DHS is the federal department responsible for protecting the U.S. homeland. During severe weather DHS (primarily through FEMA) coordinates the federal response—activating coordination centers, sharing warnings and guidance, mobilizing federal assets, and supporting state, local, tribal and territorial partners with resources and technical assistance.
Kristi Noem is the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (sworn in January 2025). As DHS secretary she leads the department, sets policy priorities, oversees DHS components (including FEMA, TSA, CBP, CISA, etc.) and issues public guidance and coordination during emergencies.
Before: assemble a winter kit (3 days of food/water, meds, flashlight, batteries, phone charger, warm clothing), winterize home and vehicle, make a family plan, fill gas tanks and secure generators. During: stay indoors if possible, avoid travel unless essential or ordered, follow official warnings, heat safely to avoid carbon monoxide, conserve phone power and check on vulnerable neighbors. After: avoid downed power lines, report outages, shovel/snow-blow safely (avoid overexertion), follow local recovery guidance and check for assistance programs.
Monitor the National Weather Service/NOAA for official watches and warnings, receive Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on compatible cell phones, follow state and local emergency management and law‑enforcement channels (websites and official social accounts), and use federal sources such as the FEMA app and Ready.gov; NOAA Weather Radio and local TV/radio are also reliable.
Ready.gov is the federal public preparedness website managed by FEMA. It offers step‑by‑step guidance, printable checklists and toolkits for winter storms—household and car emergency‑kit lists, family plans, generator safety tips, travel guidance, and a 'Be Prepared for a Winter Storm' PDF/info sheet.
FEMA can provide assistance after storm impacts when a federal emergency or disaster is declared (Individual Assistance for households, Public Assistance for governments/nonprofits, and other programs). To request help apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, via the FEMA mobile app, by phone at 1‑800‑621‑3362, or in person at Disaster Recovery Centers; eligibility generally requires being in a federally declared disaster area.
It depends. 'Stay off the roads' is often a safety advisory, but state or local officials can issue legally enforceable travel bans or emergency orders that prohibit nonessential travel and may be enforced by police. In severe storms expect either advisories or, where declared, mandatory travel bans—always follow local emergency orders and law‑enforcement instructions.