Debby a reminder to be prepared
BY BRUCE BRANUM
The Greenville Standard
Hurricane Debby, which made landfall in the Florida Big Bend area as a Category 1 storm on Monday, is a reminder to all southeastern states with significant populations near the Gulf of Mexico to be prepared.
The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration urges everyone to plan ahead.
Before hurricane season: determine safe evacuation routes inland; learn the location of official shelters; make emergency plans for pets; check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, generators and battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards and cell phones; buy food that will keep and store drinking water; buy plywood or other material to protect your home; clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts, trim trees and shrubbery, decide where to move your boat in an emergency; and review your insurance policy.
Before the storm: listen frequently to radio, TV or NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards for bulletins of a storm’s progress; fuel and service your vehicles; inspect and secure mobile home tie-downs; board up windows in case the storm moves quickly and you have to evacuate; stock up on batteries, food that will keep, first aid supplies, drinking water and medications; store lawn furniture and other loose, light-weight objects, such as garbage cans and garden tools; have cash on hand in case power goes out and ATMs don’t work.
When in a warning area: closely monitor radio, TV or NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards for official bulletins; close storm shutters; follow instructions issued by local officials. Leave immediately if ordered; if evacuating, leave as soon as possible. Stay with friends or relatives, at a low-rise inland motel or at a designated public shelter outside the flood zone; DO NOT stay in a mobile or manufactured home; notify neighbors and a family member outside of the warned area of your evacuation plans; take pets with you if possible, but remember, most public shelters do not allow pets other than those used by the handicapped. Identify pet-friendly motels along your evacuation route.
Plan to evacuate if: you live in a mobile or manufactured home. They are unsafe in high winds no matter how well fastened to the ground; you live on the coastline, an offshore island or near a river or flood plain. In addition to wind, flooding from storm surge waves is a major killer; you live in a high-rise. Hurricane winds can knock out electricity to elevators, break windows and more.
Items to bring to a shelter: first aid kit; medicine; baby food and diapers; cards, games, books, music players with headphones; toiletries; battery-powered radio, cell phone; flashlights, one per person; extra batteries; a blanket or sleeping bag for each person; identification; valuable papers such as insurance policies; cash, credit card.
If staying home: turn refrigerator to maximum cold and keep closed; turn off utilities if told to do so by authorities; turn off propane tanks; unplug small appliances, fill bathtub and large containers with water in case tap water is unavailable. Use water in bathtubs for cleaning and flushing only. Do NOT drink it.
If winds become strong: Stay away from windows and doors, even if they are covered. Take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway; close all interior doors. Secure and brace external doors; if you are in a two story house, go to an interior 1st floor room; if you are in a multi-story building and away from water, go to the 1st or 2nd floor and stay in the halls or other interior rooms away from windows; lie on the floor under a table or other sturdy object.
Be alert for tornadoes and the calm “eye” of the storm. It may seem like the storm is over but after the eye passes, the winds will change direction and quickly return to hurricane force.
After the storm: keep listening to radio, TV or NOAA Weather Radio; wait until an area is declared safe before entering; watch for closed roads. If you come upon a barricade or a flooded road, Turn Around Don’t Drown; avoid weakened bridges and washed out roads; stay on firm ground. Moving water only six inches deep can sweep you off your feet. Standing water may be electrically charged from power lines; once home, check gas, water and electrical lines and appliances for damage; use a flashlight to inspect for damage. Never use candles and other open flames indoors; do not drink or prepare food with tap water until officials say it is safe; if using a generator, avoid electrocution by following manufacturer’s instructions and standard electric code.
