New Orleans Emergency Kit — Personalized for Your Risks

Local Hazard History

Much of New Orleans sits below sea level, protected by a system of levees, floodwalls, and pumps. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina overwhelmed that system — levee failures flooded roughly 80% of the city, displaced hundreds of thousands, and caused one of the deadliest and costliest disasters in U.S. history. Hurricane Ida (2021) later knocked out power to the entire city for days in dangerous late-summer heat. The metro remains acutely exposed to Gulf hurricanes and the storm surge they push inland.

When Risk Peaks

• Jun–Nov: Atlantic hurricane season; peak threat is August to October
• Summer: Extreme heat compounds danger during post-storm outages
• Year-round: Heavy rain can overwhelm the city's drainage and pumps
• Before June: The window to finalize your evacuation plan and kit

What to Pack for New Orleans

In New Orleans your most important decision is often whether to evacuate — decide early:

• Have an evacuation destination, route, and pet plan before the season starts
• Know the City-Assisted Evacuation Plan if you lack transportation
• Build a grab-and-go kit: water, food, medications, documents in waterproof bags, chargers, and cash
• If you shelter, prepare for extended loss of power and clean water
• Leave early once an order is issued — contraflow evacuation takes hours

Local Resources

• NOLA Ready (City of New Orleans) — Official city alerts, evacuation, and preparedness planning.
• Louisiana GOHSEP — State preparedness guides and contraflow evacuation maps.
• National Hurricane Center — Official Gulf storm tracking and forecasts.