Recovering from a disaster is rarely a quick process as it takes time to return your home, community, and day-to-day life back to normal. Safety should be your first and primary concern immediately after an emergency. Since the mental and physical well-being of you and your loved ones may remain a concern for some time, it's important to know how to access local and national resources to make the recovery process faster and less stressful.

Health and Safety Guidelines

Your family’s health and safety should be your first concern after a disaster.

• Check for injuries.
• Don’t try to move anyone who is seriously injured unless they are in immediate danger of death or further injury.
• If you must move an unconscious person, stabilize the neck and back before calling for help.

Don’t overexert yourself after an emergency:

• Get enough rest.
• Don’t try to do too much at once. It's important to set priorities and pace yourself.
• Drink plenty of clean water and eat well.
• Wear sturdy work boots and gloves.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and clean water whenever you have been working in debris. 

Be aware of new safety issues created by the disaster:

• Keep an eye out for washed-out roads, contaminated buildings, contaminated water, gas leaks, broken glass, damaged electrical wiring, and slippery floors.
• Inform local authorities about health and safety issues such as chemical spills, downed power lines, washed-out roads, smoldering insulation, and dead animals.