Storm Recovery
Rebuilding Your Home:
Home, Farm and Ranch Emergency Preparedness
- Home Emergency Preparedness Handbook - University of Georgia Extension
- Home Emergency Preparedness Checklist - University of Georgia Extension
- All Hazards: Resources to Help Rural Communities Prepare for Disasters and Other Hazards - the Center for Food Security & Public Health
Power Outages
Resources to help you during a power outage (updated April 7, 2024):
- Power Outages: What to Do with Perishable Food During a Power Outage
- Food and Water Safety During Power Outages and Floods (Food and Drug Administration, 2023)
- Survival Basics: No Power? No Problem. Tips to Help You Thrive in the Face of Disaster (English and Spanish)
- Generator Safety (FEMA - English/Spanish/Other Languages)
- Power Outages (Ready.gov - Several Languages)
- Power Outage InfoGraphic
- For People with Access and Functional Needs (Ready.gov - Several Languages)
- Centers for Disease Control - Power Outages (English/Spanish)
- Centers for Disease Control - What You Need to Know if Power Goes Out Unexpectedly
Wildfires
- Fire Safety During Harvest Season: Essential Tips for Farmers
- Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide: How to harden homes against wildfires
- Returning Home After a Wildfire (updated October 2024)
- Protecting Farms and Ranches from Wildfires (Nebraska Extension)
- Wildfire Smoke and Your Health (EPA)
- Create a Clean Room to Protect Indoor Air Quality During a Wildfire (EPA)
- Are you Ready? Wildfire Resources from Ready.gov
- Wildfire Information Sheet: How to Stay Safe When Wildfires Threaten
- Firewise Landscaping Practices from Nebraska Forest Service
Who's Knocking At Your Door
After a disaster, expect multiple visitors who will want to help you recover. It’s common for multiple visitors to perform damage assessments on your home. No matter who’s knocking, always ask for identification and the purpose of the visit. Never give out personal information such as your Social Security or bank account number. Government officials will never ask for money and you should never pay for their service.
Better Business Bureau - https://www.bbb.org/all/natural-disasters:
Visit the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website to find resources focused on helping individuals, businesses and communities:
- How to prepare for common severe weather (Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Stay Informed)
- Avoiding scams after a natural disaster (Common Scams, Reporting to BBB, Understanding Price Gouging)
- National and Local disaster relief resources (FEMA, SBA, HUD, Working with Contractors, Clean-up, and more)
Applying for SBA Disaster Loans
SBA disaster loans are the primary source of money to pay for repair or replacement costs not fully covered by insurance or other compensation. Use these handouts to learn more about the SBA assistance program.