Staying Safe After a Hurricane
With the recent hurricanes still fresh in our minds, it is important to know what to do after one is finished. After a hurricane passes over an area, there are many things left behind that can still harm you.
Hurricanes of all shapes and sizes help create major issues that stick around long after the dangerous weather subsides. Read through these tips so you know what to do in the aftermath of a hurricane. Afterward, you can read up on how to prepare for a hurricane before it hits.
Driving Back to Your Property
If you evacuated your property to stay out of the storm’s path, you must be properly informed before you make the trek home. Before you hit the road, check and make sure that the local authorities have declared your area safe. If your neighborhood or community is still considered unsafe, stay where you are and do not leave yet.
Once you are on the road, keep clear of any major hazards, like downed power lines and potholes. Do not drive through any bodies of water, especially if there are downed power lines in the local vicinity. Practice caution while you are on the road so you do not run into any major issues.
Be Mindful of What You Eat
Hurricanes are powerful storms, so there is a good chance that you will lose electricity if one passes over your area. If you lost power during the storm, check your fridge after the power comes back on. Without power in your fridge, there is a good chance that some of the food inside has gone bad.
Make sure you toss out any pieces of spoiled food so no one eats them by accident. To keep perishable foods from spoiling sooner, keep your fridge closed during the period of lost power.
Check Your Appliances
Whether you evacuated or stayed in place during the storm, it is important to check your appliances and other pieces of equipment after the storm concludes. If you decided to turn off all your appliances for safety measures, make sure you do not turn them all back on at once. Doing this might significantly damage certain pieces of equipment, especially if they are sensitive.
Under no circumstances should you use any appliances that have water damage from the storm. To be on the safe side, have a local electrician look at your machines before you power them on again. Always be cautious when you are checking anything powered by electricity after a storm.
Avoid Using Tap Water Right Away
After the conclusion of the hurricane, you should avoid using tap water for the time being. Hurricanes create massive floods, and the large bodies of water that form are likely contaminated from the array of objects they carry. That contaminated water may end up in your tap water, and you could get seriously ill from drinking it.
Until you are absolutely sure that the water is clean, you should drink water from packaged bottles. You can also try boiling water for one minute to purify it. Only use pure tap water once you get the okay from the authorities that the local water system has been thoroughly cleaned out.
Other Things to Do
Make sure to do these other things if you want to stay absolutely safe in the aftermath of a hurricane.
- If you plan to cleanup around your property, wear protective clothes before doing so. Broken wood and loose nails can cause serious harm.
- Be wary of stray animals that have been affected by the storm. Do not make contact with them; call a local animal control center instead.
- Always use flashlights if you need a source of light. This is much safer compared to using candles.
- Local telephone lines are likely going to be very busy after a storm. Only make a phone call in the case of a serious emergency.
If a hurricane is projected to run through your area, keep these tips in mind, and please stay safe.