Help now • Safety before paperwork

What should I do now?

A short route to the right kind of help. This is an educational starting point, not a safety assessment or a new incident-record system.

Active fire, suspected gas or chemical release, immediate danger or a medical emergency? Leave the affected area and call 911 from a safe location. Do not enter standing water, touch electrical equipment in wet areas, or enter visibly damaged structures. Do not go back inside to complete this tool.

For suspected gas, avoid switches, flames and other ignition sources; call from well away from the suspected leak. Follow emergency responders and local authorities.

What condition are you facing?

Select the closest description. You can choose Unsure.

Interactive choices require JavaScript. Use the general and five service FAQs, or existing Incident Builder. For immediate danger call 911 from a safe location.

Privacy: Your selections stay in this page's memory only. They are not stored or submitted by this tool. Restart or close the page to clear them.

Back to the Resource Center · Existing Field Companion

Sources and limits

Safety guidance reviewed October 31, 2026. This short route uses the existing SDM resource structure and sends you to its Incident Builder for a fuller record. It does not determine structural or electrical safety, contamination, occupancy clearance, medical needs or insurance coverage.

CDC: Returning home after a natural disaster — entry, floodwater and electrical precautions.
U.S. Fire Administration: After a fire — recovery and reentry guidance.
PHMSA: Pipeline leak recognition and response — suspected gas or pipeline release.