Think Ahead

Whether traveling or living outside of the United States, there are ways you can prepare yourself for a natural disaster:

• Learn about what natural disasters may happen in your destination. You can learn about your destination on our Country Pages. Pay special attention to the Safety and Security section.
• Plan what to do in a crisis overseas. For more information see our page Crisis Abroad: Be Ready.
• Prepare for specific potential natural disasters. Both The Department of Homeland Security and the CDC have information on how to prepare for specific natural disasters. Please note that these websites belong to domestic agencies and are intended for reference only. If you are overseas, remember to follow the instructions of local authorities.

Pets

Have a plan for pets in the event of a natural disaster. Please see our page on Taking a Pet Overseas for information on your options in the event of a crisis overseas. In the event of a crisis involving a U.S. government coordinated evacuation, we are generally not able to provide transportation assistance for your pets. If you decide to travel or live outside of the United States with your pet, FEMA’s Pets and Animals page has tips to help you plan for the care of pets and animals in a disaster.   

If You Want to Help Following a Disaster Overseas

We strongly discourage you from traveling to the affected area to provide direct assistance; those who are not trained emergency response officials often end up requiring assistance themselves. Instead, please consider organizations actively providing aid. USAID’s Center for International Disaster Information has information on identifying organizations and ways to provide help.