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WHAT TO DO
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Posted on Aug 21 2004
* Listen to a battery-operated radio or television for hurricane progress reports.
* Check emergency supplies.
* Fuel car.
* Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, toys, and garden tools and anchor objects that cannot be brought inside.
* Secure buildings by closing and boarding up windows. Remove outside antennas.
* Turn refrigerator and freezer to coldest settings. Open only when absolutely necessary and close quickly.
* Store drinking water in clean bathtubs, jugs, bottles, and cooking utensils.
* Store valuables and personal papers in a waterproof container on the highest level of your home.
* Review evacuation plan. When authorities order an evacuation, leave immediately. Stay away from coastal areas. Tell others where you are going.
* If you are not required or are unable to evacuate, stay indoors during the typhoon and away from windows and glass doors. Keep curtains and blinds closed.
* Moor boat securely or move it to a designated safe place.
In strong winds, follow these rules:
* Take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway.
* Close all interior doors. Secure and brace external doors.
* In a two-story residence, go to an interior first-floor room, such as a bathroom or closet.
* In a multiple-story building, go to the first or second floors and stay in interior rooms away from windows.
* Lie on the floor under a table or another sturdy object.
In case of floods:
* If the waters start to rise inside your house before you have evacuated, retreat to the second floor, the attic, and if necessary, the roof.
* Floodwaters may carry disease-spreading substances. If you’ve come in contact with floodwaters, wash your hands with soap and disinfected water.
* Avoid walking through floodwaters. As little as six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.
* Don’t drive through a flooded area. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. A car can be carried away by just 2 feet of flood water.
* Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. (Source: FEMA)
