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Storm Injury Response

Storm damage creates hazards long after the weather passes. Preparing a plan and a first aid supply, and getting trained, helps your family respond calmly.

What should I do first after a storm hits?

Make sure everyone is accounted for, then call 911 for serious injuries. Give your exact location and describe the damage, since roads may be blocked by trees or lines.

Stay away from damaged buildings, loose roofing, hanging limbs and downed lines. Treat every line as live and keep other people and animals away.

Avoid using a phone line or standing under tall objects during active lightning, and wait until the storm has moved on before checking buildings. Safety comes first, and a short delay in checking damage is acceptable.

How do I handle injuries until help arrives?

This guide does not give first aid instructions. Hands-on first aid and CPR training from the American Red Cross or another recognized provider teaches the skills in a way an article cannot.

Until responders arrive, follow the 911 dispatcher's directions. Keep the injured person calm, warm and not alone, and avoid moving them unless the dispatcher advises it or the area is unsafe.

Training also teaches you when not to act. Bystanders sometimes make injuries worse by moving someone who should stay still, which is one more reason to attend a class and not rely on memory.

What first aid supplies should the farm have?

Keep a well stocked kit in the house, the shop and each vehicle, and check it regularly. The Red Cross and NIOSH publish lists of recommended contents, and your doctor can advise on personal medications.

Know where the kit is and make sure each person knows how to find it, even a visitor or a seasonal worker.

Add any personal medicines, a printed list of allergies, and instructions that you were given by your doctor. Do not stock medicines past their dates, and do not guess at doses. Ask a pharmacist.

• Kits in the house, shop and vehicles
• Regular checks for expired items
• A printed copy of the emergency contact list
• Flashlights and spare batteries

What hazards appear after storms?

Broken glass, nails, sharp metal, leaning trees and damaged grain bins or silos can hurt people during cleanup. Water can hide holes, and chain saws and other tools carry their own risk when used by tired people in awkward conditions.

Wait for qualified help for structural damage and for electrical or gas problems. Contact your utility and local emergency office.

Stored grain, bins, tanks and silos may be damaged and unstable. Do not enter any storage structure after a storm until a qualified person has examined it, and call 911 if someone is trapped inside.

• Broken glass, nails and sharp metal
• Leaning trees and loose roofing
• Damaged bins, silos and tanks
• Tools used while tired

How can we protect workers and family during cleanup?

Pace the work, take breaks, drink water and do not work alone. Fatigue and stress raise the chance of mistakes. Assign tasks by skill, and keep children away from debris.

Use only tools and protective gear that you have been trained to use, following the manufacturer's manual and OSHA guidance.

Hydration, food and sleep matter during cleanup. Tired people are more likely to be injured, so rotate tasks and call a halt when light fades.

How do we prepare for storm season?

Check the National Weather Service for local alerts, agree on a shelter location, and practice moving there. See the shelter article on this site for more.

Charge phones, fill vehicles and review your emergency contacts before forecast storms.

Know the difference between a watch and a warning in your area, and keep a radio on during storm season. Ask your county emergency manager how local sirens and alerts work.

• Agree on a shelter location
• Keep a radio with spare batteries
• Charge phones before storms
• Know how local alerts reach you

Where can we get training and support?

Ask your local fire department, Red Cross chapter or extension office for first aid and CPR classes near you. Many offer sessions designed for farm families.

If an event leaves you shaken, talk to someone. In the US you can call or text 988 for support, and in an emergency call 911.

Share what you learned with the whole crew. A short debrief after any storm event helps the next response go better and helps people talk about how they are feeling.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.