FEMA is working with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to respond to the impacts of the storm.

When it comes to disaster response, the entire community has a role to play.

See FEMA's video, Disaster Response is a Team Effort , to see how this works.

If you are in the path of the storm:

• Stay safe and take shelter. Everyone should be making final preparations this morning as Hurricane Florence moves towards the United States. Coastal residents in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia may already be seeing tropical storm or hurricane force winds.
• Communicate with friends and family. Tell them where you are riding out the storm, and how you will let them know you're safe. You can call, text, email, or use social media.
• Stay informed. Turn on your TV/radio, or check your city/county website for weather updates and emergency instructions.
• Keep away from windows . Close storm shutters; flying glass from broken windows could injure you.
• Prepare for power outages. Turn your refrigerator or freezer to the coldest setting, and open only when necessary. If you lose power, food will last longer. Keep a thermometer in the refrigerator to check food temperature when the power is restored.
• Listen to local officials for evacuation orders. If you need a safe place to go, text  SHELTER  and your zip code (i.e. SHELTER 12345) to 4FEMA (43362) to locate an open emergency shelter near you. You can also look up shelters on the  FEMA App .
• Do not drive around barricades, or through high water. Remember, if you encounter flooded roadways, turn around, don't drown!

During a disaster, information can change quickly and rumors can spread. It's important to verify information before sharing by checking what local, state, and federal authorities are saying first. For up-to-date resources and information, visit the Hurricane Florence page or FEMA.gov . 

The third week of National Preparedness Month (NPM) 2018 begins on Sunday, September 16. Each week NPM focuses on a different action.

The theme for September 16-22 is, “Check Your Coverage.” Most homeowners' and renters' insurance does not cover flood damage. Safeguard your valuable assets with the following steps from the Ready Campaign:

• Check your  insurance  coverage. You may need more coverage based on any new purchases, additions, or increases in property value.
• Review the  Document and Insure Your Property guide .
• Save important documents to the cloud and snap photos of belongings to help file a claim.
• Keep an inventory of your property's contents.
• Learn more about flood insurance and how to protect your home or business.

Take action to prepare this September. Join the National Day of Action on September 15.

You can find more including the NPM social media toolkit at Ready.gov/september .

Test your Family Communication Plan during the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system test .

On September 20 at 2:18 p.m. EDT, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will begin a nationwide test of the EAS (on television and radio) and WEA (on cellular phones) to assess national warning capabilities. The first-ever national WEA test will begin with special alert tones and vibration, followed by the following message:

"Presidential Alert: THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

Keep your family calm by making sure they know about the test. Take this opportunity to make a family communication plan. Then, put your plan to the test. Follow these steps:

• Fill out a Family Communication Plan .
• Make sure your family knows the plan.
• Test your plan during the WEA and EAS test on September 20.

If the test is postponed because of widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up date for the test is October 3, 2018. Visit Ready.gov/make-a-plan to learn more about creating a plan.