Planning Ahead to Stay Safe During Storms and Hurricanes

Preparation is an important aspect of electrical safety during storms and hurricanes. According to the National Fire Protection Association at www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-1600-standard-development/1600, damage from storms is more likely when people have not prepared for them. Several steps can be taken before, during, and after a storm or hurricane to better ensure safety.

Electrical safety is an important thing to consider during hurricane season. To prepare for the storm:

• turn off electrical equipment to minimize the hazards that water exposure can cause;
• relocate crucial electrical equipment to higher ground to prevent water damage;
• establish a plan to contact personnel who are qualified for electrical work; and
• create a safety plan specific to your site that ensures addressing such topics as air quality, chemical spills, and structural damage.

Seek shelter if you hear thunder because lightning can travel up to 10 miles away from the storm.

Stay informed during a storm or hurricane by listening to a battery-operated National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio or local weather forecasts regularly, and keep extra batteries on hand. Cover your home’s windows with hurricane shutters or pre-cut plywood. Try to limit your phone use except for emergencies. Bring in all outside furniture, garbage cans, and decorations. Fill the bathtub with water or fill buckets with water to be used for cleaning needs and flushing toilets. Keep your gas tank three-fourths full at all times in case you must evacuate.

Follow the directions of authorities if an evacuation has been ordered due to a storm or hurricane. Research the locations of your local shelters beforehand so you will be prepared. Include a transportation route and destinations in your evacuation plan, and keep your pets in mind. Some shelters may not allow pets, especially in places where food is served, so you must have an alternate plan for your pets if you plan to go to a shelter. Consider the needs of those people who have disabilities as well. If you have evacuated, wait until you hear from local authorities that it is safe to return to your home.

Keep an emergency supply kit in a waterproof, portable container in a location that is easily accessible. The kit should include the following items:

• a three-day supply of water and ready-to-eat food, a can opener, and canned juices;
• a compass, a whistle to signal for help, signal flares, and matches in a waterproof container;
• prescription medications, contact lens supplies, dentures, personal hygiene items, and any necessary nonprescription drugs;
• rain gear and a complete change of clothes, including sturdy shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt;
• water and food for your pets;
• personal sanitation supplies, such as moist towelettes, paper towels, and garbage bags (with plastic ties, if needed);
• soap, disinfectant, and household chlorine bleach;
• cash or traveler’s checks;
• a tent;
• phone chargers, pencil and paper, important family documents, and emergency contact numbers;
• passports, bank account numbers, and credit card account numbers and companies;
• infant formula, baby wipes, and diapers (if you have an infant); and
• personal backpacks for each of your children filled with familiar items, such as their favorite book, toy, stuffed animal, drawing supplies, a change of clothes, and a blanket.

Notify your contacts who are not in the area if you have decided not to evacuate. Stay inside, away from windows and glass doors. All interior doors should be closed, and exterior doors should be secured and braced. Keep your curtains and blinds closed and stay in the lowest-level hallway, closet, or interior room while lying on the floor under a sturdy object such as a table. If there is a lull in the storm, stay alert because winds could return once the eye of the storm passes.

Create a plan for how to reach one another if you are separated from your family during a storm. An out-of-area contact can be helpful if you become separated, so be sure that you and your children learn the addresses and phone numbers of those contacts. Keep emergency phone numbers for the fire department, police station, and ambulance posted in your home so the numbers are easily accessible.

Other safety tips and electrical hazards to consider after a storm or hurricane include the following:

• Use flashlights rather than candles to avoid a fire hazard.
• Educate your family about where the circuit box is, and make sure everyone knows how to shut off the power to avoid unexpected sparks from power sources that could ignite a possible natural gas leak.
• Never replace an electrical fuse or reset the circuit breaker if your hands are wet or if you are standing in water or on a damp or wet surface.
• Do not touch moist wood—it can become a path for electricity.
• Remember that electricity passes through water, so never step in flooded areas of your home.
• Turn off electric and gas services before reentering buildings or rooms that have been damaged by the storm.
• If you are in your vehicle and it is touching a downed power line, stay in your car until authorities tell you it is safe to get out.
• Do not use electrical appliances that have gotten wet.
• Work with a licensed service electrician or electrical contractor for repairs of electrical appliances.
• Replace any electrical equipment, light outlets, and junction boxes that have been under water; they cannot be reused.
• If someone has been electrocuted, make sure that the person is no longer in contact with the electrical source before you touch them.
• Before using a portable generator, make sure you have read and understand the safety tips provided with it.
• Do not go near downed power lines.

If you follow best safety practices before, during, and after a storm or hurricane, you have a greater chance of surviving it.