Skill · After
Coming back home
Wait until officials say the area is open. Then photos, utilities, and spoiled food — in that spirit of order.
Federal steps in this chapter do not change by state. Local orders for Arizona come from Arizona Department of Emergency Management.
6 min read · Updated October 2026
Do not rush the door
Ready.gov’s recovery steps start with the official all-clear. Roads that look fine hide washouts, downed lines, and weakened bridges. When you do approach the house, look from the outside first. If walls are cracked, the roof is sagging, or you smell gas, stay out and call the utility or 911. Do not use the light switch if gas may be present. Use a flashlight.
Photograph every room and the outside before you clean, if it is safe to be inside. Those pictures are the claim. Save receipts for emergency repairs. File with your insurer promptly and, if a federal disaster is declared for your area, register at DisasterAssistance.gov. Registration is free.
- Throw out flood-touched food, cosmetics, and medicines unless the package is waterproof and intact, and still follow USDA if you are unsure.
- Assume floodwater is dirty. Clean and disinfect hard surfaces with the product directions. Dry the house out to limit mold.
- Generator stays outside, still, on the way back. The first night home is when people get careless.
- Tap water stays off-limits for drinking until the utility says it is safe. Use your stored water.
- Watch children and pets. Snakes, debris, and contaminated puddles show up after floods in desert washes as surely as anywhere else.
- Scammers follow disasters. Your insurer, FEMA, and the county will not demand gift cards.
How to
Ready.gov’s recovery steps start with the official all-clear. When you approach the house, look from the outside first. If walls are cracked, the roof is sagging, or you smell gas, stay out.
Step 1. Wait for all-clear
Step 2. Look outside first
Step 3. Smell for gas
Flashlight, not the light switch
Step 4. Photograph rooms
Before you clean, if it is safe
Step 5. Save receipts
File with the insurer. Registration at DisasterAssistance.gov is free
Do not use the light switch if gas may be present. Your insurer, FEMA, and the county will not demand gift cards.
Checklist
Checks stay in this browser.
Sources
Public pages this chapter leans on. They win if anything here is out of date.
- Ready.gov — Recovering from disaster
Re-entry and cleanup
- DisasterAssistance.gov
Free federal registration
- USDA FSIS — Food safety
What food to discard
- CDC — Mold
Drying out after water damage