Whenever a storm arrives, you can stay safe and relatively dry.
- When weather advisory is issued, watch your local news station or tune in to a news radio station for regular updates.
- Head home–or to your prearranged evacuation location–as soon as possible. If you must be in your car, be sure you have emergency supplies with you, keep your gas tank full, and tell someone your route, destination and anticipated arrival time.
- High water warnings? Do not walk through high water! Move to higher ground, and away from rivers, creeks and storm drains. DO NOT drive around barricades. As little as two feet of water can set a vehicle afloat–even a bus–so take the barricades seriously.
- If your car stalls out in high water, leave it and head to higher ground–FAST! It only takes six inches of fast-moving water to knock a person down.
- Place sandbags around your property and against vulnerable doorways, to help protect your home or business. Your local fire department can supply sandbags and tell you how to use them.
- If winds are high, stay indoors and away from windows. Stay in the building’s lowest level unless it is susceptible to flooding, or in a small, protected space.
- In a lightning storm, DO NOT seek shelter under trees–lightning seeks out tall objects. Instead, squat as low to the ground as you can, away from trees and power lines, but do not lie down. Inside, stay away from windows, do not use the telephone or electric appliances, and do not use metal objects. Turn off all electrical items. Stay out of the swimming pool!
- If you are near the coast, DO NOT head to the water’s edge to watch the waves. A three-foot swell can produce a six-foot wave...and wind-driven waves can accelerate rapidly. The view is not worth the risk.
- If you and your family are evacuated, take your pre-packed emergency supplies, a change of clothes, extra blankets and sleeping bags, your insurance documents and other important papers. Lock your windows, doors, and turn off the utilities. If local news predicts heavy winds nail plywood over the windows. Contact your kennel or Humane Society shelter for information on how to take care of your pets. Health reasons prohibit pets from staying in evacuation centers.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, if there is an immediate threat to life or property...DIAL 9-1-1 or your community’s local emergency number. But do not use 9-1-1 or the emergency number for a non-emergency – you will just delay the handling of real emergencies. That can cost lives.