COVID-19 pandemic operational guidance for the 2020 hurricane season

To help federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) emergency managers and public health officials respond to incidents during the 2020 hurricane season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is releasing the COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season. This document will:

• Describe anticipated challenges to disaster operations posed by COVID-19 and describe planning considerations for emergency managers in light of these challenges;
• Outline how FEMA plans to adapt response and recovery operations to the realities and risks of COVID-19 to:
  • Ensure prioritization for life safety, life sustainment, and workforce protection, and
  • Maintain the delivery of FEMA’s programs and help to solve complex problems by using whole-of-community disaster assistance to the highest level possible;
• Allow SLTT emergency managers to prepare and plan accordingly based on FEMA’s operational posture and create a shared understanding of expectations between FEMA and SLTTs prior to hurricane season; and
• Provide guidance, checklists, and resources to enable emergency managers to best adapt response and recovery plans.

This document is comprised of two main sections: response planning (p. 1) and recovery planning (p. 11).