How to Prepare for a Climate Disaster in Trump's America

WIRED

2 days ago

Jun 5, 2025 5:30 AM Here's how to find reliable information and keep safe during the summer heat and hurricane season following the unprecedented cuts at federal agencies. A brush fire in Southern California. Photograph:Forecasters within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict this summer's hurricane season, which started June 1, will be 'above average' in terms of activity. NOAA's temperature outlook, meanwhile, also forecasts hotter-than-usual temperatures across the whole US this summer.
But as climate change juices up severe storms and wildfires and makes heat waves even deadlier, cuts at all levels across the US federal government have thrown agencies tasked with preparing the country for disasters—and helping it recover—into chaos.
These cuts are already having real impacts for Americans. As of mid-May, amid intense staffing losses at NOAA, four of the National Weather Service's 122 stations around the country no longer had enough personnel to keep an overnight shift going, while several other stations were considering stopping 24/7 forecasting operations. Historically, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers have gone door-to-door offering services to citizens in disaster areas, but as WIRED reported last month, the agency is discontinuing this practice this year. FEMA workers have told WIRED that they don't feel the agency is ready for disaster season.
Being ready for a disaster has never been more important. WIRED spoke with experts to bring you a guide to how to prepare—and what to look out for.
Listen to local authorities
Regardless of what's unfolding at the federal level, local- and state-level emergency management departments or agencies are the ones who alert the public and lead the initial response before, during, and after a disaster. Many of these organizations offer text alert systems and post regular updates on social media. Local fire departments and police offices may also maintain social media pages or send out alerts in tandem with these agencies; law enforcement may also announce curfews or other rules during disasters. Follow any warnings from these agencies to shelter, evacuate, or take other actions to stay safe.
If you're not sure where to start in terms of seeking information, FEMA maintains a searchable database of disaster resources by state, which includes state and local emergency management agencies. Calling 211 can also help connect you with service providers in your area.
Local news organizations often amplify communications from emergency management officials. Local and state politicians—including governors' press offices—can also be a valuable source of information.
Know what you need to shelter in place—and what you need to quickly evacuate
The Red Cross recommends that people prepare a set of disaster supplies at home as well as a separate, smaller group of supplies in a bag to grab for a quick evacuation.
At home, the organization recommends having two weeks' worth of shelf-stable food in case of an emergency. For adequate hydration, the CDC recommends a gallon of water per day for each member of the household for three days. (Don't forget food and water for your pets, too.)
Take note of any medical needs in your household and try to keep a backup supply of medications on hand. Batteries, flashlights, a hand-crank or battery-powered radio, a first aid kit, and hygiene items should also make it into your home kit.
In your go bag, FEMA recommends packing three days' worth of food and water, physical maps of local areas, a change of clothing, and copies of important documents. According to a checklist from the agency, these should include birth certificates, medical information, copies of your rental contract or home lease and insurance policies, car titles and registration, and banking information, sealed in a waterproof container or bag. Consider adding items specific to your climate or geographic setting (sunscreen for desert conditions or extra layers in colder areas) as well as items specific to your household needs (pet medications, diapers for a baby, etc.).
Practice for emergencies
'Knowing your location first and what it could be at risk for is really going to help you prepare' for what could be coming, says Nicole Maul, a national spokesperson for the Red Cross. Ready.gov, a FEMA-affiliated resource, currently maintains a list of hazards with safety pointers for each, while FEMA's National Risk Index allows you to see which hazards your county is most exposed to.
Practicing emergency scenarios can mean anything from testing out a new hand-cranked radio, to mapping out different exit routes from your area in case main roads are impassable, to coordinating with friends and family about who to touch base with if something happens. Mariel Fonteyn, the director of US emergency response at the disaster-relief nonprofit Americares, recommends writing important phone numbers down on a piece of paper and preparing ahead of time for a scenario where communications might not work as usual.
'If networks are overwhelmed, phone calls won't go through, but text messages will eventually,' she says. 'Depending on what happens with the network, text messages outside of the damaged area tend to go through better. If you have family or a friend who lives in a different state, sometimes everybody messaging to that person will be better than trying to message to each other within the damaged area—if your family's kind of spread all over when a disaster occurs, have everyone know that you all message Grandma to let her know everything is OK.'
In some cases, knowing how to safely handle emergency supplies and situations can be the difference between life or death. Fonteyn says that deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning are not uncommon following extended power outages, because of people improperly using generators they are unaccustomed to.
'If you have a generator, make sure that you fully know how to use it safely, and where to put it safely, so that it's not sending fumes into where you're staying,' she says. Never use them inside.
Be prepared for how the political climate may affect federal responses after disasters
After a disaster hits that's too big for a state to handle on its own, a governor can request a disaster declaration from the White House. This declaration enables FEMA to come to the affected area to coordinate recovery. The declaration also opens up a range of services for survivors, from federal money to help with grants to pay for temporary housing, legal assistance, repairs to homes, and relief from tax bills, as well as help for states to do everything from rebuilding infrastructure to restoring utilities like water and electricity.
These declarations, however, can fall prey to political winds. In 2020, it was widely reported that President Donald Trump's personal conflict with Governor Jay Inslee of Washington prevented him from issuing a federal disaster declaration for the state in the wake of devastating wildfires in eastern Washington. Even political allies are now finding it difficult to secure aid: The White House initially denied a disaster declaration request from Arkansas in April following tornadoes and storms this spring, with Trump changing his mind only after a phone call with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
And with the agency seemingly in turmoil as it enters disaster season—including, as WIRED reported, canceling its strategic plan before it had another in place—it remains to be seen how effective its response will be for approved declarations. FEMA keeps an active list of approved presidential disaster declarations on its website, with links to federal resources for survivors and instructions on how to apply for aid.
Keep relying on weather forecasts—but find a trusted source to help interpret them
Cuts to NOAA are hitting hard at the National Weather Service, the bedrock of weather forecasting in the United States, which has lost 600 employees since the start of the year. The NWS was already short-staffed before the start of this year, says Alan Gerard, a former director at NOAA's National Severe Storms Lab who left the agency in March. Forcing other offices to stretch to cover monitoring for those with fewer staff, he says, raises the chances of 'human error.'
'If we get into a situation where we have a number of hurricanes or tropical storms threatening the same area, and you have an office that's already depleted with staffing, you're basically increasing the burden on that office,' he says. (In early June, NOAA announced that it would hire back 100 Weather Service employees across the country—an effort Gerard says will take months of precious time during this hurricane season to actually implement.)
'It's not a situation where people need to be panicked that all of a sudden a Category 5 hurricane is just gonna appear and we're not gonna have had any inkling of it,' Gerard says. 'It's more of a situation of, OK, we can't fly as many reconnaissance missions into these hurricanes as we ordinarily do.'
Gerard says people should still have confidence in NOAA's systems and its dedicated staff: 'The National Hurricane Center should still be your primary source for hurricane information.' The NWS allows users to sign up for text message alerts. But finding a trusted local meteorologist or weather analyst can help people understand gaps in forecasting or unclear data, in case some forecasts are less comprehensive than they were in the past.
Understand your insurance and keep your documentation in order
Navigating insurance—especially home insurance—is a headache even in normal times, especially as insurance rates are skyrocketing across the country. Part of making sure that your home is properly insured ahead of a disaster is understanding what, exactly, that insurance covers—and what it doesn't.
Flood insurance, for instance, is sold separately from private home insurance, in a federal program run out of FEMA. Usually, only homeowners situated in specific flood zones are required to buy it, even though other regions can be vulnerable: Most people hit by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina last year did not have flood insurance. Land movement insurance—insuring against events like mudslides and earthquates—is not included in most homeowner policies, while condo building insurance usually only covers damages to the exterior of the building, not inside your apartment.
Fonteyn recommends keeping photos of the interior of your home—including any expensive items—on your phone to use with your insurance provider or with FEMA's assistance programs. 'A lot of times, insurance and FEMA are looking to restore things to pre-disaster condition,' she says. 'You want to be able to prove the pre-disaster condition was good.'
Don't forget about the dangers of heat
A study published last year found that heat-related deaths have more than doubled in the US over the past 25 years. Yet extreme heat events have not traditionally been treated as federal disasters, meaning FEMA does not come in to help. During a heat wave, it's best to connect with local emergency management departments for guidance.
Both Ready.gov and the CDC currently maintain resource pages with tips on how to prepare for and stay safe during extreme heat events. The CDC resource, however, comes from the CDC's Climate and Health program, which was gutted as part of mass firings at the agency in April. (We've linked to the archived version in case this resource is removed.)
Think about your emotional needs—and keep community in mind
Fonteyn recommends including activities—knitting, card games, favorite books, toys for children—in go bags. The immediate aftermath of a disaster—especially if you have to stay in an emergency shelter or hotel—can be challenging mentally.
'The hurricane doesn't hit and then a month later everything is back to normal,' she says. 'It takes a lot of time and requires a lot of patience. Ultimately, having these even basic comfort items can go such a long way in protecting your mental health after a disaster, so that you're able to better focus on all of the other needs that you have.'
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) maintains a free helpline for those experiencing mental health crises—although recent cuts at the agency have impacted the helpline's staff. The Red Cross also has a helpline specifically for those recovering from disasters needing emotional support.
Above all, experts say that the best disaster plans often start with preparing the community around you.
'Check in with your family, check in with your neighbors, because those'll be the folks who you'll want to stay connected with in the event of an emergency,' says Maul.