High Wind Safety

Learn how to keep your home and family safe during high wind events.

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High winds are dangerous and can hurt you. High winds can:

Cause serious injuries and deaths
Blow items around, such as lawn furniture or trash cans, turning them into dangerous flying objects.
Bring down trees, large tree limbs, and power lines on people and buildings.
Knock over mobile homes and vehicles.
Destroy houses and buildings by removing roofs and walls

You can take action to prepare now for high winds, including tornadoes, to protect yourselves and your loved ones.

Prepare for High Winds

Plan to get inside a sturdy building BEFORE high winds hit.
Identify a sturdy building at home, at work, at school, and near any locations that you frequent so you will be able to take shelter quickly, within minutes, if there is a warning.
You need to get inside a sturdy building before a high wind event hits. A sturdy building is a structure with walls and a foundation. Once you have identified a sturdy building, plan to shelter in the basement or a small, interior, windowless room on the lowest level to provide additional protection from high winds.
There are shelters designed to withstand high wind events such as a FEMA Safe Room or ICC 500 Storm Shelter — find out if they are available nearby.
Practice drills with everyone in your household, so everyone knows where to go and what to do.

Tips for Different Building Types

Mobile, Manufactured Homes and Recreational Vehicles (RVs)

Mobile, manufactured homes and recreational vehicles (RVs) are NOT sturdy buildings and are not safe in high winds.

If you live in a mobile home or recreational vehicle (RV), identify a sturdy building nearby you can get to quickly. Plan to go there well before high winds hit and stay in an interior windowless room in the basement, or on the lowest level. Stay away from glass windows and doors.

One or Two-Story Buildings

If you are in a one or two-story building, plan to go to an interior windowless room in the basement, or on the lowest level before high winds hit. Stay away from glass windows and doors.

Multi-story Buildings

If you are in a multi-story building, plan to go to an interior windowless room in the basement, or on the lowest level before high winds hit. Stay away from glass windows and doors.

Download the High Winds Safety Checklist

Red Cross checklists are available in multiple languages.

Get Preparation Tips for the Whole Family

Children

Older Adults

People with Disabilities

Pets

How to Stay Safe During High Winds

Take Action when a storm with strong winds is approaching.

Go to the safest nearby shelter that you have identified — a Safe Room, Storm Shelter, or sturdy building
Quickly, get inside a sturdy building and go to the basement, or the lowest level. Then, move to a small, interior, windowless room. Stay away from glass windows and doors.
Stay inside until weather forecasts or local authorities indicate it is safe to leave.
If you are driving, drive to a nearby sturdy building, and take shelter inside. Do not park or seek shelter under a freeway or overpass (or trees).