What to Do After a Hurricane
Continue listening to your local radio station or
a NOAA Weather Radio for information and instructions.
Access may be limited to some parts of the community, or
roads may be blocked.
If you evacuated, return home when local officials tell you
it is safe. Local officials on the scene are your best source
of information on accessible areas and passable roads.
Stay alert for extended rainfall and subsequent flooding,
even after the hurricane or tropical storm has weakened.
Hurricanes may stall or change direction when they make
landfall, or they may bring a lot of rain upriver, causing
additional flood hazards for hours or days after the storm.
Stay away from flood waters. Drive only if absolutely
necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed-out
bridges. Continue to follow all flood safety messages.
Flood waters may last for days following a hurricane. If
you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go
another way. When you are caught on a flooded road and
waters are rising rapidly around you, if you can safely get
out of the car, do so immediately and climb to higher
ground. Never try to walk, swim, or drive through such
swift water. Most flood fatalities are caused by people
attempting to drive through water or people playing in
high water. If it is moving swiftly, even water six inches
deep can sweep you off your feet, and two feet can carry
away most automobiles.
If you come upon a barricade, follow detour signs or turn
around and go another way. Barricades are put up by local
officials to protect people from unsafe roads. Driving
around them can be a serious risk.
Stay on firm ground. Moving water only six inches deep
can sweep you off your feet. Standing water may be
electrically charged from underground or downed power
lines.
Help injured or trapped persons. Give first aid where
appropriate. Do not move seriously injured persons unless
they are in immediate danger of further injury. Call for help.
Help a neighbor who may require special
assistance--infants, elderly people, and people with
disabilities. Elderly people and people with disabilities
may require additional assistance. People who care for
them or who have large families may need additional
assistance in emergency situations.
Avoid disaster areas. Your presence might hamper rescue
and other emergency operations, and put you at further
risk from the residual effects of floods, such as
contaminated waters, crumbled roads, landslides,
mudflows, and other hazards.
Avoid loose or dangling power lines; immediately report
them to the power company, police, or fire department.
Reporting potential hazards will get the utilities turned off
as quickly as possible, preventing further hazard and
injury.
Electrical equipment should be checked and dried before
being returned to service. Call an electrician for advice
before using electricity, which may have received water
damage.
Stay out of the building if water remains around the
building. Flood waters often undermine foundations,
causing buildings to sink, floors to crack, or walls to
collapse.
When entering buildings, use extreme caution.
Hurricane-driven flood waters may have damaged
buildings where you least expect it. Carefully watch every
step you take.
Wear sturdy shoes. The most common injury
following a disaster is cut feet.
Use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights when
examining buildings. Battery-powered lighting is
the safest and easiest, preventing fire hazard for
the user, occupants, and building.
Examine walls, floors, doors, staircases, and
windows to make sure that the building is not in
danger of collapsing.
Inspect foundations for cracks or other damage.
Cracks and damage to a foundation can render a
building uninhabitable.
Look for fire hazards. There may be broken or
leaking gas lines, flooded electrical circuits, or
submerged furnaces or electrical appliances.
Flammable or explosive materials may come from
upstream. Fire is the most frequent hazard
following floods.
Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a
blowing or hissing noise, open a window and
quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas, using
the outside main valve if you can, and call the gas
company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off
the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on
by a professional.
Look for electrical system damage. If you see
sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell
burning insulation, turn off the electricity at the
main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step
in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker,
call an electrician first for advice. Electrical
equipment should be checked and dried before
being returned to service.
Check for sewage and water line damage. If you
suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the
toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are
damaged, contact the water company, and avoid
using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water
from undamaged water heaters or by melting ice
cubes.
Watch out for animals, especially poisonous
snakes, that may have come into buildings with the
flood waters. Use a stick to poke through debris.
Flood waters flush many animals and snakes out of
their homes.
Watch for loose plaster, drywall, and ceilings that
could fall.
Take pictures of the damage, both of the building
and its contents, for insurance claims.
Open windows and doors to ventilate and dry your home.
Check refrigerated food for spoilage. If power was lost,
some foods may be spoiled.
Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you
are certain it is not contaminated. Hurricane-driven flood
waters may have contaminated public water supplies or
wells. Local officials should advise you on the safety of
the drinking water. Undamaged water heaters or melted ice
cubes can provide good sources of fresh drinking water.
Pump out flooded basements gradually (about one-third of
the water per day) to avoid structural damage. If the water
is pumped out completely in a short period of time,
pressure from water on the outside could cause basement
walls to collapse.
Service damaged septic tanks, cesspools, pits, and
leaching systems as soon as possible. Damaged sewage
systems are health hazards.
Use the telephone only for emergency calls. Telephone
lines are frequently overwhelmed in disaster situations.
They need to be clear for emergency calls to get through.
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