Disaster assistance in Palo Alto

Palo Alto sits between two major faults, has wildland on its western edge and borders a creek whose 1998 flood damaged about 1,700 properties. Most residents will never face a disaster that destroys their home. Still, knowing who helps after one makes the first days less confusing. Help arrives in layers. The city responds first, the county coordinates alerts and shelter, the state backs up local agencies and federal aid follows only for the largest events.

This page is informational. It explains how recovery usually works and where to find official help, based on what the City of Palo Alto, FEMA, the state and the Red Cross publish as of November 2026. During a real event, follow instructions from emergency officials over anything written here. To get ready before something happens, start with our emergency preparedness guide.

The first hours

• Life safety first. Call 911 for injuries, fire or anyone trapped.
• Gas and water. If you smell gas, leave the area and call 911 or City of Palo Alto Utilities at (650) 329-2579 from a safe place. Use the same number for a broken water main.
• Power. Report outages at (650) 496-6914. Our power outages guide covers the outage map and text alerts.
• Information. Watch for AlertSCC messages, Wireless Emergency Alerts and city news. Evacuation zones are posted on Genasys Protect.
• Neighbors. Check on people nearby, especially older adults and anyone who relies on powered medical equipment. Palo Alto's volunteer Block Preparedness Coordinators are trained to do this and report serious problems.

Who does what

Palo Alto's Office of Emergency Services works from the Public Safety Building at 250 Sherman Avenue and can be reached at (650) 617-3197. The city's preparedness page also lists a Mobile Emergency Operations Center and a "Find a Community Respite Center" link that the city uses during events.

Shelter and immediate needs

If your home is unsafe, local officials and the Red Cross open shelters when they are needed. Their locations depend on the event, so watch AlertSCC and city news for announcements rather than heading to a guessed address. The city links to the American Red Cross for fire-related preparedness and recovery. The Red Cross typically helps families after single-home fires as well as large disasters.

During heat waves and cold snaps, the county posts cooling and warming centers and the city names its libraries as cooling centers during open hours. Our heat waves page lists them. For storm season, sandbags and creek warnings, see our rain and storms guide.

People who need food, a place to stay or medical care after losing housing can also use the regular safety net. Our homelessness services and food assistance pages list those services.

Start with your insurance

For most households, insurance pays for far more of a recovery than government aid does. FEMA's own rules make it a secondary source: it helps people who have no insurance or whose claim does not cover all their losses.

1. Document everything. Take photos and video of damage before you clean up. Keep damaged items if it is safe to do so.
2. Call your insurer and start a claim as soon as you can. Ask about additional living expenses if you cannot stay home.
3. Keep receipts for hotels, meals, repairs and supplies.
4. Get help with disputes. The California Department of Insurance answers consumer questions at 1-800-927-4357.

Standard homeowners policies do not cover earthquake or flood damage. Those require separate policies bought in advance. Our guides to home insurance and flood zones and insurance explain the options.

FEMA and federal aid

Federal help for individuals depends on a presidential disaster declaration that covers your area. The governor requests one through Cal OES after a major event. Many smaller emergencies never receive one. In those cases help comes from insurance, local agencies and nonprofits.

When a declaration is made, FEMA's Individuals and Households Program can provide housing help. According to DisasterAssistance.gov, that can include rental assistance, reimbursement for lodging, home repair and home replacement for owner-occupied primary homes, plus direct housing when rentals are not available. To qualify you generally must:

• be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien, or live with someone who is;
• pass FEMA's identity and occupancy checks, plus ownership checks for repair or replacement;
• have a primary home in the declared area that is unlivable or not accessible;
• have no insurance, or a claim that does not cover all of your losses.

You can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling the FEMA Helpline or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center, which FEMA opens near affected areas. Each declaration has its own application deadline, so apply early. The Small Business Administration offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and renters as well as businesses after declarations. FEMA usually announces them together.

Rebuilding and repairs

• Permits. Structural repairs usually need a city building permit. Our building permits guide explains the process.
• Contractors. Hire only contractors licensed by the California Contractors State License Board and get written estimates. Be wary of anyone who knocks on doors asking for large cash deposits.
• Scams. Government agencies do not charge you to apply for disaster aid. Anyone who asks for a fee to "guarantee" assistance is not legitimate.
• Trees and debris. Report hazards on public property through the city's 311 system. Our Palo Alto 311 guide shows how.
• Utilities. If your gas meter was shut off, call City of Palo Alto Utilities to restore service rather than turning it back on yourself.

Replacing lost documents

Fires and floods often destroy the papers you need to prove who you are and what you owned. Recovery programs and insurers will ask for them, so replacing them early speeds everything else up.

• Driver's licenses and ID cards: request a replacement from the California DMV online or at a field office. Our DMV and ID guide lists the nearest offices.
• Birth, marriage and death records: order certified copies from the county or state office that holds them.
• Passports and immigration papers: contact the State Department or USCIS, which publish replacement steps on their official sites.
• Insurance and bank records: most companies can resend policies and statements by email. Ask for your full policy, not just the declarations page.

Going forward, keep scans of key documents in a secure online account or with a relative outside the Bay Area. The city asks households to keep 14 days of supplies. A set of document copies belongs with them.

Helping out

Palo Alto's emergency volunteer programs include the Emergency Services Volunteer program, Community Emergency Response Team training, Block and Neighborhood Preparedness Coordinators and Auxiliary Communications Services for radio operators. Volunteers trained before a disaster are the ones officials can use after it. Our volunteering guide lists how to join. If you want to give money after a disaster, give to established organizations and avoid sending goods unless a group asks for them.

Frequently asked questions