Hurricane season begins: VA preparedness info
The 2026 hurricane season is underway, and the Department of Veterans Affairs is urging veterans across the Gulf Coast, Carolinas, and mid-Atlantic regions to prepare now for potential emergencies. While VA maintains robust disaster response capabilities through its Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness and the Veterans Health Administration's Office of Emergency Management, the agency emphasizes that even the most capable emergency system cannot help veterans it cannot reach during a crisis.
VA operates under what it calls a "Fourth Mission," which authorizes the department to support not just enrolled veterans but entire communities when local medical systems become overwhelmed by disasters. This mission allows VA to deploy mobile medical units into storm-damaged areas, transfer patients from threatened hospitals before landfall, maintain care through telehealth when facilities are inaccessible, and coordinate directly with FEMA, the Department of Health and Human Services, and state and local emergency managers. The system is designed to expand when disaster strikes, ensuring continuity of care even under the most challenging conditions.
The preparedness message applies to all veterans in hurricane-prone regions, but disabled veterans face particular risks during extended power outages and extreme weather events. Veterans dependent on powered medical equipment, those managing chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or kidney disease, and those requiring regular medication refills are especially vulnerable when storms disrupt normal services. Assistant Secretary Reginald Neal, who leads VA's Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness, put it simply: "It only takes one storm. One week without power. One heat wave. That's all it takes."
During major storms or weather incidents, VA may contact veterans in affected areas by phone, text, or email with real-time information about clinic closures, alternate care sites, pharmacy refills, and evacuation guidance. The agency stresses that veterans should keep their contact information current in the VA system, including phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses. Missing a message from VA during an emergency could mean missing critical care when pharmacies are closed, roads are flooded, and normal communication channels are down.
Heat poses an often-overlooked danger, particularly when hurricanes knock out power and air conditioning for extended periods. Dr. Aarthi Chary, who leads Biodefense, Readiness and Response in VHA's Public Health National Program Office and co-chairs the National Integrated Heat Health Information System, noted that heat conditions are just as deadly as hurricanes, especially for veterans with chronic health conditions or those taking medications that affect hydration or circulation. She recommends that veterans talk with their VA providers now about how heat affects their specific conditions and medications, identify nearby cooling centers, and develop plans to check on veterans living alone.
For disabled veterans, the intersection of medical dependency and disaster preparedness creates unique challenges that require advance planning. The gap between feeling prepared and being prepared is where emergencies become crises, particularly when critical medications run out, medical equipment fails without power, or communication becomes impossible. Veterans managing service-connected disabilities should ensure they have adequate medication supplies, backup power plans for essential equipment, and multiple ways to contact their VA care teams.
Veterans should update their contact information with VA immediately, save their VA medical center's phone number in their contacts, and keep phones charged when weather threats are predicted. Those experiencing mental health challenges during or after disasters can call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1 for free, confidential support available around the clock. Additional preparedness resources are available through Ready.gov/hurricanes and VA's Disaster Resources page, which provide specific guidance tailored to veterans' needs.