fire and Carbon-Monoxide Poisoning

Use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns instead of candles, oil lamps, or other flame-based lighting. A tornado may have damaged fuel systems, and additional wind or shifting debris can overturn an open flame.

Never operate a generator, grill, camp stove, charcoal burner, or another fuel-burning device inside a home, basement, garage, tent, or camper—or near an open window. Keep generators outdoors and away from doors, windows, vents, and other openings. Follow current official guidance and the manufacturer’s instructions rather than treating one clearance distance as universally safe.

Carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled and can kill quickly. If anyone around fuel-burning equipment becomes sick, dizzy, or weak, move everyone to fresh air immediately and seek emergency help. Do not re-enter an affected area merely to turn equipment off if doing so would expose you again; tell responders what was operating and where it is located (Red Cross tornado and outage safety guidance).

Do not handle a visibly damaged household electrical system. Stay away from damaged wiring, panels, utility connections, and electrical equipment exposed to water. Leave inspection and repair to the utility and qualified electrical professionals.

Contact emergency services for an immediate threat. Otherwise, ask local emergency management, the healthcare provider, the equipment supplier, or a shelter what safe power, charging, transportation, or medical-support options are currently available. Follow individualized medical instructions.

For broader outage topics after the immediate emergency, the OutageGuide homepage covers generator use, indoor temperature management, electrical systems, and food safety. Official local instructions and qualified professionals—not this general reference—control immediate life-safety decisions.

Do Not Re-enter a Damaged Building Until It Is Cleared

Do not enter a damaged building to retrieve belongings, medicine, pets, identification, valuables, insurance documents, or photographs. Do not go inside to inspect rooms or begin cleanup.

Wait until emergency personnel or an appropriate qualified inspector says entry is safe. A building can contain hidden structural or utility damage even when it remains upright and appears stable from outside. General post-tornado guidance advises staying out of damaged buildings until authorities permit return (re-entry safety guidance).

If you are already inside and conditions appear unsafe, leave carefully when a safe exit is available. Do not use a route blocked by fallen wires, fire, a suspected gas leak, unstable material, or shifting debris. Call 911 and follow responder instructions if no safe route is apparent.

Keep children away from damaged structures, fallen lines, debris, heavy equipment, and cleanup zones. They should not sort or carry sharp or contaminated debris.

Keep pets out of hazardous areas as well. If officials permit you to go outside and the route is safe, use a leash or secure carrier. Fencing and familiar landmarks may have been damaged, and animals may not recognize or avoid new hazards.

Visible damage can tell you to stay away, but the absence of visible damage cannot establish that a building is safe. A homeowner checklist is not a substitute for professional clearance.

Clean Up Only After Clearance—and Use the Right Protection

Begin inspection or cleanup only after both conditions are met:

1. The warning affecting your location and the immediate weather threat have ended.
2. Emergency personnel or an appropriate qualified inspector has declared the location safe to enter.

For basic debris handling in a cleared area, wear thick-soled or sturdy closed shoes, long pants, long sleeves, and work gloves. Broken glass, nails, splintered wood, and sharp metal may be concealed under insulation, leaves, or household materials (federal post-tornado cleanup guidance).

Respiratory protection must match the actual hazard. Do not assume a generic face covering protects against every type of mold, chemical vapor, sewage contamination, fuel, or structural dust. If you cannot identify the material or the required protection, stay away and ask local health authorities, responders, or a qualified remediation professional.

Work slowly, keep an exit route open, and stop if conditions change.

Stop and obtain qualified help when work involves:

• Fallen lines, damaged wiring, electrical panels, or wet electrical equipment
• Gas, propane, fuel, or an unexplained odor
• Unknown chemicals, leaking containers, or unidentified powders or liquids
• Unstable trees, roofs, walls, floors, or large debris
• Major structural damage
• Mold or structural dust requiring specialized protection
• Sewage or other biological contamination
• Heavy material that could shift, fall, roll, or contribute to collapse
• Fire, smoke, heat, or smoldering debris

Keep children out of cleanup work and pets outside the work zone. Where possible, create a clear boundary and do not leave sharp debris, exposed fasteners, chemicals, or operating equipment unattended.

Document Damage and Start Recovery Without Risking Your Safety

Insurance evidence is never worth entering an uncleared building or crossing a hazardous area. First account for people, obtain medical help, report active hazards, and wait for permission to enter.

Once entry is allowed, document the property methodically:

• Take wide photographs of each affected room or exterior side.
• Take close photographs of individual areas of damage.
• Record video showing how damaged areas relate to one another.
• Create a room-by-room inventory of damaged or missing property.
• Add purchase dates, prices, model numbers, and original receipts when available.
• Save estimates, invoices, material receipts, lodging receipts, and other recovery records.
• Keep a communication log with dates, names, claim numbers, and agreed next steps.

Homeowners and renters with applicable insurance should contact their insurer promptly. Ask what must be photographed, retained, inspected, or approved before cleanup. Government recovery guidance recommends recording property damage, listing damaged items, and keeping relevant recovery receipts (ReadyDC insurance-recovery steps).

Ask the insurer before major cleanup, permanent repairs, or disposal of damaged property. An adjuster may need to inspect the property or particular items. Immediate directions intended to protect life or address an active hazard take priority over claim procedures.

Do not attempt either inside an unsafe structure, on an unstable roof, near damaged utilities, or beyond your skills.

When work can safely proceed, retain written estimates, contracts, invoices, receipts, and proof of payment. An insurance-agency recovery guide also recommends coordinating cleanup and repairs with the insurer and avoiding disposal of damaged items before adjuster approval when possible (tornado insurance-claim guidance).

Policy terms, deductibles, exclusions, coverage, adjuster procedures, documentation requirements, and reimbursement vary. Photographs, inventories, and receipts may support a claim, but they do not guarantee coverage or payment. Renters with applicable insurance should contact their renters insurer about damaged personal property.

Do not allow urgency to pressure you into unsafe entry, immediate permanent work, or disposal of evidence before you understand the insurer’s requirements. Follow your insurer’s instructions and local emergency directions rather than relying solely on unsolicited offers.

Find Shelter, Assistance, and Support for the Next Few Days

If your home is unsafe, contact local emergency management for current information about shelters and other local assistance. The American Red Cross also provides local help and open-shelter information.

Before traveling, ask whether a shelter can address any specific accessibility, communication, medical-equipment, medication, service-animal, or pet concerns in your household. Availability and arrangements vary by location.

U.S. disaster survivors can use FEMA resources to check current disaster declarations and assistance information. Ready.gov directs survivors to FEMA and DisasterAssistance.gov, but a declaration or application does not guarantee eligibility, approval, or a particular benefit (Ready.gov tornado recovery resources).

Call 911 for a medical emergency. For a non-immediate medical concern, contact a healthcare provider and follow individualized instructions. Explain whether roads are blocked, transportation is inaccessible, medication is unavailable, or powered medical equipment is losing backup power.

When it is safe, check on people who may need additional assistance, including older adults, people with disabilities, families with infants, people who communicate differently, and those without transportation or backup power. Ask what help they need rather than making assumptions. Coordinate through responders if reaching someone would require entering a damaged structure or hazardous area.

In the United States, the Disaster Distress Helpline is available by calling or texting 1-800-985-5990. Call 911 for an immediate threat to yourself or someone else.

Fill in this local resource list and keep a paper copy:

• Local emergency management: ______
• Electric utility emergency line: _________
• Gas utility emergency line: _______
• Open-shelter information: _________
• Healthcare provider or urgent medical contact: _______
• Accessible transportation: ________
• Animal services or pet-friendly shelter contact: _____
• Homeowner’s or renter’s insurer and claim number: ____
• Landlord or property manager: ______
• Local non-emergency reporting: _____
• Out-of-area household contact: _____

The order matters: wait for official direction, address injuries, avoid electrical, gas, structural, debris, fire, and carbon-monoxide hazards, and delay re-entry and property work until clearance. Once conditions are safe, document losses, contact the applicable insurer, and connect with local recovery resources. Let official instructions—not the urge to inspect damage or recover belongings—govern every next step.

OutageGuide provides general preparedness information, not emergency-services advice, and does not warrant that its material is complete. During an emergency, follow local authorities, utilities, responders, healthcare professionals, and qualified inspectors.

Frequently Asked Questions About What to Do After a Tornado

How long should I stay in shelter after a tornado?

Remain sheltered while the tornado warning affecting your location is active. After it ends, continue following local instructions and keep monitoring the Emergency Alert System, NOAA Weather Radio, local officials, or trusted local news. If authorities tell you to remain sheltered, do so. Quiet weather alone is not an all-clear, and additional tornado-producing storms or other hazards may remain.

If the shelter becomes immediately dangerous because of fire, a suspected gas leak, flooding, or collapse, call 911 and follow dispatcher or responder instructions. Ready.gov advises monitoring officials for updated emergency information and following their directions (official tornado guidance).

What should I do if I smell gas after a tornado?

Leave the building or affected area. Avoid flames and potential ignition sources. From a safe location, contact emergency services or the gas utility and follow its instructions.

Do not return to investigate, retrieve belongings, take photographs, or shut down equipment.

Can I enter my house to get belongings or take insurance photos?

Not until emergency personnel or an appropriate qualified inspector says the damaged building is safe to enter. Hidden structural or utility damage may exist even if the house appears stable from outside.

Tell responders if a person or pet may be inside or if essential medication or medical equipment is inaccessible, but do not enter an unsafe structure yourself. After clearance, photograph and record accessible damage before major cleanup when possible, and ask the insurer what must remain available for inspection.

What should I do if I am trapped under tornado debris?

Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth or mask if possible. Signal rescuers with a whistle or repeated banging on a pipe, wall, or solid object.

Avoid prolonged shouting and do not shift heavy or unstable debris if it could cause further collapse. Keep your phone available and listen for responder instructions. The Red Cross recommends text, whistles, or banging as alternatives to shouting when trapped.

How can I avoid carbon-monoxide poisoning during a tornado-related outage?

Operate generators, grills, camp stoves, charcoal burners, and other fuel-burning devices only outdoors and away from doors, windows, vents, and other openings. Follow official guidance and the manufacturer’s instructions. Never use such equipment inside a home, basement, garage, tent, or camper, or near an open window.

Carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled. The American Red Cross identifies sickness, dizziness, and weakness as possible warning signs. If anyone develops those symptoms near fuel-burning equipment, move everyone to fresh air immediately and seek emergency help. Use flashlights or battery lanterns instead of flame-based lighting, and seek safe assistance for powered medical equipment rather than improvising an indoor fuel-burning power setup.